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Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has shot down suggestions that Esteban Ocon is in the frame for a Mercedes seat in 2018. Ocon is a Mercedes junior driver, along with fellow F1 driver Pascal Wehrlein and GP3 competitor George Russell.
The Frenchman made his debut in Formula 1 in Belgium of 2016 for Manor Racing and closed out the season with them. He received the call-up to Force India over former teammate Wehrlein for 2017, who signed for Sauber after Manor dropped off the grid.
Ocon was quickly ruled out of the 2017 seat at Mercedes when Nico Rosberg announced that he was retiring. Now at Force India, the 20-year-old has been performing well, scoring points in every race but one.
Mercedes is yet to announce who will feature in its line-up for 2018. With Valtteri Bottas the favourite to retain his seat, drivers such as Fernando Alonso have been linked. When asked if Ocon was a contender, Wolff ruled him out.
"No, he's too young. He's a good guy, and he has a future, but we cannot put him alongside Lewis Hamilton yet," he added. Ocon arrives in Austria on the back of a controversial clash with teammate Sergio Perez in Baku.
Fergal Walsh
Grand Prix of Belgium
C. Sainz jr
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A star of the future for sure