Ojeda lands Mercedes young driver test

Supercars co-driver Jayden Ojeda will be jetting off to Valencia next week to take part in a Mercedes Young Driver Test.

Ojeda, 24, has been selected by Landgrad Motorsport to participate in the session held at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo on November 9-11.

After solid performances in his debut GT World Challenge Australia campaign for Volante Rosso Motorsport, the Sydney sider with three Bathurst 1000 starts to his name has caught the eye of the three-pointed star.

Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing teams can nominate two drivers between 17 and 25 for the Young Driver Test which begins with two 30-minute sessions.

Once a fastest five is established, they will receive a new set of Pirelli tyres to put their hand up to be one of just two drivers honored at the AMG Champions United event on November 11. The final prize is participating in the IGTC GULF 12HOURS.

Ojeda was elated for the opportunity presented by Landgrad Motorsport which is led by former Erebus driver Maro Engel.

“It’s seriously epic, what an opportunity, considering I’d not raced a GT car before landing in Perth for round two and had to be on it straight away,” he said.

“The Mercedes Junior program has been building up over recent years and they not only put together an amazing race car, but phenomenal programs to support their teams and I guess the opportunity to take part in the Young Driver Test is just the next step in that.”

“It’ll be a massive opportunity, but I feel more prepared than ever to make the most of it and turn it into something great for my future.”

It represents a major shift in Ojeda’s career trajectory given he was on the Supercars pathway having also made six wildcard starts in the main game in addition to his Great Race drivers.

Ojeda’s rise in the GT ranks has been a rapid one given he had never steered a GT car before May this year.

But in that time he has turned heads by winning the Bathurst 6 Hour and taking poles at Phillip Island, Sydney Motorsport Park and Queensland Raceway. The biggest highlight was victory at Phillip Island.

Ojeda is now following fellow Volante Rosso Motorsport driver Jordan Love, who ventured the same path to the European GT World Challenge.

“It is a reflection of the program put together by Chris Papadopoulos and Josh Hunt at Volante Rosso Motorsport that I’ve got this opportunity,” Ojeda said.

“It shows their programs – with the success they have had with Jordan being on the international stage and the current success they are having with Alex (Gardner) in the Radical Cup.”

Former Formula 1 engineer Papadopoulos said ever since he first saw Ojeda in his prolific Australian Formula 4 Championship winning campaign in 2019.

“I first saw Jayden racing Formula 4 and recognised his ability straight away,” he said.

“Since that time, we’ve looked for a way to get him into one of our programs. Finally, the opportunity came to place him in our Mercedes-AMG GT3 machine with Ross (Poulakis) and the support of Harrolds.

“Our team has such a good handle on the GT3 machinery and the driving style that is required to go fast, so we’re able to help drivers get the most out of themselves and their driving.

“With Jayden’s talent and our engineering we scored a pole position and a win by his second outing in our car.

“It is fantastic that Volante Rosso Motorsport has been able to play that part in helping him get the recognition he richly deserves to hopefully make the next step in his international racing career.”

The test takes place on November 9-11.

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