Tim Coronel believes that ‘mega-potential’ F1 driver is now ‘destroying his own career’

Follow us on Google Discover

Unless you’re the best of the best, a Formula 1 driver is typically racing season to season to stay on the grid.

The likes of Sergio Perez and Logan Sargeant will tell you this year that surviving until the end of a campaign isn’t even a guarantee given the pressure on their seats.

It therefore means that every driver who reaches Formula 1 needs to make the most of the opportunity.

Tom Coronel was writing in his column for Formule1.nl and spoke about one driver he doesn’t feel is doing that right now.

Drivers racing near the back of the grid where points aren’t always available typically have a tougher time justifying their place in the paddock.

However, the lack of churn in recent seasons has meant plenty of successful drivers with wins to their name have ended up in roles that would have typically been filled by more inexperienced racers.

Alpine, for example, have only scored 11 points this season but have two race winners in their line-up.

Esteban Ocon has entered his fifth season with the team but will be heading to Haas in 2025 to replace Kevin Magnussen.

Coronel, however, has admitted that he’s very surprised that the French driver has been offered another opportunity to stay in the sport.

He’s cited his inability to form strong relationships with his teammates – Gasly and Ocon’s questionable alliance is well documented – as one reason why Haas should have potentially looked elsewhere.

It’s up to Ocon to prove he can live up to the ‘mega-potential’ Coronel believes he possesses.

READ MORE: Alpine driver Esteban Ocon’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend

Tim Coronel suggests Esteban Ocon is ‘destroying’ his Formula 1 career

Analysing his first half of the season, Coronel said: “Esteban Ocon is a fast driver, who has the quality of making himself impossible.

“At Alpine, you see it again now: the acceptance of a teammate and compatriot [Pierre Gasly], he just doesn’t pull that off.

“Then the whole fuse box in his head goes haywire. Remember his and Gasly’s crash in Monaco.

“Ocon reasons as follows: ‘Me no points, then you no points either’. But of course, it doesn’t work like that. He is destroying his own career.

“I think it’s extraordinary that he still got a seat at Haas. Ocon is a guy who has mega-potential in terms of speed, but an all-round driver is smart, skilful, strategic and experienced. Well, smart he is not.”

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Alpine F1 Team from team principal to lineage

Bernie Collins has a very different view on Esteban Ocon after working with him

Ocon is approaching 150 Grand Prix races which isn’t a figure any driver achieves unless they’re immensely talented.

Still managed by Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, Ocon’s move to Haas represents the fourth different constructor he’s worked with on the grid after Manor, Force India and Alpine in their various guises.

He wouldn’t continue to be hired by teams if he was that much of a problem as while he’s quick, he’s not fast enough to warrant working with if he’s a detriment to everyone around him.

While Martin Brundle can’t see Ocon ever driving for a top F1 team, other people see positives in the 27-year-old.

Bernie Collins believes Ocon is one of the hardest-working drivers she’s ever worked with and Haas will hopefully benefit from the effort he’ll put in behind the scenes.

Alongside rookie Oliver Bearman, Ocon will be responsible for the majority of the feedback the team act upon to improve their 2025 car.