Esteban Ocon plans to transform himself to take advantage of the Formula 1’s new weight rules ahead of his planned comeback in 2020.
For 2019, the Frenchman will be on the sidelines, working as a reserve driver for Mercedes after he lost a chance at race seat.
As one of the taller drivers in the series, Ocon was constantly under a weight penalty and the first year of weight limits won’t be of much use to him.
Admitting a year out of the series is “hard to swallow”, Ocon said he will do everything in his power to get back on the grid next year.
“What I don’t want to swallow at all, what I will not swallow, is that I’m not back in 2020,” said Ocon.
“I would be massively disappointed by this. I believe I will be back and I trust the people around me to be back.
“I will just be even better prepared – with everything I know, with the knowledge I have from the [2018] season.
“I will transform myself with the new weight regulations, and I will arrive more ready than I was when I started at Force India [in 2017].”
Knowing his seat is lost at the middle of the season can be tough for any driver. But Ocon still managed to focus on his performance.
“I kept the way I was working, I kept my dedication,” Ocon said of how he made sure that did not impact his performances.
“Outside the track or factory, my motivation went massively high, and was massively high, and is massively high.
“I believe that with the amount of work I put in everyday, this situation will change.
“My dedication will pay off and I will be back in 2020” he assured.
