It is not a hidden fact that Formula 1, or just racing in general, is an expensive sport as many drivers hail from rich families.
Therefore one might assume the same for Esteban Ocon, the winner of the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix.
Ocon, due to his inexperience, had some unwarranted incidents back in 2018 before he made a comeback in 2020.
It is almost impractical for a driver as young as Ocon to return to F1.
This led many to think that he had strong financial backing from his family in order to afford a seat with Renault (now Alpine).
The truth, however, is beyond that as the Frenchman did not have it easy during his F1 career till now.
Ocon’s rise to glory
Looking back at 2019, Ocon’s future in F1 seemed to be hitting a dead-end, especially after being left out of Racing Point.
His father being a mechanic, Ocon had no way to buy his way to a seat and had to completely rely on talent.
Things took a turn in Ocon’s favor with the arrival of Ocon’s manager, Toto Wolff.
Wolff is the primary reason why the Frenchman was able to secure a seat at Renault.
The Alpine driver also disclosed that he would have been working in a restaurant if he had to drop his F1 dream.
“If I hadn’t met Toto Wolff, I would have ended up working in a fast-food restaurant,” Ocon said.
Ocon had a supportive family
As mentioned earlier, racing is an expensive sport. Therefore, Ocon’s family had invested all their assets into helping him realize his racing dreams.
The biggest sacrifice was after the family sold their home and moved into a camper in order to finance Ocon’s career.
The 23-year-old revealed that he had no other option than to succeed. This was mainly because it was now his responsibility to help his family back on their feet.
What did Ocon say?
“I was 11-12 years old, I remember everything: I couldn’t afford to fail with all the sacrifices my parents made,” he said.
“They had faith in me. After all, it was a good life that was always on the move. I didn’t mind living in a camper,” he added.
From being left out of the grid back in 2019 to signing a 3-year contract opposite title winner Fernando Alonso, 2021 has turned out to be the best year in Ocon’s career.
We can only wait and see if this is the start of Ocon’s upward journey towards fighting for the title.
Let us know what you think in the comments below!
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