Esteban Ocon has publicly defended a move he made at the Dutch Grand Prix, arguing that his overtake of Alexander Albon beyond the yellow‑flag zone was within the rules and should have remained on the circuit.
Ocon’s claim over a disputed overtaking
During the early chaos in Zandvoort, after a Max Verstappen crash and a Gabriel Bortoleto 360‑degree spin, Ocon accelerated past Albon as the red‑flag period closed. Albon fired back on the radio, calling the manoeuvre “crazy,” claiming it took place in the trash‑about zone.
Ocon stated, “I overtook Alex, yes, but the line was green, so I had the right to pass.” He added that the second‑start grid had been drawn from lap‑one data, which erased his pass, “so the race was tightened,” and “I was not certain I would stay the penalty.”
Impact on race and future strategy
The Haas driver spent the initial stages behind Albon before pitting early on lap 16 to escape traffic. He retired on lap 53 with a power‑unit problem, concluding the race in fourteenth place.
When discussing the outcome, Ocon admitted the team’s “strategy could have been improved,” noting that Fernando Alonso ran a “very decent plan” that the squad might not have replicated without increased degradation.
He also criticized Formula 1’s “old‑school rule” that relies on timing loops every 20 metres, arguing that a more recent classification should have applied to the second start and that the driver’s position should have reflected the final part of what he described as “the last moment.”
In the end, the decision to set the grid based on lap‑one classification left Ocon with a frustrating restart, leaving questions about the balance between restart regulations and on‑track sporting fairness open for debate.
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