Force India will not allow Ocon to leave as Mercedes "substitute"

  • Published on 27 Jan 2017 14:19
  • comments 1
  • By: Fergal Walsh

Force India will not allow Esteban Ocon to leave Force India if Mercedes require a substitute driver. Ocon joins Force India for his first full season in F1, partnering Sergio Perez.

Ocon is part of the Mercedes junior programme, alongside side Sauber driver Pascal Wehrlein and GP3 rookie George Russell. Ocon got the Force India call up over former team-mate Wehrlein. When asked if Ocon would be allowed to leave if Mercedes needed a substitute, they were very clear.

"Absolutely not," said Force India deputy team principal Bob Fernley. "He's a Force India driver for two years, and that's it. He can't substitute one of their drivers, but if they were asking him to test, I'd be quite pleased to let him do that."

Fernley denied the fact that Ocon is only at Force India for the short term as a negative, as Mercedes are looking for Ocon to grow and gain experience in Formula One.

"We could have a situation with another driver [not connected to another team] where we've got him for two years and then he decides to move on," he said.

"You have to optimize the performance from both the team and driver point of view while you have them. If you're performing at the top, you limit their desire to want to change [teams]."

Ocon has admitted that he is training harder than ever in preparation for the 2017 cars, which will produce higher G-Force's, putting a driver's fitness through the test.

"It's a lot of work, instead of going two weeks in a training camp I'm doing two months, so I'm not coming back home until almost the first race of the season," said the Frenchman.

"The days are mega, mega long. It's from 9am to 9pm, double the intensity of the work. It's to put muscle on, to put weight on. The cars are going to be so hard to drive that this will be needed. It's going to be mega impressive now in corners, it's going to be so quick.

"The camera will see a speed that we saw only in qualifying, now we will see it all the time. But then for the races it's not going to be interesting, it's going to be harder to overtake, and there's going to be less opportunities."

 

Fergal Walsh

Replies (1)

Login to reply
  • Do they really have that authority?

    • + 0
    • Jan 27 2017 - 18:30

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 16:46

BEGrand Prix of Belgium

Local time 16:46

World Championship standings 2025

Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2025

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
14 - Mar 16
Australia
21 - Mar 23
China
4 - Apr 6
Japan
11 - Apr 13
Bahrain
18 - Apr 20
Saudi Arabia
2 - May 4
United States of America
16 - May 18
Italy
23 - May 25
Monaco
30 - Jun 1
Spain
13 - Jun 15
Canada
27 - Jun 29
Austria
4 - Jul 6
United Kingdom
25 - Jul 27
Belgium
1 - Aug 3
Hungary
29 - Aug 31
Netherlands
5 - Sep 7
Italy
19 - Sep 21
Azerbaijan
3 - Oct 5
Singapore
17 - Oct 19
United States of America
24 - Oct 26
Mexico
7 - Nov 9
Brazil
21 - Nov 23
United States of America
28 - Nov 30
Qatar
5 - Dec 7
United Arab Emirates
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2025

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
14 - Mar 16
Australia Albert Park
21 - Mar 23
4 - Apr 6
11 - Apr 13
18 - Apr 20
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
2 - May 4
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
16 - May 18
23 - May 25
Monaco Monte Carlo
30 - Jun 1
13 - Jun 15
27 - Jun 29
Austria Red Bull Ring
4 - Jul 6
United Kingdom Silverstone
25 - Jul 27
1 - Aug 3
Hungary Hungaroring
29 - Aug 31
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
5 - Sep 7
Italy Monza
19 - Sep 21
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
3 - Oct 5
17 - Oct 19
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
24 - Oct 26
7 - Nov 9
Brazil Interlagos
21 - Nov 23
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
28 - Nov 30
5 - Dec 7
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Driver profile

  • Team Haas F1
  • Points 473
  • Podiums 4
  • Grand Prix 168
  • Country FR
  • Date of b. Sep 17 1996 (28)
  • Place of b. Évreux, FR
  • Weight 66 kg
  • Length 1.86 m
Show full profile

Team profile

Show full profile
show sidebar