Junior driver Esteban Ocon admits "you don't earn anything" on the sideline but remains confident Mercedes will remember his talents during a year without a Formula 1 drive.
The 22-year-old was thrown out of Racing Point after Lawerence Stroll brought his son Lance in from Williams. While Ocon will not feature on the grid in 2019, he'll be working as a Mercedes reserve driver should he be needed.
The Frenchman is hoping to get back into action ready for 2020 and believes he has already provided enough evidence to do so.
"When you're not racing, you don't earn anything. I hope that those two years were enough to prove I deserve a seat for 2020," Ocon told Motorsport.com.
"Even in difficult times, they remember my potential and what I've done. That's different to other junior programmes in F1. Mercedes remember they don't leave you alone, they keep supporting you, and believe in your potential."