Mercedes have confirmed an surprising addition to their driver steady.
Toto Wolff has added a brand new expertise to his roster (Picture: Getty)
Mercedes have confirmed that Joshua Duerksen has joined the crew as a improvement driver forward of the 2026 season. The Paraguayan racer scored 4 wins throughout two seasons in System Two and ended the 2025 marketing campaign in effective kind.
Duerksen has skilled a curious rise by the feeder sequence ranks, having fun with solely restricted success within the Italian F4 Championship and System Regional European Championship earlier than making the large leap to F2 for the 2024 season.
After a tough begin to his rookie marketing campaign, Duerksen scored a function race podium in Imola, and his kind got here alive late within the season. The AIX Racing prodigy scored two race victories and a podium in Monza, ending the yr tenth within the standings.
Duerksen’s 2025 marketing campaign produced one other attention-grabbing unfold of outcomes. The Asuncion-born star received the season opener in Melbourne, however scored factors simply three extra occasions within the following 18 races. The 22-year-old then completed on the rostrum in six of the ultimate eight races, together with a feature-race triumph in Abu Dhabi.
Now, Duerksen is a part of Mercedes’ younger driver programme. “I’m tremendous excited to be becoming a member of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 crew as a improvement driver,” Duerksen mentioned on Instagram after the deal was confirmed. “I can’t wait to start out working with these guys and assist the crew succeed this yr. Simply actually excited for what’s to come back.”
The Paraguayan is now getting ready for his third season in F2 as he targets the title in 2026. Duerksen will accomplish that with a brand new crew, having swapped AIX Racing for Invicta Racing, which guided Gabriel Bortoleto and Leonardo Fornarole to the crown previously two campaigns.
Joshua Durksen has joined the Mercedes programme (Picture: Getty)
Duerksen’s arrival isn’t the one notable information within the Mercedes driver improvement pipeline. Doriane Pin will step into the event driver function in 2026 after successful the F1 Academy title final time period in her sophomore yr within the sequence.
“I’m very proud and grateful to tackle the function of Improvement Driver with the crew,” Pin mentioned. “My two years as a part of the Junior Programme have helped me develop as a driver, and this can be a improbable subsequent step in my profession.
“I’m excited to maintain working with everybody at Brackley and Brixworth and progressing towards future alternatives, each on and off monitor. I additionally wish to say a giant thanks to everybody at F1 Academy in serving to me attain this place.
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“The sequence offers an excellent platform for feminine drivers, and I’m honoured to be gathering the championship trophy this night. As I proceed my very own journey in motorsport, I do know there will probably be extra unimaginable ladies following in my wheel tracks, and I want all of them the easiest of luck for the season forward.”
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