Racing ‘not important’ amid crisis – Ocon

Ocon would be happy to just go outside

(GMM) Esteban Ocon says he is looking forward to simply going "outside again", let alone returning to the F1 track.

"It's all very boring," the Renault driver told Italy's Autosprint amid the corona crisis and shutdowns.

"I am more or less locked up with my family and fiance and there is not much to do," Frenchman Ocon added.

"I can only go outside for a short run, but I have done that lap so many times now. We are just waiting for the moment when we can go outside again."

The 23-year-old said he is also using the downtime to "further develop my passion for sim racing. I use the sim every day".

In Australia, just prior to the cancellation of the 2020 season opener, Ocon shocked many by appearing in the Melbourne paddock with a black face mask.

"I wanted to err on the side of caution," he explained.

"At first I didn't take it all that seriously, but when the news from the McLaren engineer came out, I was shocked.

"Then a switch flicked for me and since then my mindset has changed and I am most concerned with not getting sick. Racing is no longer so important."