Theo Pourchaire joins Mercedes as development driver

Mercedes has signed 2023 Formula 2 champion Théo Pourchaire as a Development Driver, providing the highly-rated Frenchman a crucial foothold in Formula 1. The 22-year-old will balance his new simulator and testing duties with a parallel campaign in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) with Peugeot for the 2026 season.

Why it matters:

Pourchaire's signing represents a strategic talent acquisition for Mercedes as the team prepares for the 2026 regulation reset. It secures a proven, young champion for its simulator program while giving a driver, whose single-seater future was uncertain, a clear path to remain embedded in the F1 world. His dual-role across F1 and endurance racing brings a unique breadth of experience to Brackley.

The details:

• Pourchaire, the 2023 F2 champion with ART Grand Prix, had been serving as a reserve driver for Sauber and made several FP1 appearances before exploring IndyCar and then WEC.
• His role at Mercedes will focus on development work in the simulator, contributing to the performance of the current W17 and future cars.
• Alongside his F1 duties, he maintains a full-time drive with Peugeot TotalEnergies in the Hypercar class of the WEC, showcasing a demanding but versatile schedule.
• The move reunites him with former F2 rival Frederik Vesti and places him within a Mercedes junior stable that includes the highly-touted Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

What's next:

Pourchaire immediately gets to work at Mercedes' Brackley headquarters, where his feedback will be valuable in the ongoing development race. His performance in both the F1 simulator and the Peugeot Hypercar throughout 2026 will be closely watched, potentially positioning him for a greater role within the Mercedes ecosystem or increasing his stock for a future F1 race seat elsewhere on the grid.