“Formula 1 will overtake Football in terms of Interests”– Esteban Ocon believes F1 can overtake most viewed sport in the world

If Formula 1 continues on its trajectory, Esteban Ocon believes it will become more intriguing and engaging than football.

This season was like a penalty shootout, with all of the drama happening simultaneously. In 2021, it seems like Ocon took the winning penalty as he became the first new winner in a season where the world championship was decided on the final lap of the last Grand Prix.

The popularity of the Drive to Survive series has helped Formula 1 grow in recent years, and the schedule for next year will include a record-breaking 23 races.

“I think it’s fantastic, the way it is evolving,” said Ocon. “Of course, there are still things we could clean up or have better, but I think the way we are trying things, the way the races were interesting, the way there is opportunity nowadays, it’s just crazy until the last lap.

“That last lap in 2021 sums up the whole season because it was like that in 2020, it has been like that in 2021, and if we have the cars closer together, it probably will overtake football in terms of how interesting it is going to be, the sport. I would be thrilled if that’s the case.

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“I think everybody talks about Formula 1. I had some friends who were not really into the sport and now they are completely watching. Yeah, it is just great.”

Under new restrictions, Ocon hopes that the sport could become even more competitive in 2022 and continue innovating where possible.

“All these kinds of things it’s just cool to try them and just cool to have new excitements and we have lots of different tracks that we go to, different characteristics now with the new Abu Dhabi, all of those things,” he said.

“I remember 2017, 2018 well; if you were finishing P6, it was like a win, you never had an opportunity, never, to be on the podium, to be on the lead.

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“Now you’ve seen Daniel [Ricciardo], you’ve seen Pierre [Gasly], you’ve seen myself, you’ve seen many different cars on the podium, that’s amazing, it’s what we want, all, I think the whole sport.

“If somebody would say they are against that they would be crazy, so it’s great.”