'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Former F1 world champion Damon Hill gave a short reaction to Haas F1 driver Esteban Ocon's P8 finish at the 2025 Bahrain GP. The French driver started the race from P14 after crashing out of the Q2 session and failing to register a time.
Despite no time in the session, the 28-year-old moved up a position as Nico Hulkenberg lost his lap time due to track limits in the Q1 session. The 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix winner made a quick start, gained a couple of positions off the line, and sat just outside the points.
Owing to a well-executed strategy by the American team, Esteban Ocon and his teammate Oliver Bearman, who started last on the grid, finished in the Top 10 to bring a second double points finish for Haas.
Trending
The 1996 world champion was impressed by Ocon's efforts in the field, as he held Kimi Antonelli and Yuki Tsunoda behind him to bring in four points. Damon Hill shared his three-word reaction on his Instagram story, writing:
"Another Strong Drive."
Despite a relatively under-the-radar start to his Haas career, Esteban Ocon has scored 14 points from four races and one Sprint thus far in the 2025 season. He sits in P9 in the drivers' standings.
Esteban Ocon reflects on his P8 finish in Bahrain
Haas F1 driver Esteban Ocon said he was delighted with his P8 finish at the Bahrain GP, as he believed he let the team down at the end of the qualifying session because of his crash, which led to a massive build-up job by the mechanics.
As per F1.com, the former Alpine driver reflected on his points-scoring drive and said:
“I’m super happy for the team because I let them down yesterday making that mistake when there was more potential in the car. Today, everything worked out as planned; we got a mega start and managed to get an aggressive strategy to straight away be fighting in the points."
He added:
"From there, it was the maximum we could’ve done as the safety car put us in a bad position, as we were about to get overtaken by Tsunoda, and Ollie benefited as well. It was a great drive from him coming from P20 – a double-point finish for the team. We’re delighted as it’s the maximum we could’ve done and I’m proud of what we’ve achieved.”
Esteban Ocon had the measure of his rookie teammate Oliver Bearman over one lap in the race, despite the rapid speed displayed by the young Brit.
However, the competition between the two drivers is aiding Haas to rack up points against its rivals, as they sit in P5 in the Constructors' Championship with 20 points, only a point ahead of Williams F1.
