Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has expressed his pleasure with the team's young drivers, Esteban Ocon, who is racing for Force India this season, and Pascal Wehrlein, who is signed on to compete with the Sauber squad, but due to his poor fitness levels, he has opted to sit out the first two races of the season, and maybe even the third.
"Our young drivers have impressed me in different ways,” Wolff said. “Seeing Esteban not only fighting with top drivers like Alonso and Hülkenberg but coming out as the winner to take his first F1 point in Melbourne made me proud.”
As for Pascal, Wolff knows exactly why he has chosen to the sit the opening events out and he respects the young German's maturity in recognizing that he isn't fit enough just yet to drive the 2017 contenders…..
"I feel for Pascal, because he has had all the bad luck. I'm impressed with the maturity he has shown to inform Sauber that he wouldn't be able to perform at the level required in Melbourne. That took courage and selflessness, which I know earned him a lot of credit within the team. Now, he needs to build up his fitness and come back strong. I have no doubt that when he's back in the car, he'll prove he's still the same Pascal.”