Ocon determined for F1 return in 2020
- Shahmir Khan
- Jan 15, 2019
- 2 min read
Former Force India driver and 2019 Reserve and Test Driver for Mercedes Esteban Ocon says he is determined to return to F1 in 2020.
The 22-year old had a great season but was left with no options for a 2019 seat as Williams Racing's Lance Stroll joined the team alongside Sergio Perez, as the team was owned by the father of Lance Stroll.
But the Frenchman is backed by Mercedes for 2019, as a reserve and test driver.
Talking about his future, he said, "I will be at all the grands prix and informed about everything in case I have to return at one point or another."
"You never know what will happen in F1."
"I will be in the simulator after FP2 to test all the possibilities for car adjustments and prepare ideally for Lewis and Valtteri's qualifying, " he revealed in an interview with France's Auto Hebdo.
"After that I will fly out on Saturday morning and be at the circuit that day," Ocon added.
"I want to be world champion one day. It's my goal and my dream," he further explained.
"Of course it's not great not to compete this season, but I'm still focused on F1 and I think it's the right choice. After that, if I do not find a seat for 2020, then I will go to something else, because I have to continue racing," Ocon concluded.
The Frenchman has quite a good Formula 1 career, getting 136 points over the course of two years and beating Sergio Perez 16 times in qualifying in 2018.
The Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff said, “We are prepared for ‘Plan B’ with Esteban, one thing I can guarantee for you is he’s going to be in a good car in 2020 because there are many teams out there that have an interest in Esteban."
There are rumours that the current Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas will be replaced by Ocon amid the 2019 season if the Finn fails to deliver a fair performance.
But as Ocon is heading to 2019 with a development role and a test in the Andros Trophy car this month in Isola 2000 ski resort, he has to prove himself worthy of a race seat to return to a better team.
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