Esteban Ocon could be in line for some Formula 1 outings with F𒀰orce India in 2019 as part of a potential test or reserve role, according to tꦅeam principal Otmar Szafnauer.

Despite impressing in a Force India race seat since joining the team at the start of 2017, Ocon is set to be dropped for 2019 in favour of Lance Stroll, whose father, Lawr♌ence Stroll, led a consortium that rescued the team with a financial takeover in ♑the summer.

Mercedes junior Ocon is braced for a year on the sidelines if he cannot land a s🧸eat at Williams, which he recognised as his last shot of a place on🧔 the F1 grid in 2019.

Ocon is widely expec♋ted to take up a reserve role with Mercedes in the hope of landing a seat in F1 for 2020, and Szafnauer said this could extend to continued involvement with Force India.

“ꦏWe will look after him if need be,” Szafnauer said.

“Third car, simulator,🃏 he does a great job꧋ for us, if need be.

“But hopefully he will find something else. We will help h⛎im, he’s 📖very good.

“You bide your time for a year. I mean how long was [Kimi] Raik♔konen out? Two years? He came back and still did well. He’s young enough, talented enoughไ.”

Asked if there was a scenario where Ocon could get ti✅me in the Force India car, Szafnauer said: “That could happen too. None of🎐 that is decided but that could happen too.

“If you🌺’re doing simulator work, the only way to develop the simulator and the car is to be in the car once in a while.

“As ✱you’re actually simulating the car, you need to be current, otherwise your♛ usefulness as a simulator driver decreases.”

While 💟Ocon would not count towards Force India’s young driver allocation for in-season testing in 2019, he woul⭕d be free to appear in the tests with the team, as well as in pre- and post-season running.