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Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff says Esteban Ocon and Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi have to decide on their future together, before Mercedes would get involved.
Ocon has been a Mercedes junior driver since 2016 and, after losing his Force India (now Aston Martin) seat at the end of 2018, he was the team’s reserve driver in 2019.
The French driver has often been mentioned as a future Mercedes driver, but since he returned to the track in 2021 with Alpine, his future is not as straightforward as before.
“Esteban is also one of the drivers that is connected to us, whilst being a full-fledged Renault or Alpine driver,” Toto Wolff said.
“We have a very good relationship with Alpine. So obviously Valtteri is the driver today, and Lewis is the driver today, and what will be next year, will be next year.”
The Austrian was asked is Ocon has ever been seriously considered for a Mercedes seat in 2022.
“It’s a little bit of a weird situation, because he’s been a Mercedes junior for a long time, and he’s an Alpine works driver now.
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“That’s fact. I think the situation is good for him there. He’s growing, he’s putting in the performances. He’s French. All that is very much the stars aligning.
“I think it needs to be Laurent and Esteban’s call first, how to continue, before we start to give an opinion,” concluded Wolff.
Ocon himself said he is fully focused on Alpine at the moment.
“What I’m focusing on is to do a good job here, at Alpine,” the French driver said.
“I think we have to be glad with our progress, and I’m glad with the progress I’ve made as well this year.
“I’m focusing on delivering the best I can each single race, so you know, for sure if you perform, there will be always talks and things going on.
“But my aim is to deliver for the team that I’m racing at, and my home is here at the moment,” concluded Ocon.
