Ocon confirmed as 3rd Mercedes driver

Esteban Ocon will not be able to start the Grands Prix of the 2019 season, but the Frenchman will retain the support of Mercedes and will keep one foot in F1.

Toto wolff, the executive director of Mercedes Motorsport, confirmed in the paddock of the Abu Dhabi GP that the current resident of Racing Point Force India will occupy the position of reserve and 3rd driver within the star-studded team in 2019. Austrian specified that the German manufacturer would try to run it in tests in addition to its work on the simulator.

Christian Horner, Team Principal of Red Bull Racing, interrupted the press conference with a joke involving Esteban Ocon and a story about flag colors, a reference to the clash between the Frenchman and Max Verstappen at the Brazilian GP on November 11. The joke did not have the desired effect, Toto Wolff continuing his speech without responding to his counterpart's remark.