Should Esteban Ocon fail to find a seat for 2019, Force India has suggested he could stay on as reserve driver next season.

It is the clearest admission yet that Lance Stroll will line-up alongside Sergio Perez next season with no official announcement yet made as the process plays out behind the scenes.

“Hopefully he’ll find something else,” said team boss Otmar Szafnauer. “But we’ll help him, he’s very good.

“You bide your time for a year. How long was [Kimi] Raikkonen out? Two years? He came back and still did well. Esteban is young enough and talented enough.”

Efforts are still ongoing with talks taking place with Williams and Mercedes may well consider a third driver role for the Frenchman if no alternatives become available.

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Even so, Force India insist he would be more than welcome to stay as a reserve and participate in test days.

“That could happen too," the American chief said.

“None of that’s decided, but if you’re simulator work the only way to really develop the simulator and the car is to be in the car every once in a while, because you’re actually simulating the car.

“You need to be current, otherwise your usefulness as a simulator driver decreases.”