F1 News, Reports and Race Results

Ocon: We'll hang that tyre on the wall in the factory!

Esteban Ocon's Turkish Grand Prix was all about tyre management which the Alpine driver pushed to the extreme on Sunday by running his entire race on a single set of intermediate tyres and scoring a point for good measure.

Istanbul Park's soggy conditions warranted a start on the intermediate tyre for F1's field. But while a dry line faintly appeared as the race unfolded, intermittent light drizzles meant that Pirelli's inters remained the rubber of choice for the duration of the event.

Ahead of Sunday's round of racing, Pirelli F1 boss Mario Isola had warned teams of the risk of running 58 laps on a single set of inters.

"Going for the whole race on the intermediates though was not what we would advise, and in fact we alerted some teams to the potential risk of doing that," said Isola.

However, Ocon pressed on, but the Alpine driver's worn-to-the-bone right front tyre was a sorry sight at the end of the day in Parc Fermé.

Ocon's non-stop run – the first in a non-red flagged race since Mika Salo's single stint in Monaco in 1997 – nevertheless delivered a championship point to the Frenchman and his team.

"I don't know when is the last time that nobody had a pitstop," said Ocon. "It was a risk today that we took. It paid off in the end because we got a point out of it.

"It doesn't look great in the end, that tyre! I think we'll hang it on the wall in the factory. It's good because, as I said, it paid off."

From the outset, Ocon was in constant communication with his team regarding his tyre management in the tricky conditions, and admitted that he drew upon his experience in last years' race in Turkey when a spin in the early stages compelled him to switch tyres and undergo a single stint to the checkered flag on the inters.

"There was a lot of discussion, but in my head it was pretty clear that we had to try and get something out of that, because last year I had the incident in the first lap, and basically from there on I drove on intermediates the whole race as well," he explained.

"So I thought if last year was the case, maybe this year we could do the same, and this year we did one more lap then that, so it was good."

While obviously happy with the outcome, Ocon admitted that he was likely one lap away, or perhaps less, from an unmitigated disaster.

"It was tricky at the end, a couple more corners I would’ve lost that point," he said. "It’s good to have a reward in the end, I’m pretty pleased to get that point for everybody.

“One more lap, I think we would’ve got a puncture. It was a risky bet. We made it work today.

"It’s not the best weekend for us, clearly. That one point probably saves it a bit, but we have some work to do to come back to the level of performance we had a couple of races ago.

"We need to keep on top of that for Austin."

Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1 drivers

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

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.

Recent Posts

Alpine double-podium in Brazil could deliver $30 million windfall

Alpine’s remarkable double podium at the São Paulo Grand Prix with Esteban Ocon and Pierre…

47 mins ago

F1i's Driver Ratings for the 2024 São Paulo GP

Alexander Albon, Williams (Did Not Start): 5.5/10 Alex Albon is definitely going through something of…

2 hours ago

Jos Verstappen rips British media after Brazilian Max fest

Jos Verstappen wasted no time after his son spectacular win at the São Paulo Grand…

4 hours ago

Leclerc left with ‘mixed feelings’ after disappointing Sao Paulo GP

Charles Leclerc's weekend in Sao Paulo was unfortunately a stark contrast to Ferrari's recent triumphs…

5 hours ago

Back when Kimi knew exactly what he was doing

Twelve years ago on this day, Kimi Raikkonen took a popular win at the 2012…

7 hours ago

Mercedes fined for starting grid tyre pressure infringement

The Mercedes team was hit with a fine by the FIA after Sunday’s Sao Paulo…

8 hours ago