Esteban Ocon said Saturday’s United States Grand Prix qualifying session was “probably the hardest of my life” after falling ill before the session began.
“Great job by the team, best of the rest once again,” he added. Ocon ended the session in seventh place which will become sixth on the grid once Max Verstappen’s penalty is applied.
A retching sound was heard on Ocon’s radio at the end of Q3, after which his race engineer said “I won’t ask what that was.” Ocon made a brief appearance in the media bullpen after the session.
Force India told F1 Fanatic Ocon “had a bad headache and tummy ache” which “came on just at the start of qualifying”.
Ocon said he was “glad to have made it through the session” after suffering with “a very bad headache and problems with my stomach”.
Deputy team principal Robert Fernley praised Ocon’s “tremendous effort” in making it onto the third row of the grid despite his illness.
“After the grid penalty for Verstappen, we expect to line up in sixth and ninth places tomorrow, which gives us a great opportunity to score good points,” he added.
This isn’t the first time the team have been affected by sickness this year. Ocon’s team mate Sergio Perez was suffered a stomach infection during the Malaysian Grand Prix two races ago.
Ju88sy (@)
22nd October 2017, 12:34
Well done Ocon, he was superb yesterday. Reminds me of Mark Webber a few years ago puking in his helmet.
ruliemaulana (@ruliemaulana)
22nd October 2017, 12:41
Force Indian Curry
Phylyp (@phylyp)
22nd October 2017, 14:15
@ruliemaulana – :-D and here I was, thinking it must have been Texas Chili.
Ninjenius (@ninjenius)
22nd October 2017, 15:42
@ruliemaulana @phylyp I reckon Perez showed him a picture of Hartley’s old hairstyle.
Pratyush P (@pratyushp276)
22nd October 2017, 18:51
@ninjenius or the Lotus 2014 car :D
Phylyp (@phylyp)
22nd October 2017, 14:16
That got me thinking – with Perez and Malaysia, and now Ocon, if it turns out to be a water-borne bug, it might be embarrassing for their title sponsors. Not saying its avoidable, just that the association is embarrassing.
PT (@pt)
22nd October 2017, 17:29
@phylyp
It’s hilarious, but a reasonable point. It’s strange that both the team drivers should be struck by a stomach bug this season.
Jere (@jerejj)
22nd October 2017, 17:47
@ruliemaulana +1
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
22nd October 2017, 13:49
I cannot imagine how horrible it must be to hold your vomit while going through those high G forces in the first sector!
David (@wushumr2)
22nd October 2017, 14:39
Well hopefully the g-forces keep it inside during cornering and acceleration…it’s under braking you have to make sure it doesn’t all come out!
Hans (@hanswesterbeek)
22nd October 2017, 17:10
It’s doable. Done it while karting once.
On a more serious note – time for FI to fire their kitchen staff!
PT (@pt)
22nd October 2017, 17:33
@hanswesterbeek
Could be one of the many people in India with an axe to grind against Vijay Mallya who’d have slipped into the kitchen!!
Jere (@jerejj)
22nd October 2017, 17:48
@fer-no65 +1
Simon Stiel
22nd October 2017, 14:48
Are you at COTA? Good job with the Force India info.
ia
22nd October 2017, 15:11
I’m surprised that Max never mentioned that he was sick until after last race were he was second.
I guess he is tougher and doesn’t want/need sympathy.
x303 (@x303)
22nd October 2017, 18:32
Another great qualifying from Ocon! Hope He can stay ‘best of the rest’ in the race.