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Esteban Ocon gets reserve driver role at Mercedes

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French driver Esteban Ocon has been named as the new test and development driver for the Mercedes AMG DTM, a position he will hold in addition to his other racing commitments.

18-year old Ocon was the European Formula 3 champion in 2014, and will debut in GP3 this weekend in Barcelona with Art Grand Prix, new team for the Stuttgart manufacturer for the 2015 DTM season.

Esteban Ocon is delighted at the opportunity of becoming a fully fledged works driver for Mercedes: “I’m really proud to have the support of Mercedes-Benz this season and that the Mercedes AMG DTM team has trusted me with the important role of test and reserve driver. I spent last weekend with the DTM team in Hockenheim and hope that I can play a valuable role this year. But my main focus is on the opening races of the GP3 Series this weekend. I am proud to be racing with support from Mercedes-Benz and in a fantastic team like ART Grand Prix.”

Totto Wolff, Head of Mercedes Benz Motorsport, sees this contract as a continuation of the manufacturer’s tradition of supporting young talents: “Esteban is a mega-talented young guy and one of the stars of the future. I’m pleased we’ve found a good path to continue his relationship with Mercedes-Benz, because we have a strong tradition of supporting the best young drivers with a view to their long-term potential. We will be watching Esteban’s progress with a lot of interest and I hope this year will be the first of many working together.”