Mercedes and Wolff ready to release Ocon
Still at the center of many debates, Esteban Ocon is clearly at a key stage in his young career. Caught in the game of musical chairs last summer, the Frenchman found refuge within Mercedes as a third driver. Toto Wolff, aware of the situation and torn between the former Force India driver and Valtteri Bottas, is ready to make a decision.
In continuation of the previous season, the match between Valtteri Bottas and Esteban Ocon seems to be ongoing, with the Mercedes seat for the 2020 season at stake. The Frenchman, protected by Toto Wolff, plays his role as the third driver as he should, ensuring long simulator sessions during race weekends, as he told us in the Austrian paddock. Frustrated but optimistic, Esteban Ocon is ready to react to finally find the place he deserves.
With Lewis Hamilton’s contract ending at the conclusion of the 2020 season, only the second seat is up for discussion. The difficult deliberation involves choosing between a Valterri Bottas, who is efficient but seems to lose his edge as the season progresses, and an Esteban Ocon, young and talented but with much still to prove.
The Mercedes AMG team principal spoke on the subject, reminding that the Finn remains under significant pressure regarding his results in the hunt for the 2020 seat: « We want him [Valtteri Bottas] to go into the break well-placed and to perform solidly at Hockenheim and Budapest. »
The Austrian then mentioned the possibilities regarding Lewis Hamilton’s future teammate, recalling the classic August meeting: « Then, we will take time to think about the driver duo for 2020 and beyond. It is quite unusual to announce drivers in July. If we want to take all the time possible, we must assess things properly, and it could even drag on until winter as we’ve seen with other teams in the past. »
Evasive, Toto Wolff clarifies that the decision to be made will probably no longer concern just a simple one-year contract:
Regarding us, it’s not just about making the right decision for next year but about looking ahead, which is why we agreed to make it in August, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we’ll announce it in August.
Wolff about Ocon: « he is a terrific kid. »
In the event of Valtteri Bottas being retained, Esteban Ocon’s manager hints that it will be time to release him from the agreements that bind them, revealing in the process the approaches of certain teams for the young driver: « The situation was unfortunate last year. Esteban found himself between two stools. Everyone knows his driving abilities at Mercedes. Valtteri is delivering very strong performances and deserves the seat, but Esteban has also shown things in the past and is an additional asset for the team. »
In weighing the pros and cons, Toto Wolff remains positive towards his two drivers: « Putting a young Mercedes driver in the car could also be interesting. That said, there is interest from other teams for Esteban and we must carefully make a decision with the parties involved, not only for us but also for Esteban’s benefit. If we made a decision in favor of Valtteri <», adds the Austrian, « it would clearly mean someone else would have to continue developing [Esteban Ocon], and that we would lose Esteban for one or two more years. There are consequences to this decision. <»
Everything thus suggests that the decision that will be made will leave the door open for the unchosen driver. Esteban Ocon will therefore be free to move to the team of his choice, while losing Mercedes’ support. To be continued in the coming weeks with, hopefully, a return to the driver’s seat for Esteban Ocon.
