Esteban Ocon has candidly shared the gruelling physical and mental challenges he confronted during the scorching Qatar Grand Prix, where he fought relentlessly to guide his Alpine car to the finish line.
The race was marred by intense heat, leading to several drivers experiencing medical issues post-race, including visits to the medical centre by Lance Stroll, Alex Albon, and Logan Sargeant, despite Max Verstappen’s victory.
Ocon, who achieved an impressive seventh-place finish for Alpine, disclosed that he endured a particularly demanding ordeal.
By lap 15, he found himself vomiting inside his helmet, a distressing experience that he managed to overcome through sheer mental resilience.
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Ocon recounted, “I was throwing up yeah, by lap 15, 16, for two laps, I think.
“Managed to get it under control I think just mentally, tried to focus on exactly what I had to do.
“I’ve never had that in the past.
“I’ve always been able to do two race distances in the car.
“It must have been like 80 degrees [Fahrenheit] inside the car today.”
The challenging conditions inside the cockpit compounded as Ocon breathed heavily to regain composure in the corners, further intensifying the heat within his helmet.
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The experience left him profoundly shaken, as he described it as “honestly horrible.”
Fortunately for Ocon, he now has a well-deserved respite ahead of him, with a two-week gap before the upcoming US Grand Prix in Texas.
This break will provide him with the opportunity to recover and prepare for the challenges of the next race.