Formula 3 Champion Esteban Ocon tests an F10

A special day for the newly crowned European Formula 3 champion Esteban Ocon, who was in Fiorano yesterday, having a test in an F10, the car which Scuderia Ferrari ran in the 2010 Formula 1 World Championship.

The test was his prize for winning the championship, which the Frenchman managed in his first season in the category. Overseeing the test was the head of the Ferrari Driver Academy, Luca Baldisserri, who had this to say about the 18 year old driver.

“It’s always very exciting for we engineers to be there when a young driver gets behind the wheel of a Ferrari Formula 1 car for the first time, because even if we are used to working with rookies, it’s a real surprise to see someone to take to the track, showing a level of professionalism as demonstrated by Esteban today. Despite it being his first time in one of our cars, he tackled the test without making any mistakes and was quick right from the start. It’s not an easy task, especially on an emotional level, because I reckon that driving a Ferrari is a dream for anyone who wants to be a professional racing driver and we hope that today’s good results are a good sign for his future.”

After his day in Fiorano, Ocan said, “It was great to walk around the premises of a great company like Ferrari. Only by being here can you get an idea of how much history and tradition you can sense from the place. I am very honoured to have had this opportunity. The track is very nice, very technical and varied and the car provides plenty of excitement with all its power and the way it responds immediately to driver input. I would like to thank all the mechanics and the team which supported me and I hope this day will prove useful for my future as a racing driver.”