Ocon Shines in Qualifying for Miami Grand Prix Amid Haas Challenges
In a notable performance at the Miami Grand Prix, Haas driver Esteban Ocon secured a ninth-place qualifying position, narrowly missing the eighth spot held by Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda, while coming within 0.07 seconds of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. Ocon’s effort marks a significant step for Haas after losing points in the previous sprint race due to a pitlane infringement involving teammate Oliver Bearman.
Ocon expressed satisfaction with the team’s advancements since the sprint race, acknowledging that improvements were made to the VF-25 chassis. "We really turned the car around in terms of set-up," Ocon stated, emphasizing that the team had "overcome most of the issues" faced on Saturday. His qualifying time placed him 0.620 seconds behind pole-sitter Max Verstappen.
Despite the progress, Ocon highlighted the need for further refinements in the car’s consistency. "The window of our car is really, really small," he noted, indicating ongoing challenges with performance variability even when both cars share the same setup.
Looking ahead, Ocon’s engineering team has identified solutions to enhance continuity in performance, signaling a commitment to improvement as the season progresses. "But we have some plans coming into the next races," he added, underscoring the team’s proactive approach.
For Haas, the Miami Grand Prix qualifying serves as a crucial opportunity to secure points and build momentum moving forward in the season.
