Ocon believes he is faster than Verstappen

Esteban Ocon has claimed that he is still faster than Max Verstappen just like he was when the duo were furious competitors down at Formula Three level, even though the Red Bull driver is already a three-time Grand Prix winner while Ocon hasn't claimed a podium spot.

Ocon and Verstappen have come through the ranks simultaneously, with the former enjoying more success than the latter in the lower levels.

However, since moving up to F1 Ocon has joined Force India and although there have been some impressive showings, he has not yet made the impact of Verstappen.

Ocon thinks he still can be quicker than Verstappen on the circuit, but did admit it was hard to compare the duo when in different cars.

"I was quicker than him, for sure," Ocon said, looking back on his lower-level feud with Verstappen.

"I got a lot more poles than he did. I don't know if I'm quicker than him now, but I think so!

"You can't really compare anymore, you need to be in the same car to fight together. Maybe it's going to happen at some point, I don't know.

"But he's really doing a good job at the moment and he's one of the best drivers on the grid."

Ocon is part of the Mercedes-Benz driver development programme and, if performances continue to impress, could be in line to become part of the Mercedes driver team in 2018. However, team boss Toto Wolff has played down this idea, insisting that it may be premature.

"Esteban is one of our drivers and is therefore in the picture, but the team and all of its strength is behind Valtteri [Bottas]," Wolff told Turun Sanomat.

"If we to start thinking about other drivers, it would mean that the emotional side would not be 100 per cent for Valtteri," he added.

"I can assure you, from the board to every team member, we all want Valtteri to succeed. Together with Lewis, he is our driver and we do not think of any others."