Esteban Ocon expects lap time records to tumble during the 2020 F1 season after completing his first half-day of testing in Renault’s new car.
Speaking to media including RaceFans during the lunch break at Circuit de Catalunya, Ocon said his first impression of the new RS20 was very positive but “hard to compare” with the Mercedes he tested last year.“The amount of grip there is this year already, I think if you take it in account the fastest lap time, we are already faster than the fastest lap time of last year’s first day,” he said.
“The cars are just evolving year by year. But the amount of grip I feel now I think I’ve never felt before.”
“It’s impressive those new cars because I have to say I’ve never went that fast in some corners before,” he added. “So it feels good.
“It’s definitely exciting because that’s just going to go faster and faster. So we’re going to probably break all the records, I reckon, this year, lap time.”
[smr2020test]Ocon admitted he is still getting used to pushing the car to its absolute limit on his return to competition in F1.
“It’s not true that I’m just not leaning on it yet,” he said. “I’m driving, I’m trying to get the rust off of me also.
“It’s been it’s been some time since I properly [drove] a car, which means with somebody next to me and having references, et cetera. So I’m just trying to get back up to speed. And it’s important to have decent lap times to be able to feel how the car reacts in the race condition or in the practice conditions.”
[f1tv2020testc]
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Lums (@lums)
19th February 2020, 12:58
He’s speaking on behalf of Mercedes guys, not Reno lol.
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
19th February 2020, 13:07
Ferrari is doomed.
Lums (@lums)
19th February 2020, 13:09
Shock value comments, you just love them dont you?
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
19th February 2020, 13:25
@lums no, I don’t, I don’t make comments for shock value. Often for comedy, unfortunately written comments don’t have a tone.
I’m amused some love to obsess over what I say. Just remember this comment or caption it, prove me wrong, expose my mistake. Everyone looks good ferrari doesnt so I think it is a fair comment.
Lums (@lums)
19th February 2020, 14:17
Okay, if you say so.
Comments on other posts like #oscarsowhite #f1sowhite… written or verbal, i just don’t see how that’s funny. You sure it’s not to provoke a reaction?
Phylyp (@phylyp)
19th February 2020, 13:53
“2021 will be our year”
– Ferrari
:)
NewVerstappenFan (@jureo)
19th February 2020, 13:09
Maybe this Renault is good this year! :D
Live timing suggests Merceedes has even more grip:
1 Bottas Mercedes 1m17.313s
2 Perez Racing Point 1m17.375s
3 Verstappen Red Bull 1m17.787s
4 Sainz McLaren 1m18.001s
5 Ocon Renault 1m18.004s
bosyber (@bosyber)
19th February 2020, 13:17
Well, Ocon said he didn’t push, just ‘getting the rust off’, so I suppose they will go faster tomorrow/this afternoon
Rick D. (@partsguy20)
19th February 2020, 13:30
It’s evident they’ve made a lot of changes and really pushed the design forward this year. Lots of little details, the added rake, the tight Coke bottle area.
If Daniel is comfortable with it under braking, watch out everybody! The Honey Badger might finally have the ride he deserves.
G (@unklegsif)
19th February 2020, 13:34
I know comparing times in testing is a fools folly, but while we are on this subject it seems pertinent to point out that George Russell this year is already 2.8s faster than his fastest time last year, and within a second of VB’s fastest so far
Progress
Jere (@jerejj)
19th February 2020, 14:32
We shall wait and see. Maybe not on every single circuit, but most of them at least. My initial expectation is that the gaps to last season’s equivalent pole times from circuit to circuit are going to be similar to how they were from 2018 to last season, or 2017-2018, i.e., relatively little gains. Not massive gains like from 2016 to 2017 (through reg changes explicitly aimed at faster lap times), or 2015 to 2016 (through stable technical regs) on many tracks.
Bart
19th February 2020, 22:33
I predict that Ocon will be much faster this year than he was last year. Same for Latifi.
Hülkenberg and Kubica will be slower though. My crystal ball is adamant about it.
BaKano (@bakano)
20th February 2020, 5:48
I see what you did right there 🤭