Why Ocon’s ‘not a team player’ reputation exists

The incident, where Ocon tried to barge his way past Gasly, proved terminal for the aggressor as his car became briefly airborne and caused damage that could not be repaired during the red flag. It very nearly took Gasly out of the race too, as he sustained a puncture and suspension damage; thankfully for the ex-AlphaTauri driver, this was sorted out during the 40-minute stoppage.

Famin warned of “consequences” for Ocon, stating to Canal+ that “Esteban’s dive was completely out of place, it was exactly what we didn’t want to see.” For a team struggling to score points this season, it was a move that very nearly cost a valuable 10th place. 

Alpine is now understood to be mulling over its options to ensure no further outbreaks of contention occur between the two. This could be anything from an accord between drivers to Ocon being benched for at least a race to lay down a marker.

That Alpine and Famin are even willing to consider “drastic action” hints at how bad things have become between its two drivers. It was always assumed that partnering Ocon and Gasly together, two drivers with a long-documented adversarial relationship, would always come to blows eventually.

Their relationship is one aspect to consider, but it also cements a criticism of Ocon that he has struggled to shake in his time as an F1 driver: that he struggles to be a team player.

After Ocon’s impressive debut runs with backmarkers Manor in 2016, he moved into a Force India drive for 2017 to partner Sergio Perez at the squad. Although their partnership initially seemed harmonious, it took a turn in the aftermath of that year’s Canadian Grand Prix: Ocon felt that Perez should have let him through to challenge Daniel Ricciardo ahead, while Perez asserted that he was attempting to pressure the Australian into making a mistake.

Two weeks later, Ocon shoved Perez into a wall at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix and put the Mexican out on the spot: Perez reckoned that, given the way the race panned out, Force India might have had a shot at securing its first-ever victory. 

Later in the season, the two made contact again at Hungary, and then twice at the Belgian Grand Prix: Perez accepted full blame for the first bout of wheel-banging on the run to Eau Rouge, but felt Ocon had been “too much on the limit” in their lap 28 clash on the exit of La Source. Force India banned the two from racing again for…