Ocon suggests Drive to Survive still not ‘reflecting reality’

Esteban Ocon has suggested the latest season of Drive to Survive still distorts reality for the sake of entertainment.

Released on Friday, producers faced a backlash from the F1 fraternity for what was regarded as the excessive dramatisation of the sport in 2022.

That saw the likes of Max Verstappen elect not to participate until those concerns were put to bed.

Ocon, however, has suggested the series on occasion remains divorced from truth.

“I don’t think it’s reflecting reality,” the Frenchman told the media, including Speedcafe.com, on Friday.

“I always find it strange where, for example, I finished P8 in France and I said ‘this was just like a win today’.

“I think I probably said that when we finished fifth in Austria or fourth in Japan, but not when I finished eighth in France.”

Drivers voiced their concerns over the way they were portrayed last year, which prompted F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali to wade into the issue.

“A driver who refuses to participate because he feels he is not being represented in the right way is not being constructive; so a dialogue is needed to understand how he can be included in a format that he feels is correct,” he said last March.

“It is a topic that we will address together with the drivers.

“We have to make sure that a project that has generated such exceptional traction has a language that continues to appeal, but without distorting the image and the meaning of the sport that we live with every day.”

While Ocon was surprised by the way his words were twisted for the series he also accepts and understands the need for entertainment.

“These things feel strange, but I guess it’s part of the show,” he reasoned. “We can’t complain about being on such a high-viewed platform. I think it’s awesome.

Referring to the use of his comments, Ocon added: “No, I don’t complain about that, but I don’t want to make it sound like I’m happy with P8.

“I want to win. I don’t want to finish in eighth but it’s fine for those kinds of things.”