Ocon shrugs off Perez 'under pressure' claims

© XPB 

Esteban Ocon answered team mate Sergio Perez's claims that he'll be racing under pressure next season with Force India.

While acknowledging Ocon's strong performance this year, Perez believes the Frenchman will be facing higher expectations in 2018, and therefore additional pressure.

But the 21-year-old brushed aside his team mate's assertion.

"I feel alright if everyone is watching me for that, so people are expecting me to do well which is always positive," Ocon said.

"I don’t have more pressure, I will work the same way with the team with dedication and train the same way.

"I won’t change much, except that I’m a different driver now compared to the beginning of the year.

"I’ve been learning so much more which will help me at the start of the year like knowing the tracks – Australia, China, Monaco – all that will help me."

Ocon showed remarkable consistency all throughout the season, and finished the championship just 13 points behind the vastly more experienced Perez, an achievement Mr. 'Oconsistency' put down to, among other things, his attention to detail.

"You can’t let any details hang there. Any small issues, you can’t leave it," Ocon said.

"They will come back bigger, so any details you can fix, you have to fix. That is what I’ve learned this year and put into my performances."

Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1 drivers

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter