Esteban Ocon insists his 2019 was one of the most taxing seasons of his career in his role as a reserve and simulator driver for Mercedes, even though he was not part of the Formula 1 grid. After Lance Stroll took his place at Racing Point following Lawrence Stroll’s takeover, Ocon suddenly found himself without a team for 2020, with teams reportedly not keen on developing someone who was ultimately a Mercedes driver due to his link with the Silver Arrows academy. Article continues under video He was retained as a reserve by Mercedes, with the thinking being he could eventually replace Valtteri Bottas. That didn’t happen, and Ocon was eventually allowed out of his Mercedes obligations...
Full Story »