Force India deputy team boss Bob Fernley believes new recruit Esteban Ocon can thrive at the Silverstone-based operation this season.
Mercedes-backed Ocon, 20, has joined Force India in place of Nico Hülkenberg, having made his Formula 1 debut mid-2016 with the now defunct Manor outfit.
Ocon claimed successive titles in Formula 3 and GP3 prior to his F1 promotion, as well as test days and practice runs with Mercedes and Renault respectively.
The Frenchman also carried out a handful of test sessions for Force India in 2015.
“I think we’d had very good tests with Esteban and also his simulation programmes that we did showed him to be very talented,” Fernley told Motorsport Week.
“You mustn’t forget his history, he won GP3 and F3 in his first years, he ticks a lot of boxes.”
Fernley also expects Ocon to be firmly in the mix from the outset, rather than taking time to assimilate himself within his new surroundings.
“I don’t think so, I don’t think today that you can afford to do that,” Fernley said on Ocon potentially taking time to adapt.
“I think we have to invest heavily in him, which we have done over the winter with simulator time.
“We’ve got significant test programme for him in Barcelona [testing], I think Esteban will hit the first race running so I’m very optimistic.”
