Ocon: 'I can see myself fighting with Verstappen for the world title'

Esteban Ocon is running a fine season in Formula 1 so far. The Alpine driver surprised during the Monaco Grand Prix with a podium finish. Ocon himself thinks that, provided he drives the same car as Max Verstappen, he can fight for the world title with the Dutchman, the Frenchman told DAZN.

"I don't care which driver, but I want to fight for the championship. I have always believed in myself. We still have a long way to go, but my goal is to become world champion, nothing else," Ocon confessed. "I can see myself fighting with Verstappen for the world championship if we had the same car. Max is doing great now, he is dominating with the Red Bull," he added.

Alpine's Frenchman is one of the most aggressive drivers on the Formula 1 grid and he seems to know it himself. "I really don't want people to think I'm a tough guy, because I'm a nice guy outside. But the way I drive is tough. That's probably true, but I'm happy with it," the world championship number nine told reporters.

That Ocon is doing well seems certain, but whether the Frenchman can compete with the Red Bull driver for the world title remains to be seen. The two bantams have quite a history together with much fighting between them. For now, a fight between the two seems out of the question.