Esteban Ocon is confident his experience over the last three years can help him earn a return to the grid for 2020.
The Frenchman missed out on a seat for 2019 after being replaced by Lance Stroll following the Canadian driver’s father’s takeover of Force India, which will now be known as Turning Point.
Ocon came into the sport with Manor in 2016 before switching to Force India where he finished eighth and twelfth in the Drivers’ Championship.
Verbal agreements with McLaren and Renault were not seen through, while Mercedes links meant he was not an option for Red Bull.
The 22-year-old will work as Mercedes’ back-up driver this year but hopes it will not be a prolonged absence from the top level. “When you’re not racing you don’t earn anything,” he told Autosport.
“I hope that those two years were enough to prove I deserve a seat for 2020. “I’m lucky, that’s a positive to have the massive support from Mercedes.
Even in difficult times they remember my potential and what I’ve done. That’s different to other junior programmes in F1. “Mercedes remember, they don’t leave you alone, they keep supporting you and believe in your potential.
When they take you it’s for a long time. That’s the positive I see at the moment.”
