Former UFC heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane and Haas F1 driver Esteban Ocon recently sat down for a chat courtesy of GQ France. The duo spoke about life, their respective sporting disciplines, and everything in between.
Both Ocon and Gane have been close acquaintances from the past, and there is a commonality between the duo that has stitched the fabric of who they are as athletes and, more importantly, as people. Like Ocon, Gane’s rise to fame hasn’t been a cakewalk, as he did not come from an affluent family and had to worry every time he spent money.
Today, though, the 35-year-old is grateful that the life he has led has enabled him to give a comfortable life to himself and his family. Unlike before, today he can afford all the luxuries of life such as having meals at expensive and good restaurants.
While talking about this, Gane was abruptly interrupted by Ocon, who shared a wholesome yet hilarious story about going to a Kebab shop in France once with the MMA fighter. “The truth is, you can’t go to the kebab shop in Evreux with Ciryl Gane,” he began.
Ciryl Gane dans le garage d’Esteban Ocon ❤️pic.twitter.com/r9F90jBhXn
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Ocon then narrated an incident when the duo had gone to have a meal and were stuck there for upwards of three hours because of the 35-year-old being mobbed by fans and him having the grace to address each of them individually.
“You enter the kebab shop at 7 P.M. At 9.30 P.M., he’s still talking to people [like], ‘My friend!’ He’s like that with everyone,” revealed the 2021 Hungarian GP winner.
This lighthearted story from Ocon led Gane to speak on the serious consequences of having fame in life. While he is grateful for the attention he gets from adoring fans, he believes it is not always possible to talk to everyone, especially when he is with family.
“There are pros and cons. We know very well that it makes people happy. But sometimes when you’re with your family, or I don’t know, for some reason, you don’t have time or you don’t want to [talk], it happens to you, too. So, it’s up to you to manage. But you can’t complain always,” explained Gane.
But when he is with friends, like in this case with Ocon, Gane always tries to make some time for the fans who want a piece of him. He also explained that with fame, there is a need for the person to accept that there will always be that “other side of the coin,” but one always needs to be appreciative of the love they receive.
