Rival F1 teams missed chance to sign Esteban Ocon - Force India
Force India deputy team principal Bob Fernley says rival Formula 1 teams have missed their chance to sign Esteban Ocon, despite interest in his availability
Both Ocon and team-mate Sergio Perez have been linked to the vacant second seat at the Renault F1 squad alongside Nico Hulkenberg for 2018.
Ocon was reserve driver for Renault last year, before contesting the final nine races of the season with the now defunct Manor outfit.
The Mercedes F1 junior then moved to its customer Force India for the 2017 season on a "multi-year" deal, and has scored points in 11 of this season's 12 grands prix.
Ocon is contracted with Force India until 2019 and Fernley said it is keen to reap the rewards of securing him early.
"We'll do everything in our power to maintain the driver line-up we have today," Fernley told Autosport.
"We're in a very fortunate position in that, like the top three teams, we've got two super-talented drivers, and we're going to need that in order to battle for fourth place in 2018, or hopefully even go higher.
"The last thing we want to do is to lose talent.
"Esteban is contracted with us effectively for three years, but two of them are absolutely secure.
"From a contractual point of view it's clear, and I don't think Esteban has got any ideas of wishing to go anywhere else at this point.
"You've got to remember that we identified the potential of Esteban some time ago, and we obviously took the opportunity where others didn't, including Renault, to sign him last year.
"We've now got the benefit of that, and we want to make sure that we optimise that."
While Ocon is expected to stay put next year, sources have suggested that Mercedes would be happy for him to move to Renault.
That would free up a Force India seat for its second junior, Pascal Wehrlein, whose future with Sauber beyond the end of this season remains unresolved.
Perez is also expected to stay at Force India next season, which would mark his fifth-straight year with the squad.
"There's always alternatives for drivers who don't have contracts, but I believe Checo is happy here, and always has been," added Fernley.
"We still offer the best competitive seat for him."
Share Or Save This Story
Krack: Aston Martin F1 team no longer in “no-man’s land”
Gasly rues costly floor damage from Ocon contact in F1 Japanese GP
How an F1 underachiever became a Japanese political player
When Haas will decide on its F1 2027 driver line-up
Alpine F1 team denies Colapinto sabotage claims in open letter
Exclusive: Ahead of Red Bull – is Haas the unsung hero of the early F1 races?
Ocon owns up to “mistakes” after multiple collisions with Perez at Force India
Former Force India F1 boss Fernley dies aged 70
What Haas got out of its failed Force India protest
F1 could move away from customer power units in 2031
All level in British Hillclimb title fight after contrasting Harewood fortunes
The clever electrical trick that gives Mercedes an edge in qualifying
Healey horde entertains at Donington Park Equipe event
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments