F1 News

Esteban Ocon: “At the moment I listen” to Renault for setup advice

17 January 2020 at 11:36
Last update 17 January 2020 at 12:07
  • Bevan Youl

Esteban Ocon has said that for now, he is listening to Renault’s advice on how to set up the car as he figures out the differences made. 

Ocon will return to the Formula 1 grid with Renault this year having spent 2019 in the pits as Mercedes reserve driver after being replaced at SportPesa Racing Point the year before.
 
After the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the Frenchman was handed his first experience with his new team during testing and realised the best way to understand was to listen to what his team had to say.
 
"At the moment I listen to the team," he said as quoted by GPToday.net
 
"Nico and Daniel and all drivers, in general, are driving pretty close to each other in certain ways. There are small differences and there will be small differences for me.
 
"I’m trying to listen to the team, understand how the car works because every car works differently, reacts differently to different setup changes.
 
“So I’m just trying to learn what does what."
 
During 2016 Ocon had been part of Renault’s young driver programme, admitting that there has been quite a bit of change since as they prepare for winter testing in February.
 
"At the moment we are at the end of year testing so we will see in February how that is," Ocon said after his session in Abu Dhabi. 
 
"At the moment I’m trying to get everything ready, so let’s think about that later.
 
"Things change quickly in Formula 1, so there is quite many new faces in the engineering room but also in the mechanic garage. So there are quite a few new people since 2016."