Ocon confirmed as Mercedes reserve driver!

Toto Wolff has confirmed that Esteban Ocon will be Mercedes’ reserve driver for the 2019 season.

Ocon’s future has been one of the main talking points for the majority of the season after Lance Stroll’s father took over the team and looks set to promote his son to a Force India race seat for next season.

A clause in Ocon’s Mercedes contract means that he cannot drive for a team that is not powered by a Mercedes engine, which is why proposed moves to Renault and McLaren fell through.

The last seat Ocon could have taken, at Williams, was confirmed as Robert Kubica’s return to F1 with the British team, leaving the Frenchman with no viable F1 options.

Wolff spoke about the signing, and said: “The plans are pretty clear.

“He is going to be pretty close to the Mercedes team – he will be our reserve driver and third driver.

“We hope to do the odd test with him, we are looking at pre-season and in-season but it’s not sorted out yet.

“He will do a lot of time in the simulator to make sure that he is ready.”

This could spell the end for Valtteri Bottas at Mercedes, with the long term plan believed to be Ocon being promoted to a race seat with Mercedes for 2020.