Esteban Ocon completed his second Formula 1 test in a week and managed to impress during both, with Ferrari admitting they were surprised by his performance.
It comes just a week after Ocon tested for Lotus – his first F1 experience – in which they described his talent as “exceptional”.
The 18-year-old European Formula 3 champion drove an F10 at Ferrari’s Fiorano facility – a prize for securing the title in his first season.
Overseeing the session was the head of the Ferrari Driver Academy, Luca Baldisserri, who had this to say about the Frenchman.
“It’s always very exciting for us engineers to be there when a young driver gets behind the wheel of a Ferrari Formula 1 car for the first time, because even if we are used to working with rookies, it’s a real surprise to see someone to take to the track, showing a level of professionalism as demonstrated by Esteban today.
“Despite it being his first time in one of our cars, he tackled the test without making any mistakes and was quick right from the start.
“It’s not an easy task, especially on an emotional level, because I reckon that driving a Ferrari is a dream for anyone who wants to be a professional racing driver and we hope that today’s good results are a good sign for his future.”
Ocon said he was honoured to have had the opportunity to not only drive a Ferrari, but to witness the ‘history and tradition’ at their Maranello factory.
“It was great to walk around the premises of a great company like Ferrari. Only by being here can you get an idea of how much history and tradition you can sense from the place,” he said.
“I am very honoured to have had this opportunity.The track is very nice, very technical and varied and the car provides plenty of excitement with all its power and the way it responds immediately to driver input.
“I would like to thank all the mechanics and the team which supported me and I hope this day will prove useful for my future as a racing driver.”
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