F1 tests in 2015 shaped Force India's decision to overlook Wehrlein
Pascal Wehrlein says Force India's decision to overlook him in favour of Esteban Ocon for a Formula 1 race seat next year centred around his interaction with the team
The Mercedes junior impressed in his debut F1 season, scoring Manor's only 2016 point in the Austrian Grand Prix and reaching Q2 four times in the last nine races.
But after analysing Ocon, Wehrlein and Felipe Nasr, Force India decided to sign the French youngster to partner Sergio Perez next season as part of a multi-year deal.
In the wake of the decision, Wehrlein said he planned to speak to Force India to understand the reasoning, which he has now done.
Wehrlein completed two-and-a-half days of testing with Force India in 2015, initially in its '14-spec car pre-season at Barcelona, and one day mid-year at the Red Bull Ring, and believes the team's experience working with him influenced its decision.
"I wanted to learn from the situation," he told Autosport.
"I didn't want to go there and be angry and talk to them in a bad mood.
"I know the reasons why and it's something easy to change.
"It had nothing to do with performance.
"They think Esteban is fitting better into the team - that's it.
"The decision had nothing to do with feedback or performance, but had something to do with how they were getting along with me, something on a personal side."
Wehrlein is in contention to replace the retired Nico Rosberg, but Mercedes has reservations about his relative lack of experience.
The German also leads Sauber's shortlist, with Mercedes chief Toto Wolff and Sauber boss Monisha Kaltenborn having met to discuss a 2017 drive.
However, those talks are currently on the backburner while Mercedes focuses on finding Lewis Hamilton's new team-mate.
Wehrlein, who is known to have a good working relationship with his mechanics at Manor, feels like he can learn from Force India's decision and get better for the future.
"I will always try my best and do my best to ensure everyone is happy," he said.
"In the test something happened, something they were not happy, and that's it.
"I cannot change it anymore and I can just learn from it and do better in the future."
Previous article
F1 2017 rule changes the biggest for 'decades'
Next article
Fernando Alonso tells McLaren staff he's staying in 2017
About this article
| Series | Formula 1 |
| Drivers | Pascal Wehrlein |
| Teams | Force India |
| Author | Lawrence Barretto |
Why Bottas feels the time has come to be “more selfish”
We’ve seen five distinct versions of Valtteri Bottas at Mercedes as he’s tried to fulfil his own ambitions while being a consummate team player – two difficult, competing missions which have been challenging to reconcile. Speaking exclusively to STUART CODLING, Bottas explains his highs and lows… and why he still believes he can be world champion
Does Aston have a case in F1 2021’s big technical row?
Aston Martin claims Formula 1’s latest technical tweaks have cost it competitiveness – and that it’s the innocent victim of a regulatory stitch-up aimed at pegging back Mercedes. But is any of this actually true? It depends on who you ask, says STUART CODLING
How long can F1 2021's brewing title battle stay clean?
Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen have been evenly matched so far in the 2021 Formula 1 title race. Neither has been afraid to get aggressive against each other on track, teeing up an enthralling contest as the year unwinds. But is their rivalry destined to end in broken shards of carbon fibre?
What the Spain result tells F1 about the next phase of the Mercedes/Red Bull title fight
OPINION: Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes have recovered from their pre-season woes to take three wins from the opening four races of 2021. But each time Red Bull and Max Verstappen have pushed them hard. So, what clues did the latest round of that battle – the Spanish Grand Prix – tease about the next stage of the season?
How Brabham’s one-hit wonder was boxed into a corner
The Brabham BT46B raced once, won once, then vanished – or did it? STUART CODLING reveals the story of the car which was never actually banned…
The changes Barcelona needs to provide a modern-day F1 spectacle
Formula 1’s visits to Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya over recent years have been met with familiar criticisms despite tweaks here and there to the track to improve racing. With the 2021 Spanish Grand Prix largely going the same way, proper solutions need to be followed to achieve F1’s wider targets
Spanish Grand Prix Driver Ratings
Often described as Formula 1's laboratory, the Circuit de Catalunya-Barcelona gave the clearest demonstration yet of the pecking order in 2021. And it's the key discrepancies from that order which illuminate who is excelling, and who needs to hit the reset button
How Red Bull’s deja vu set Hamilton on the winning path in Spain
An aggressive first corner move from Max Verstappen appeared to have set the Red Bull driver on course for victory in the Spanish Grand Prix. But canny strategy from Mercedes - combined with the absence of Red Bull's number two from the lead group - allowed Lewis Hamilton to pull off a demoralising reversal
