Mercedes has praised Frederick Vesti after the Dane got his first taste of Formula 1 machinery at the post-season test on Tuesday.
Vesti drove the 2022 Mercedes W13 at the Yas Marina Circuit as part of the Young Drivers’ Test programme, clocking 124 laps throughout the day.
The step up in performance was a hurdle for Vesti to overcome, as he’s spent 2022 racing full-time in the FIA Formula 2 Championship.
However, Mercedes’ Trackside Engineering Director Andrew Shovlin says that the team was impressed by the 20-year-old’s outing.
“Fred has been doing a lot of simulator work for us over the past year or so, but today was his first opportunity to see how the real car compares to the virtual one,” Shovlin said.
“He had a faultless day, managed to avoid any mistakes and looked to have had a lot of fun.”
Vesti will remain in F2 next season, but switches from ART Grand Prix to PREMA for his second campaign.
Having been part of the Mercedes junior programme for almost two years, Vesti thanked the German manufacturer for providing him with his first mileage in an F1 car.
“My first test in an F1 car has been the most incredible day, no words can truly describe how awesome it was,” he said.
“I want to thank Mercedes for giving me this opportunity. Driving 260 kph through the high-speed corners and experiencing 5G in the neck… the forces that a Formula 1 car produces are remarkable.
“I’ve done 124 laps today learning the car and running on different compounds, so a massive amount of driving.
“To get this opportunity has been hugely important and will help with my next step in Formula 2 as well as my work in the F1 sim.
“Hopefully I’ll be driving an F1 car again soon and a big thank you to Mercedes for the chance.”
