Ocon confirmed as third driver at Mercedes
Esteban Ocon will take on the role of reserve driver at Mercedes in 2019 following a transfer market unfavorable to the Frenchman.
Before the summer break, everything was going well for Ocon with an open seat at Renault and McLaren; however, things took a very different turn after he saw all doors close. The Norman now finds himself without any available seat for 2019 and will therefore be forced to take a sabbatical year to, perhaps, secure a place with the world champion team in 2020.
The Frenchman fell victim to his contractual ties with Mercedes, leading Renault to prefer signing Ricciardo, a more prominent Formula 1 driver, while McLaren set their sights on Carlos Sainz, who is considered a star in the making. Esteban Ocon is also a victim of the German team, which chose to play it safe by signing Bottas once again, who, strangely, hasn’t secured any victories this season.
Another option for Ocon was Williams, but the British team prioritized its finances with the arrival of George Russell by choosing Robert Kubica.
The Racing Point Force India driver will therefore share his development driver role with Stoffel Vandoorne in 2019, hoping to return to the Formula 1 paddock with the team based in Brackley.
