Ocon to drive in Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Lotus F1 Team Junior driver Esteban Ocon will drive in Free Practice 1 for Lotus F1 Team at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on November 21.

The practice session outing for the current FIA Formula 3 European Champion is the latest step in Esteban’s driver development programme and comes following a successful two-day test in the team’s 2012 E20 at the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo on October 22-23.

Esteban is a superb young talent and we are particularly excited to give him this opportunity.

Federico Gastaldi

Following the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Esteban will also run in the final test of the season, taking place at the Yas Marina circuit. He will drive for the first day of the test – Tuesday November 25 – with Lotus F1 Team Third Driver Charles Pic driving on the second and final day.

Esteban Ocon: “It is a fantastic opportunity for me to drive in my first session at a Grand Prix and I am tremendously grateful to Lotus F1 Team and Gravity Sport Management. The practice session on Friday will be my first time driving the Yas Marina circuit and my first time in the latest generation Formula 1 car, so there will be a lot to learn, especially as I will be completing the team’s programme for the free practice session. For the test day we will have far more time me to learn and develop with the car so I’m really looking forward to Abu Dhabi.”

Federico Gastaldi, Deputy Team Principal, Lotus F1 Team: “Esteban is a superb young talent and we are particularly excited to give him this opportunity. He impressed all our engineers when he drove for us in Valencia, but this will be another step in his development programme. It’s great for us a team to support developing drivers, especially one with the potential of Esteban.”

Lotus F1 Team