Esteban Ocon: The Warm-Up
“I always listen to music in my room while I warm up, before getting in the car,” Esteban Ocon tells Apple Music. “It has become part of my routine, it gets me pumped and ready for the fight.” The French driver previously competed for Force India and Alpine (formerly Renault)—and got his first race win with the latter in 2021—before signing with Haas in 2025. To celebrate his second year with the team, he’s created a playlist to showcase the music that gets him in race mode and more favorite recent listens.
“I have very mixed taste in music,” he says. “I like to be able to listen to very different genres, from different eras, and in different languages too.” It shows, with recent and classic picks spanning hip-hop, R&B, pop, rock, and beyond. “Lately, I’ve been really enjoying some French rap and some of Hans Zimmer’s movie soundtracks. I also love 2000s pop music, the music was so good back then.”
Ocon highlights “A Dark Knight” from the soundtrack to Christopher Nolan’s 2008 Batman film, <i>The Dark Knight</i>. “I love Hans Zimmer, and I think his music brings so much to the movies,” he says. “<i>The Dark Knight</i> is one of my all-time favorite movies, and when I hear this song, it really gets me pumped and ready to tackle any challenge.”
He also gives a shout-out to “A la base” by PLK, who he also considers a close friend. “I think he is one of the most talented French artists out there. This song is a bit older, but is one of my favorites, and I’ve been listening to it a lot lately.”