Esteban Okon has fond memories of the Bahrain Grand Prix, where he took his first Formula 1 podium at this circuit a few years ago. The Alpine driver is looking forward to a successful start to the season, but has not made any specific predictions.
Q: How do you feel for the first race of the 2023 season?
Esteban Ocon: I’m in a great mood and happy to be back behind the wheel for the race weekend. We’ve had a long and intense winter and now we all want to get back on track and see what the A523 can do.
The last days after testing we rested in Bahrain and prepared for the first stage, so I feel ready for the season. In addition, the team has put a lot of thought into analyzing the information gathered during testing – we are trying to get to know this year’s car as best we can, so it was a week of training.
Q: What is your first impression of the car after three days of testing?
Esteban Ocon: I think all three days were positive. We consistently executed our program, that was the goal of the past week. Of course there were some minor problems with the machine, but we quickly resolved them. After all, that’s what tests are for. We have a better understanding of the car and now know where we need to go to improve the A523 for this weekend and as the season progresses.
Q: Teams and drivers know the track in Bahrain well. Do you like her?
Esteban Ocon: In recent years we have spent a lot of time in Bahrain, including testing last week. This circuit has always been special to me, because in 2020 I was on the podium here for the first time in Formula 1.
As for the race ring itself, it is suitable for racing, as there are many overtaking opportunities. The eighth, ninth and tenth turns are quite tricky, because there is a risk of locking the front wheels. Difficult and lengthy right twelfth turn.
Weather conditions can be difficult, especially when the wind picks up – usually the direction is difficult to predict. The second practice session will be crucial for everyone as it is the only session that will take place at the same time as qualifying and the race.
On Sunday night we will get a better idea of where we stand against our opponents. We start on Friday and try to make it a successful weekend.
Source: F1 News
I am Christopher Clyde, an experienced journalist and content writer with a passion for sports. I have been writing about Formula 1 news for the past five years and am currently employed as an author at athletistic.com, one of the top sports websites in the US.
