F1: Ocon - Verstappen is my target

Esteban Ocon admits Max Verstappen is "the target" for him in Formula 1, having beaten the Red Bull youngster to the F3 title in 2014.

While Verstappen impressed during his first full season of car racing, stepping straight up from karts to win races in the European F3 championship in his rookie year (pictured below with Ocon at Hockenheim in October 2014), it was fellow rookie Ocon who won the title. Verstappen finished third overall, with Ocon – also in his first season in F3 – taking the title by 58 points from Tom Blomqvist.

With Red Bull immediately promoting Verstappen to F1 with Toro Rosso at the age of 17, Ocon had to wait until 2016 to make his F1 debut as he joined Manor after the summer break. While the Mercedes-backed youngster says his dream is to be world champion, the Frenchman, who will drive for Force India this year, is also eyeing another battle with Verstappen in similar machinery.

"I want to be world champion," Ocon responded RACER when asked if his aim is to win the title with Mercedes. "I don't know where I will be in the future so I can only say that at the moment. That's what I want to be. And I want to have the same car as Max and fight him again! That would be nice.

"For sure I knew he was going to do a good job. Nobody knew he was going to do that good, but I would like to have a title fight with him one day."

And Ocon says he expected Verstappen to perform as soon as he reached F1, and believes the strength of the Red Bull allows the 19-year-old to display his talent more prominently than those in less competitive machinery.

"No, not really [surprised]. With Toro Rosso I knew he was going to do good, and now for sure he has the car to do great and he's doing the job."

Asked if Verstappen's success is motivating for Ocon to get in a similarly competitive car, the former Manor driver replied: "Yeah, he's the target ..."