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Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff welcomes Esteban Ocon's multi-year deal with Force India as “a positive development” for Formula One, as “talent wins over money” according to him.
The Silverstone-based outfit has confirmed it has signed the Frenchman for 2017 and beyond.
Force India’s second seat alongside Sergio Perez was the most attractive drive among those remaining for next year and several names - such as Jolyon Palmer and Felipe Nasr - were linked to it in recent weeks.
Wolff, who has been watching Ocon’s progress since the 20-year-old became a Mercedes junior in early 2015, is pleased to see his protégé get the nod over better-funded drivers.
“Esteban has the most impressive track record in junior formulae and he is an exceptional personality outside of the car,” he said. “Force India have a strong record of working with young drivers and have again shown courage and vision to take Esteban under their wing.
“Even more, it is a positive development for Formula One that talent wins over money and we will be seeing some of the most impressive youngsters fighting to make it to the top in Formula One over the coming years.”
Force India team principal Vijay Mallya was also full of praise for his latest recruit, who made his F1 debut with Manor after this year’s summer break.
“It’s a pleasure to welcome Esteban as our new race driver,” Mallya said. “He’s an exceptional talent, as his status as a Mercedes Junior demonstrates, and I have no doubt he will flourish inside our team.
“We’ve had our eye on Esteban for a number of years and have followed his progress through the junior categories where he delivered outstanding results.
“We ran him in the car last year during testing and his performance convinced us that he is more than capable of racing alongside Sergio. Force India has a tradition of investing in young, talented drivers and the arrival of Esteban will bring some fresh energy and motivation to everyone in the team.”
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