Mercedes sanction Ocon's Renault move
Mercedes sanction Ocon's Renault move
Mercedes will not block Esteban Ocon from driving for Renault in 2019, Toto Wolff has confirmed. Ocon has driven in Formula 1 with Mercedes-powered teams in the past, with an eye on the Frenchman perhaps joining the Silver Arrows in the future.
With F1's yearly 'silly season' cranking into gear, Renault has emerged as a likely destination for Ocon in 2019, with Carlos Sainz Jr linked to McLaren, provided Daniel Ricciardo stays with Red Bull.
Normandy-born Ocon was linked to Renault earlier in his junior career before joining Mercedes' young-driver program and Wolff has no qualms with him joining a rival manufacturer with the Silver Arrows committed to Valtteri Bottas as Lewis Hamilton's partner in 2019.
"We picked Esteban up when gravity fell apart. The first team he was actually associated with was Renault," said Wolff in Friday's press conference.
"We at the time had just started our junior programme and it felt right to put in Pascal [Wehrlein] and Esteban to give them a go.
"Today we are trying to set them a path that will make them very successful long-term, to put them in a position to be world champions maybe one day.
"With Valtteri and Lewis we have a line-up that is stable, that works for us, and at this stage there is no opportunity within Mercedes.
"If he has the opportunity somewhere else to be successful as a racing driver, at another team or another constructor, we wouldn't want to stand in the way."
Force India COO Otmar Szafnauer suggested the team would expect some kind of assistance from the Silver Arrows if Ocon were to leave. Reports have linked Mercedes junior, and F2 standings leader, George Russell with a move to Force India in 2019.
"It's fine for him to go but we've got to agree to that," Szafnauer said of Ocon. "And I'm sure Toto has persuasive tools if that's what we all want to do. If it's mutual.
"We work well together, we had great discussions about Esteban when he came in. If it's mutually beneficial, then of course that's what we're going to do. We won't stand in his way."
Change your timezone:
Latest News
Vettel announces F1 return as FIA single Mercedes out for Miami checks - GPFans F1 Recap
- 2 hours ago
F1 team announce SHOCK signing weeks after rival departure
- 3 hours ago
Former team boss quizzed on role in Newey's Red Bull exit
- Yesterday 21:57
RB reveal STRIKING new livery ahead of Miami GP
- Yesterday 20:57
EXCLUSIVE: Insider claims F1 Academy and W Series couldn't co-exist
- Yesterday 19:57
Wolff delivers big verdict on Hamilton behaviour
- Yesterday 18:57
F1 Standings
Drivers
- Oliver Bearman
- Charles Leclerc
- Carlos Sainz
- Lando Norris
- Oscar Piastri
- Pierre Gasly
- Esteban Ocon
- Sergio Pérez
- Max Verstappen
- Alexander Albon
- Logan Sargeant
- Lewis Hamilton
- George Russell
- Nico Hülkenberg
- Kevin Magnussen
- Fernando Alonso
- Lance Stroll
- Valtteri Bottas
- Zhou Guanyu
- Daniel Ricciardo
- Yuki Tsunoda
Races
- Gulf Air Grand Prix of Bahrain 2024
- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Australia 2024
- MSC Cruises Grand Prix of Japan 2024
- Grand Prix of China 2024
- Miami Grand Prix 2024
- Gran Premio dell'Emilia Romagna 2024
- Grand Prix of Monaco 2024
- Grand Prix du Canada 2024
- Gran Premio de España 2024
- Grand Prix of Austria 2024
- Grand Prix of Great Britain 2024
- Grand Prix of Hungary 2024
- Grand Prix of Belgium 2024
- Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Italy 2024
- Grand Prix of Azerbaijan 2024
- Grand Prix of Singapore 2024
- Grand Prix of the United States 2024
- Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Mexico 2024
- Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2024
- Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024
- Qatar Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi 2024
About GPFans
GPFans is a multi-platform, multi-language brand dedicated to Formula One coverage. We bring you all the ins and outs of the sport, 24/7, everything from up-to-the-minute news and features to the latest viral stories and clips.We believe that a new generation of exciting, outspoken drivers will make F1 more popular than ever before, and we want to give our users access to as much of their heroes as possible, on and off the track. From Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo to Sebastian Vettel, we provide in-depth analysis of every every Grand Prix in the season, from Australia to Abu Dhabi.
With Formula One under the new ownership of Liberty Media, how the sport is being covered is evolving, and GPFans will look to be at the heart of this progression into new media, as one of the fastest-growing sites covering the king of motorsports.
Follow us on your favorite social media channel
Corporate & Media
Innovatieweg 20C7007 CD, Doetinchem, Netherlands
+31645516860