Esteban Ocon considers most fans to be friendly, but the Formula 1 driver also reports incidents of inappropriate behavior.
Formula 1 driver Esteban Ocon has provided insights into the dark side of being a fan and reported on sensitive interactions ranging from obsession to open hostility.
The Grand Prix winner, who has already secured four podium finishes since his debut in 2016, naturally has a lot of contact with fans. In an interview with the French YouTube channel Legend, he praised most fans as “super nice,” but also revealed some deeply unpleasant experiences. One incident involved a fan who drove across France to his family’s house.
“Once, a rather old man took a taxi because, in his eyes, I was like a son to him—just because I had given him an autograph once,” Ocon recounts. “He took a taxi from the south of France to Evreux [Normandy], where my parents live. He found out their address.”
The delicate story of an “old man”
“He rang the intercom,” the Frenchman continues. “I was away and so were my parents, so my grandmother was home alone. He asked my grandmother, ‘Can I come in?’. Of course, my grandmother said no. The man then got angry and said, ‘My son will be home soon,’ referring to me.“
The situation was delicate: ”He had spent all his money on the taxi and didn’t really know where to go. But we didn’t know this man.“ Ocon concludes: ”He eventually left, but it’s a bit creepy when someone finds out your address like that.”
Hate on the open street
Ocon also reported a direct confrontation with a person in public who expressed his dislike for the current Haas driver.
“A fan on the street came up to me and said, ‘Hey, I don’t like you,’” Ocon quotes the man as saying. “I said, ‘Oh yeah? Why?’ ‘ He said, ‘I don’t like you, I don’t like your vibe on social media at all.’“
This direct rejection initially affected him. ”I don’t think I’m a bad person. I’ve never hurt anyone,“ said Ocon. ”The fact that he said he didn’t like me, even though he doesn’t know me, did affect me a little.”
“In the end, we talked for ten minutes on the sidewalk. We talked about many things and situations. He explained why he thought I wasn’t a nice guy. And at the end of the conversation, he said, ‘You know what, I’ve changed my mind. I like you!’”
