A historic milestone unfolded when Joshua Durksen received a personal phone call from Paraguayan president Santiago Pena. The special congratulatory call came after the talented driver successfully completed his maiden test behind the wheel of a modern Formula 1 car with the Mercedes squad.
The heartwarming moment was shared through a behind-the-scenes video titled 'Inside Mercedes: Joshua Durksen's First F1 Test, Paraguay, We Did It!', which was officially published by the Brackley-based outfit highlighting the momentous occasion for the South American nation.
"A very special call. Santiago Pena, president of Paraguay, made sure to congratulate Josh on his first F1 run. A proud moment for the country," the Silver Arrows posted alongside the footage capturing the emotional video conversation between the two.
The 22-year-old spent two intensive days at Portimao pushing the limits of the W16 challenger, a car previously driven by race-winning talents George Russell and Kimi Antonelli during the 2025 world championship campaign.
This achievement not only marks a massive breakthrough in the career of the AIX Racing standout, but it also represents the first time in history that a racing driver from Paraguay has ever piloted a contemporary Formula 1 machine.
"Legend! That's huge, man," president Pena told the young charger during their conversation. "Joshua, I'm really excited. This is your dream, it's my dream, it's the dream of millions of Paraguayans who truly are proud of everything you're accomplishing. That giant Paraguay we all dream about, it's you."
Reflecting on the monumental milestone, the driver emphasized the powerful message his journey sends to fellow citizens back home, proving that background should never limit anyone's aspirations.
"To come from a country that many people think we're a small country, and that maybe we cannot do a lot of stuff, to reaching the top of motorsport and driving a Formula 1 car... I think it's a clear message, especially to my people, that we are allowed to dream, that we can dream big and that we can accomplish these dreams," he stated in the feature.
Having experienced the extreme performance of top-tier single-seaters, the passionate competitor admitted that his time on the track only fueled his long-term ambitions within the motorsport pinnacle.
"I think after driving, I'm even more in love with this sport, and for sure this is something I want to do for the very long term," he concluded, leaving fans eager for his future trajectory.
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