F1 / NEWS & CONTEXT

Ocon says he is among F1’s best after Baku points finish

The French driver backed his ability after taking eighth place in Baku, pointing to his past wins as evidence of what he can do.

GPBeat · Newsroom29 Sept 2026, 16:02 · 1 min

Esteban Ocon said he considers himself one of Formula 1’s best drivers after finishing eighth in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Speaking to reporters after the race, he said he deserved the points and could deliver when given a competitive car. RacingNews365 Nederland reported the remarks on 29 September 2026.

Ocon pointed to wins in junior racing and a Formula 1 Grand Prix victory as reasons for his confidence. In Baku, he had looked set to finish seventh before Arvid Lindblad passed him at the finish.

Earlier in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend, Ocon said he would be available for 2027. His comments about his driving came after a points finish, but he gave no indication in this post-race exchange of where he might race next.

Sources 01

SOURCEOcon baart opzien: "Ik ben een van de besten"RacingNews365 Nederland · Source date as found: 2026-09-29

Source context

RacingNews365 Nederland reported Ocon’s remarks from a post-race press gathering and rendered them in Dutch.

Claims and supporting evidence 5

RacingNews365 reports that Esteban Ocon, speaking to press including its own reporter after the race, said he deserved the result and points.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Ocon’s remarks to press after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix After the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix; reported on 29 September 2026 The supplied account renders his remarks in Dutch; no recording or original-language transcript was supplied.

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Asked whether he had shown he could deliver in a well-performing car, Ocon said he knew he could and described himself as one of the best drivers. These are his opinions, not established rankings.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Ocon’s assessment of his own driving ability After the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix; reported on 29 September 2026 The account supplies no objective ranking that would establish his self-assessment as fact.

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RacingNews365 reports that Ocon finished eighth in Baku after Arvid Lindblad passed him at the finish.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Race-result context for Ocon’s remarks 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix This race detail comes from the same supplied publication; no separate results document was supplied.

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RacingNews365 says Ocon had indicated earlier in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend that he would be available without a contract for 2027. That reported statement does not, by itself, establish that Haas has decided not to retain him.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Ocon’s reported 2027 availability The 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend, concerning 2027 The supplied article provides its account of the earlier statement, not the earlier interview or a Haas announcement.

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Ocon cited junior-series wins, a top-ten record during part of a DTM season and a Formula 1 Grand Prix victory as reasons for his confidence.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Ocon’s account of his career record Past career results cited after the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix These are Ocon’s retrospective claims in the supplied interview account; individual results were not independently checked.

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This article was produced with AI assistance. Source references make its supporting evidence traceable.