Ocon feeling the pressure ahead of 2017 season

After being chosen ahead of Pascal Wehrlein for the vacant Force India seat, Esteban Ocon admits that the pressure will be on him to perform.

Wehrlein and Ocon were the two favourites for Nico Hulkenberg’s seat after they both tested with the Silverstone-based outfit back in 2015 in Austria.

Eventually, the young German was overlooked and Ocon was given the drive after impressing Force India during testing.

However, the Frenchman does feel that there will be pressure on him to produce results given the situation in which he gained the seat.

"The test helped massively, massively," the Frenchman told F1i.com exclusively.

"I think if I didn’t do this test they wouldn’t even think about me. They wanted me, Force India wanted me. This test was a coincidence at first but in the end it was for something because now I got the drive with them.

"It has been good and they remember me well, I gave them a great test I think, that’s why they wanted me, and we were P2 at this test so it’s just a great one for me as well. I really remember it like one of my best tests.

"It’s great [to be wanted], but also it puts you under some pressure because they think big. They think that you will arrive and do a strong job so that’s what they expect. So I have to work very hard to do that, to deliver that. I haven’t delivered it yet so you need the hard work to be done."