Mercedes has finally formally confirmed that Euro F3 champion Esteban Ocon will be “supported by the brand” this season – and that he could have a big future with the marque.
The Frenchman beat Max Verstappen to the F3 crown last year and did some testing for Lotus, but the team did not find a role for him. He is now racing in GP3 with ART, and is the Mercedes DTM reserve driver.
The company noted that “as part of the package of Mercedes-Benz support, Esteban has signed a contractual option that could see him become a fully fledged Mercedes-Benz driver in the future.”
“Esteban is a mega-talented young guy and one of the stars of the future,” said Toto Wolff. “I’m pleased we’ve found a good path to continue his relationship with Mercedes-Benz, because we have a strong tradition of supporting the best young drivers with a view to their long-term potential. We will be watching Esteban’s progress with a lot of interest and I hope this year will be the first of many working together.”
“I’m really proud to have the support of Mercedes-Benz this season and that the Mercedes AMG DTM team has trusted me with the important role of test and reserve driver,” said Ocon. “I spent last weekend with the DTM team in Hockenheim and hope that I can play a valuable role this year. But my main focus is on the opening races of the GP3 Series this weekend.”
