Ahead of the Australian round of the championship, Esteban Ocon spoke about the characteristics of the Albert Park circuit and its approach to jet lag, but started by acknowledging the difficult situation the Alpine F1 team currently finds itself in.
Esteban Ocon: “Every race is a new opportunity and we go to Australia with a fresh sense of optimism to try and take on the teams we are really competing with. We know that our car currently has limited capabilities, and we understand that we have to give our best every time we go on the track.
I’m not just talking about myself, about my work behind the wheel of the A524, but also about the whole team, about tactics, about pit stops, about the need to find the optimal settings. The results this year are very tight and earning points is extremely important because the balance of power in the championship in general can change very quickly, as we saw at the previous race in Jeddah.
The circuit in Melbourne is fast and fun to drive there. In all respects this is a normal city route, but at the same time it runs along the public road along the edge of the park. Signs of the city ring are that the barriers are very close in some parts and riders have almost no room for error.
Because these roads are used by regular traffic all year round, the track surface is slightly uneven and speeds increase as each session progresses as the tarmac becomes covered in a layer of waste rubber. The weather can also be unpredictable, so sometimes it feels like one season turns into another. We must remember this and be ready to respond.
One of the special factors affecting the preparation for the race in Australia is related to the change in time zones: it is important that the body adapts as quickly as possible to the time difference, which is 10-11 hours compared to from Europe.
Together with my coach we pay special attention to this, and the preparation starts a few days before the flight to Melbourne: I try to gradually shift my bedtime and wake-up time. In addition, you should prepare a rest schedule in relation to a specific flight, so that when you arrive in Australia you are already correctly aligned with the local time.
It’s not that easy, but the Australian fans are great and they always give us energy!”
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.
