How Mika Hakkinen’s famous overtake on Michael Schumacher was repeated by Esteban Ocon

Alpine driver Esteban Ocon replicated Mika Hakkinen’s iconic move on Michael Schumacher from 2000 at this weekend’s F1 Belgian Grand Prix.
(L to R): Mika Hakkinen (FIN)
(L to R): Mika Hakkinen (FIN)

Ocon enjoyed a strong rec༺overy from 16th on the grid to finish seventh behind teammate Fernando 🌜Alonso and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

The Frenchman’s double overtake on Sebastian Vettel and Pierre Gasly ಞdrew comparisons from Hakkinen’s legendary manoeuvre on Schumacher, using lapped backmarker Ricardo Zonta as a dummy.

In similar fashi♛on, Vettel was in the middl꧋e of the Kemmel Straight as Ocon and Gasly duelled for position.

(L to R): Pierre Gasly (FRA) AlphaTauri AT03; Sebastian Vettel (GER) Aston Martin F1 Team AMR22; and Esteban Ocon (FRA)
(L to R): Pierre Gasly (FRA) AlphaTauri AT03; Sebastian Vettel (GER) Aston Martin F1 Team…

Ocon got past both🍸 of them into Les Combes with a sensati🙈onal overtake.

“At the time, I thought ‘oh no, Seb didn’t get the DRS t🐻here so Gasly will have it basically’,” Ocꦕon told Sky on Sunday.

“And I thought ‘okay, there is an opportunity again﷽ thꦯere’.

“So going on the le▨ft of Seb, he has been very fair, left me the space, and then fresher tyre𓆉s on Gasly so I could go around the outside. So thank you guys!”

Coincidentally, Ocon revealed that he had spoken to the Finnish le🃏gend before the race at Spa.

“He came to speak to me, Mika, just before the race,” Ocon added. “It’s a good coin﷽cidence, just before, to wish me luck.”

Ocon completed another double overtake earlier in the race, this time on Nicola🐲s Latifi and🍷 Daniel Ricciardo.

Esteban Ocon (FRA) Alpine F1 Team A522. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 14, Belgian Grand Prix, Spa Francorchamps,
Esteban Ocon (FRA) Alpine F1 Team A522. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 14, Belgian Grand…

Reflecting on that battle, he explained: Well, kind of that, and almost didn’t happen well, because♔ when I went on the outside of Nicholas as well we almost touched.

“At the time I thought ‘I’m going to have my clip here’ and then they🌞 blocked each other, basically, so I’m pushing the overtake button – you are using the battery to deploy until the braking zone.

“It’s ꦜcritical th𝕴e energy here and you are trying to get the maximum out of the race, but you can get in trouble basically if you use too much.”

Alpine are now 20 points clear of McLaren in the race for fourth in the const🌸ructors’ championship.

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