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Pérez: Ocon better in qualifying but my pace stronger in races

Pérez: Ocon better in qualifying but "my pace stronger" in races

14-12-2018 13:50
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Nicolás Quarles van Ufford

Racing Point driver Sergio Pérez has conceded that his now former teammate Esteban Ocon was the better driver in 2018 during qualifying, although the Mexican did counter that he was stronger during the races themselves.

The qualifying numbers quite heavily favour Ocon; in 16 of the 21 qualifying sessions, the Frenchman ended higher up the table than his teammate. He was the only driver outside of the top six with an average qualifying result under ten (9.95, per RaceFans), with his P3 at Spa Francorchamps being the stand-out performance, as it was his best-ever qualifying performance.

“In qualifying, he probably had the upper hand," Pérez admitted to Reuters when looking back on his partnership with Ocon.

"Although the gap between us in qualifying is less than a tenth, he was more often in front in qualifying than me, but I think the gap in the races was bigger than in qualifying.”

He has a point there. Or rather, he has 62 points there, as he scored that amount in 2018, 13 more than Ocon's 49. Pérez finished the season in eighth place, while Ocon 'only' finished 12th.

“In the races I did the biggest difference, always on pace, the pace was looking a bit stronger. It was very close again, but I think he was slightly better in qualifying, and I was quite a bit better in the race.

There are some arguments to be had against Pérez here; for example, when he put Ocon in the wall in Singapore. Also, without that one podium he got in Baku, he wouldn't be ahead of Ocon. But that's a different argument for a different day.