Getting stuck behind Alonso killed my race - Ocon

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Esteban Ocon was left frustrated following Sunday's Formula 1 season-opener in Australia after spending most of the race stuck behind McLaren's Fernando Alonso.

Ocon made his Force India debut at Albert Park, starting from 13th on the grid following an impressive showing in qualifying.

Ocon tried to pass Alonso on the opening lap, but was unable to make it through and ended up dropping behind Renault's Nico Hulkenberg.

After jumping Hulkenberg in the pit stops by coming in one lap early, Ocon then toiled behind Alonso for much of the race, eventually overtaking at Turn 1 with seven laps to go. Alonso duly retired from the grand prix just minutes later.

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Despite ending up P10 and scoring his first point in F1, Ocon felt he could have achieved more had he not been stuck behind Alonso for the majority of the race.

"The start was very close. I had a better launch, but then [Alonso] managed to cross the line and get me back on the straight," Ocon explained.

"Then I was blocked into Turn 3, and we were side by side until half of the lap. That was the killer of my race more or less. He was quite slow and I couldn't get close enough to try and attack.

"I managed to do it at the end, and he did a small mistake at Turn 12, but if I had got it earlier, maybe I could have done something more."

Ocon said that he did not see Alonso after the race, but wished he had so he could tell the Spaniard: "Respect! Good defence!" The Frenchman also confirmed that the pair made contact on a couple of occasions through the race.

Ocon's push into the top 10 completed a double-points finish for Force India in Australia, with team-mate Sergio Perez crossing the line seventh. As a result, the team sits fifth in the constructors' championship, trailing perennial rivals Williams by one point.

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