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Mercedes shares emotional call between Joshua Durksen and Paraguay president

Mercedes has shared the moment Paraguay's president, Santiago Pena, phoned development driver Joshua Durksen to congratulate him on his first Formula 1 test."A very special call. Santiago Pena, president of Paraguay, made sure to congratulate Josh on his first F1…

By Lydia Mee · Motorsport

Published: Saturday, 17 October 2026 at 2:15 PM

Key Things to Know

Mercedes released footage of Paraguay President Santiago Peña congratulating Joshua Durksen on his first Formula 1 test.
Durksen became the first driver from Paraguay to drive a modern Formula 1 car.
The 22-year-old completed a two-day test driving the Mercedes W16 at the Portimao circuit.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Mercedes shared footage of an emotional video call between Paraguayan President Santiago Peña and development driver Joshua Durksen. Peña congratulated the 22-year-old on completing his first Formula 1 test, calling the milestone a proud moment for millions of Paraguayans. The footage was released by the Brackley team as part of a behind-the-scenes video detailing the test session.

Durksen completed a two-day test at Portimao driving the Mercedes W16, which was previously raced by George Russell and Kimi Antonelli in 2025. The run made Durksen the first driver from Paraguay to drive a modern Formula 1 car.

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Mercedes shares emotional call between Joshua Durksen and Paraguay president

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