Esteban Ocon stated he is “one of the best” Formula 1 drivers currently, following a strong performance at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku.
The Frenchman, whose future at Haas for 2027 remains uncertain, had a frustrating qualifying session on Friday, finishing 14th due to a yellow flag. However, he bounced back in the race on Saturday by capitalizing on opportunities and avoiding incidents to finish 8th, his best position of the season and his third top-10 finish.
Ocon explained that the car was competitive throughout the weekend and that the team made the right decisions, especially during pit stops and Safety Car phases. He expressed optimism for the upcoming races on challenging circuits, highlighting Haas’s competitiveness.
During the restart after the first Safety Car, Ocon gained several positions by overtaking Liam Lawson and then his teammate Ollie Bearman. A second restart allowed him to take advantage of an error by Oscar Piastri to move further up, finishing ahead of Bearman, who was later overtaken near the end by Arvid Lindblad.
Despite the disappointment of losing a position in the final moments, Ocon said he was “super happy” with the result, which brings positive momentum to the team ahead of a run of three consecutive races.
