Barely back in Formula 1 as a driver for 2020 and already Esteban Ocon is teasing future duels with Max Verstappen.
The pair have a history together through junior series and that flashed up in F1 last year in Brazil when the Dutchman shoved Ocon post-race after a mid-race collision had cost him victory.
Now they’ll be back on the same grid next year as the Frenchman returns with Renault and asked about the possibility of once again duelling with Verstappen, Esteban was calm.
“I’m happy to race all the drivers again,” he told Le Figaro
“It is true that I fought my entire career with Max, but what happened in Brazil last year was a big, big thing on the outside but not so big on the inside.
“Despite what happened, we have respect for each other, the page has been turned and we will fight again on the track.”
Ocon’s preparations got underway this week by driving both days of the post-season test in Abu Dhabi and the 23-year-old spoke of the significance of the 200+ laps he managed at Yas Marina.
“It’s crucial and definitely it’s going to help me massively because you arrive at testing in February with an advantage,” he said.
“You have your position [in the car] fixed, you have things that you verified on track, which it’s great to have the chance for that.
“I didn’t get much driving time this year, and to have even fewer days in February, it’s a big problem.
“So to have these two days here it’s basically a counter for the days we are lacking in February.”