Ferrari impressed by Ocon after Fiorano test

Ferrari said they were impressed by Esteban Ocon's speed and competence after handing the 18-year-old Frenchman a test in their 2010 F10 car on Wednesday.

The run at Ferrari's Fiorano track in Italy was part of Ocon's prize for winning this year's FIA Formula Three Championship in his rookie season.

"It's always very exciting for we engineers to be there when a young driver gets behind the wheel of a Ferrari Formula One 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," Luca Baldisserri, head of the Ferrari Driver Academy, told the Ferrari website.

"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."

Ocon added: "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."

Ocon's Ferrari test came just a week after Lotus said he drove 'exceptionally' during a two-day run in a two-year old E20 at Valencia in Spain, which was his first taste of F1 machinery. He has been part of Lotus's junior programme since 2010.