Esteban Ocon has condemned the “horrible” tactic used during the 2025 Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix, where drivers deliberately slowed to aid teammates.
Although not personally instructed to employ this strategy, the Haas driver revealed that had he been asked, he would have refused to participate.
Originally used by the Racing Bulls, Liam Lawson slowed the drivers behind him enough to create a large gap, allowing his team-mate Isack Hadjar to complete the two mandatory pit stops and secure a sixth-place finish.
The Williams pair followed suit, which caused further drama, as the frustrated Mercedes of George Russell behind Alex Albon took matters into his own hands.
Into the Nouvelle Chicane, he went straight on and opted to take the penalty to aid his race instead of lingering behind the Thai-British driver.
When asked about the controversial tactics on display, Ocon was clear in his disapproval of the team orders and gamesmanship that undermined the spirit of racing.
“Yeah, that was not nice; it opens up for such team orders that are honestly not very clean,” he told media including Motorsport Week.
“It’s not a sport anymore if you start to do that.
“Yes, there’s always been some team orders in F1, but this is not what we like to see.
“To that extent, it’s honestly too much.
“Obviously, we have data everywhere, so you can see if people start lifting off [the] throttle in corners and they go suddenly three seconds quicker from one lap to another.
“You need to get into data, which would be difficult for the stewards and everyone, to show evidence.
“But I think to that extent, we need to make sure that this doesn’t become the normality.”
Gasly urges crackdown on slow-pace tactics at Monaco
The Frenchman secured a solid seventh-place finish around the streets of Monte Carlo without relying on such tactics.
He later revealed that a scenario was discussed where he might have been asked to do the same for his team-mate Oliver Bearman – but he made it clear he would have refused if called upon.
“On my side in the team, there was a scenario where Ollie was supposed to do that at some point for me, and I said I don’t want that to happen,” he added.
“Yes, we need to make a good race, but if you are Ollie at that stage, he’s already had a difficult weekend, and he wants to race as well on his side.
“It’s not a nice thing to be doing for all the others, but also for the second car in that race.”
His former team-mate at Alpine, Pierre Gasly, shared his thoughts on the matter, calling for greater action to be taken to combat such tactics.
“It doesn’t feel right that some drivers can drive a second off the pace and still not be overtaken,” Gasly told media including Motorsport Week.
“[It’s] something which needs to be analysed and see how to move forward because to me it’s one of the greatest weekends of the year, up to Saturday night, and then it turns into a massive frustration for everyone on Sunday.”
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