Ocon confirmed Mercedes test driver
abu dhabi — Esteban Ocon is braced for a ‘homecoming’ with Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff confirming that the Frenchman, who is part of their Young Drivers Programme, will be their reserve driver next season a possible race seat in 2020.
The 22-year-old Ocon will be racing for Racing Point Force India (formerly Force India) for one last time at the Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix over this weekend, with Williams’ Lance Stroll replacing him next season.
And with Polish driver Robert Kubica confirmed by Williams next season, Ocon had not many options left for a race seat.
Ocon had been mulling of a season away from F1 but Wolff has thrown the Frenchman a lifeline with a test driver role with the Brackley-based marquee.
“The plans are pretty clear,” Wolff said at the Yas Marina Circuit on Friday. “He’s going to be very close to the works team, to Mercedes, he’s going to be our reserve driver, our third driver. We hope to maybe do the odd test with him also. We’re looking at pre-season and in-season, but that is not sorted out yet. He will spend a lot of time in the simulator and be ready for a seat in 2020,” he added.
Ocon, who has been part of the Mercedes programme since 2015, had hinted as much on Thursday, saying that he will be around in the F1 paddock next year and trying to get as much mileage as possible in a Formula One car.
A reserve driver role could translate into a race seat in 2020 if Mercedes opt to not renew Valtteri Bottas’s contract at the end of next season. Ocon, who began his career with the now-defunct Manor in 2016, was coy about the subject saying that there had been no assurances but did add that he sees great opportunities to come back much stronger in 2020.
Ocon has had four sixth-place finishes in Monaco, Austria, Spa and Monza this season.
Meanwhile, looking back at this season, Wolff said that main title rivals Ferrari had upped their game and so too Red Bull but added that they are ready for the challenge next season.
“Ferrari has ramped up their game over the last years tremendously and I think the performance
He’s going to be very close to the works team, to Mercedes, he’s going to be our reserve driver, our third driver. We hope to maybe do the odd test with him also
Toto Wolff
levels were pretty close to each other,” said the 46-year-old. “We had a few races where we were doing well and then Ferrari came back and they had the upper hand. I think this fluctuated over the season. In the end we came up with a small advantage, but they have become a formidable competitor. Definitely, if Honda goes with Red Bull next year it might be another team joining the party but with the new regulations anyway it’s up in the air if somebody else could be competitive, but we very much embrace the challenge, we enjoy the fight. It’s why we’re here,” added Wolff.