“I think Charles will challenge for the title in 2019. At least it wouldn’t be a surprise to me,” Ocon said.

“I know he has very good talent and is one of the quickest guys out there.

“I think both Charles- and Pierre [Gasly] will fight for wins and podiums in 2019.

“We’ve been fighting all the way through, to be honest, me Charles and Pierre. Me and Charles more than with Pierre, because Pierre started a bit later in karting.

“In the French championship I was winning and then I was fighting with Charles, and Charles was arriving and he was a rookie.

“[So] I know him pretty well. The first race we raced together was in 2005 in Mini Karts, we were seven or eight years old.

“All our career we’ve been fighting like this together. I know he has a very good talent from day one. He’s one of the quickest guys out there.

“I think he will show that next year, definitely.”