Mercedes signs Esteban Ocon as test driver for 2019

It was announce on Friday (23/11/18) that Force India driver Esteban Ocon will be Mercedes's test and reserve driver during the 2019 season, as his set to lose his drive at Force India to Lance Stroll.



Ocon will be the teams test and reserve driver, will focus on car development in the simulator, and will now move across to Mercedes, in providing support to Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas.



Ocon made his Grand Prix debut in F1 in the middle of the 2016 F1 season with the former Manor team, after some impressive drives with the team, Ocon moved to Force India in 2017, resulted multiple top six finishes from the past two seasons.

Overall, happy that Ocon got a job for next season with Mercedes. Meanwhile sad that he will be not driving next season. Rumoured he was close to a Renault (Daniel Ricciardo), McLaren (Carlos Sainz, Jr.) and a Williams (Robert Kubica) drive for next season due to other drivers have pipped him to those drives. Not retain at Force India next season due to Lance Stroll father Lawrence Stroll bought the team in August meaning Ocon lost his drive.

Hopefully, Ocon will return to the grid in 2020, unless you are Max Verstappen that is.