Twenty-year-old French driver Esteban Ocon will partner Sergio Perez at Force India next Formula 1 season, replacing Nico Hulkenberg in the squad.
The team confirmed Ocon's signing on Thursday on a multi-year contract. A vacancy was created at Force India with Hulkenberg making a switch to Renault. Ocon, who joined Manor Racing midway into this season replacing Indonesia Rio Haryanto, is also a Mercedes junior driver. The Silver Arrows have dominated F1 over the past three years and supplies engines to other teams on the grid including Force India.
Ocon said he is looking forward to his time at Force India, a team which is currently battling hard with Williams for fourth place in the standings. The Frenchman’s best finish in seven starts has been 16th, which he managed on his debut in Belgium before finishing in the same spot in Malaysia.