Esteban Ocon feeling ‘stronger’ having been ‘really ill over the winter’

Esteban Ocon is feeling “stronger than ever” heading into the new season, not only having recovered from illness but also in his understanding of F1’s ground effect aerodynamic cars.

Ocon joined his new team-mate and boyhood friend Pierre Gasly on the stage in London on Thursday night as they unveiled Alpine’s 2023 car, the A523.

It’s the second generation of car under F1’s latest spate of technical regulations, the sport having switched to ground effect aerodynamics last season.

Billed as a “significant evolution” by technical director Matt Harman, this is the car that Ocon hopes will put him back on the podium having missed out last season.

But while his pre-season preparations were hampered by illness, the Frenchman says today he’s feeling “stronger than ever”.

“I’ve been really ill during the winter,” he said as per F1.com, “so I’ve had to put a lot of effort to try and come back to the best level possible in fitness, and I’ve done so.

“A bit of a challenging one, but happy with the result, and ready to start now.

“I feel stronger, I’m stronger than ever I would say because [of] the continuity with this team, getting a lot more years under my belt, knowing last year’s car very well.

“It’s been difficult to understand how things were working with this car – but now we have a second year with the same regulation in the end and the same team and the same people around me, it’s a good moment to keep stepping up.

“So I feel good. The experience and knowing things was helping me over time and my progression hasn’t come to an end yet. As long as I feel I am progressing, I am happy.

“I feel motivated, ready – we had obviously a good winter break to reflect on everything, and just to recharge the batteries and come back strong.”

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Although Alpine beat McLaren to fourth place in last year’s Constructors’ Championship, taking best of the rest by 14 points ahead of McLaren, the 26-year-old wasn’t able to add to his podium tally never mind repeat his 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix victory.

Champagne celebrations, however they come, are the Frenchman’s first goal for 2023.

“Obviously,” he continued, “what we missed last year was a podium finish. This is clearly something that I want to step back on, finishing on the podium would be something definitely awesome for us to achieve.

“More importantly to close the gap to third place in the Constructors’. If we finish fourth again, which is not a given – it’s always a difficult task to reach – but if we finish fourth, very close to third, I think that would be a very good and solid season.

“But if we can close the gap to third place that would definitely be an awesome season. We keep that in the back of our mind – we are going to focus on ourselves first, get testing right, extract all the best that we can for that and prepare for the first race.”