Skip to main content

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Recommended for you

WRC Sardinia: Title wide open as Solberg takes Sardinia lead into final day

WRC
WRC
Rally Italy
WRC Sardinia: Title wide open as Solberg takes Sardinia lead into final day

Why Malaysia would be the perfect place for F1’s first wet-weather race in 2026

Formula 1
Formula 1
Bahrain GP in Malaysia
Why Malaysia would be the perfect place for F1’s first wet-weather race in 2026

You Ask The Questions: Emerson Fittipaldi

Formula 1
Formula 1
Azerbaijan GP
You Ask The Questions: Emerson Fittipaldi

The wide world of strategy options expected in F1's Bahrain GP in Malaysia

Formula 1
Formula 1
Bahrain GP in Malaysia
The wide world of strategy options expected in F1's Bahrain GP in Malaysia

How Verstappen’s two subtly different laps beat Hamilton in Bahrain GP in Malaysia qualifying

Formula 1
Formula 1
Bahrain GP in Malaysia
How Verstappen’s two subtly different laps beat Hamilton in Bahrain GP in Malaysia qualifying

How the FIA plans to differentiate between Rally1 and Rally2 in WRC 2027

WRC
WRC
Rally Italy
How the FIA plans to differentiate between Rally1 and Rally2 in WRC 2027

"The FIA needs to step in" - Russell's cooling vest comments explained

Formula 1
Formula 1
Bahrain GP in Malaysia
"The FIA needs to step in" - Russell's cooling vest comments explained

McLaren explains recurring Norris straightline speed issue after Bahrain GP qualifying

Formula 1
Formula 1
Bahrain GP in Malaysia
McLaren explains recurring Norris straightline speed issue after Bahrain GP qualifying

Esteban Ocon: Force India team-mate Sergio Perez risked our lives

Esteban Ocon says Force India Formula 1 team-mate Sergio Perez risked both their lives in their Belgian Grand Prix collision

The pair collided on the run to Eau Rouge twice in the Spa F1 race.

They escaped the first contact without damage, despite Ocon hitting both Perez and the support race pitwall, but the second incident gave Ocon front wing damage and Perez a puncture.

The clash follows discord over team orders in the Canadian GP in June and then a collision in the following Azerbaijan race, and has already prompted Force India to declare they will no longer be free to race each other.

Ocon said Perez's driving was "just too much" as he defended following their second pitstops.

"Risking our lives for nothing. He risked my life in there, at 300km/h [186mph] down to Eau Rouge," Ocon told Channel 4.

"That's the first thing, the second thing is we lost a lot of points.

"He's supposed to be a professional driver, today he didn't show it.

"He has not done that with any other team-mates, I don't know why he's doing it with me.

"I'm going to go and speak to him man to man and tell him the truth. He's going to have a child. I don't know if he wants to die or something.

"It's just ridiculous."

Asked if he thought Perez knew he was drawing alongside in their second clash, Ocon replied: "Of course he knew. I accept the first one. We were three-wide, maybe he didn't see me - even if I think he saw me."

Perez said he was aware Ocon was attacking him in the second incident but believed he would not try to pass until the Kemmel Straight.

"I knew he was there but I also knew there was no more space to go, so I just protected my line," said Perez.

"I thought he was obviously going to make the manoeuvre after Eau Rouge.

"I didn't do anything different that I wouldn't have done to any other drivers. No other driver would have done differently."

He did accept blame for their first-lap coming together, which he said happened as he tried to regain momentum following a poor getaway caused by picking the wrong start mode.

"He probably feels I did it on purpose, probably that's why on the second one he came into contact," said Perez.

"The first one was totally my fault, I didn't see him. I apologise for that one.

"The second one, he was too optimistic and there was no need to touch there."

Perez acknowledged their relationship had been poor since the Baku tangle that cost both a podium shot.

"We have to look back, remember Baku," he added. "There he put me in the wall.

"I'm not saying I did it because of that, but tension started back then.

"It's the first time I've had this in my career and hopefully we can sort it out and start scoring good points for the team."

Previous article Force India to stop Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon racing after Spa
Next article Max Verstappen's Red Bull F1 retirements as bad as McLaren's Alonso

Top Comments

Latest news