- Fred Vesti revealed he secured his place in the Mercedes Junior Programme by intercepting Team Principal Toto Wolff at a red-carpet event in Hockenheim, Germany, during his second Formula 3 season in 2021.
- Now serving as Mercedes’ third and reserve driver, Vesti works closely in the simulator with George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, balancing data analysis across two contrasting driving styles.
- The 24-year-old Dane expressed unwavering confidence that an F1 race seat is within his reach, stating he has “this feeling so deep in my heart that there is a seat for me.”
Fred Vesti Recalls the Unconventional Moment That Launched His Mercedes Career
Mercedes third driver Fred Vesti has opened up about the remarkable and highly unconventional circumstances that earned him a place in one of Formula 1’s most coveted junior programmes. Speaking on the official F1 podcast F1 Beyond The Grid, Vesti described how, during his second season of Formula 3 competition in 2021, he took matters into his own hands by tracking down Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff at a social event in Hockenheim, Germany — and cold-pitching him on the red carpet.
“I had followed Toto in Germany in Hockenheim,” Vesti explained. “I knew he was coming to a party. I was almost like a journalist at the red carpet. I stopped him at the red carpet and I asked him, ‘How do I become a junior driver with you?’ That was how I started the conversation with Mercedes. I just had this vision of being a Mercedes Junior and it could take me all the way to Formula 1, so yeah, it was a very different way of approaching a junior programme.”
Vesti acknowledged that landing a spot in the Mercedes system was far from a straightforward process, but believes the directness of his approach resonated with Wolff’s values. “I think he respects that a lot and I think he respects passion massively, and if he can see that you are motivated beyond anything he has seen before, I think that’s where you make the difference. It wasn’t easy getting signed by Mercedes at this point,” he noted. Part of the appeal of the programme for Vesti was its exclusivity: “One of the reasons why I really liked the Mercedes Junior Programme was actually because they only had a few drivers. They had George [Russell] and a couple of other drivers and that was it. So to be a Mercedes Junior driver is something very few people get to do.”
From Formula 2 Runner-Up to Mercedes Reserve: Vesti’s Growing Role in the Garage
Since joining the Mercedes Junior Programme, Vesti has progressed steadily through the ranks. After finishing as runner-up in the 2023 Formula 2 championship, he transitioned into the reserve driver role from 2024 onwards, participating in FP1 sessions and logging extensive hours in the simulator. That simulator work places him in a unique position — one that requires him to bridge the gap between the very different driving styles of race drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli.
“For me as the third driver in the sim, I sort of have to do both,” Vesti explained. “I have to balance both drivers because we are equally using their data. I think Kimi, one thing that he does quite a lot is he sends in a lot of speed into the corner, which, with this car, it seems to work really well. George in some ways backs it up a bit more, focusses on the exit, but it’s not as simple as this because it changes weekend to weekend, corner to corner.”
This granular technical exposure has accelerated Vesti’s own development as a driver. Working alongside two of the sport’s most scrutinized performers gives him daily access to elite-level engineering feedback, telemetry interpretation, and race strategy discussions — experience that goes far beyond what most drivers his age accumulate in single-seater competition alone.
Vesti’s Formula 1 Dream: Hungry, Prepared, and Confident a Seat Is Coming
Despite the satisfaction of his current role, Vesti is candid about the emotional complexity of being a support driver while his own F1 ambitions remain unfulfilled. He describes the position with honest self-awareness, but also with a forward-looking confidence that leaves no room for doubt about where he is headed.
“It’s a very unforgiving job as third driver,” he said. “You are helping making champions but it’s not yourself. Obviously, I’ve had my own dreams of racing in Formula 1 since I was a kid and that dream is still very much alive. The team sees me as a Formula 1 driver. Sometimes they say, ‘Fred you’re not a rookie, you have done so much testing, you are so prepared for a Formula 1 seat’, so I’m living and breathing like a Formula 1 driver. That’s the trust I have from the engineers first of all.”
Vesti emphasized the level of readiness required to fill in for either Russell or Antonelli should an emergency arise, noting the trust that engineers must place in a reserve driver to lean on them in high-pressure scenarios. “They need a lot of trust in the driver that they lean on if that [stepping in for Russell or Antonelli] would happen, and it’s taken me some good time, some years to become the driver I am today and to be ready for that scenario,” he said.
Ultimately, Vesti’s message is one of determined conviction. “I’m working with the best engineers, the best drivers in the world and I’m really improving rapidly as a driver towards Formula 1. My dream is to be on the grid, winning races, fighting for championships in Formula 1 and that’s what I wake up thinking about every morning. I’m working so hard for it. I have this feeling so deep in my heart that there is a seat for me, and I am so hungry and ready to do anything to achieve that goal. The goal is a Formula 1 seat and I can feel it’s coming.”
Why This Matters
Fred Vesti’s story is emblematic of a broader shift in how Formula 1 teams are developing and retaining reserve talent. As the F1 grid becomes increasingly difficult to break into — with multi-year driver contracts, limited seat availability, and a growing pool of junior talent — the role of a third driver has evolved from a passive backup position into a high-performance developmental track. Vesti’s dual function as both a simulation asset and a standby race driver reflects Mercedes’ investment in depth across its driver roster. With Kimi Antonelli still in the early stages of his F1 career and the team’s 2025 lineup set, the question of when and where Vesti might find a race seat — whether within the Mercedes family or through an external opportunity — is one that will draw increasing attention as the season progresses.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Fred Vesti join the Mercedes Junior Programme?
Vesti joined the Mercedes Junior Programme in 2021 after approaching Team Principal Toto Wolff at a red-carpet event in Hockenheim, Germany. He directly asked Wolff how he could become a Mercedes junior driver, which initiated the relationship that eventually led to his signing.
What is Fred Vesti’s current role at Mercedes?
Vesti serves as Mercedes’ third and reserve driver. His responsibilities include participating in FP1 practice sessions, performing extensive simulator work, and being prepared to step in for race drivers George Russell or Kimi Antonelli if required.
Has Fred Vesti competed in Formula 2?
Yes. Vesti finished as runner-up in the 2023 Formula 2 championship before transitioning to his current reserve driver role at Mercedes from the 2024 season onwards.
