Mercedes youngster Esteban Ocon will star in two days of testing for Mercedes in next week’s testing session held after the British Grand Prix.
Ocon who is currently test driver for the Renault F1 team, will drive for the Silver Arrows, after Mercedes needed to run a dedicated ‘young driver’ to meet the current testing regulations.
The testing regulations in 2016 dictates that each team must allocate two out of the four days testing to a young driver with less than two race starts.
In the first test in Spain, Mercedes did not comply with the rules and fielded Nico Rosberg and Pascal Wehrlein, Ocon was originally in line to drive at the test but Mercedes felt Wehrlein had more experience for what was required in the test.
Mercedes all conquering 2014-spec F1 W05 Hybrid will take to the Silverstone circuit, with Manor driver Pascal Wehrlein at the wheel, this is to aid Pirelli’s 2017 tyre test programme.
The two-time constructor champions will run the car blind, with no knowledge of the tyre compound it is testing and with no setup changes permitted by the testing regulations.
Ocon has been a test diver for Force India and Renault, his impressive speed and consistency has put him in line for a seat at Renault with both Jolyon Palmer and Kevin Magnussen feeling the pressure this season.
