Esteban Ocon says his switch from Alpine to Haas has provided him with a much-needed fresh start after a turbulent end to his time with the French outfit.
Ocon's departure from Alpine, formerly Renault, was anything but smooth. His exit was even accelerated to before the season finale in Abu Dhabi, where his replacement, Jack Doohan, was given a race outing in his car.
Even his former teammate Pierre Gasly, with whom he shared a strained relationship, acknowledged how abrupt the situation was.
"We didn't really have the opportunity to say goodbye," Gasly admitted on Tuesday.
Now settling in at Haas, Ocon insists he has found himself in a far more positive working environment.
"There are a lot of different things but a lot of positive," he told L'Equipe. "I was able to feel very comfortable right away.
"Everyone listens to me with their ears wide open. That means the team really wants to put me in a comfortable situation and try to improve. All the things I asked for were implemented."
Ocon suggested that having his feedback immediately taken on board is a new experience for him.
"We did a complete redesign of the steering wheel, and it arrived in perfect condition, exactly as I wanted it," he revealed. "These are not things I'm used to.
"It would have taken eight or ten months where I came from. Here, it happened in a month and a half."
Despite the difficult circumstances surrounding his Alpine exit, Ocon prefers not to dwell on the past.
"I have turned the page on the Alpine chapter," he said.
"I wish them the best for the future. It is a team that will always have an important place in my heart."
