Esteban Ocon confirmed at Manor

Following the announcement of Rio Haryanto's reserve driver status, Manor has just confirmed the tenure ofEsteban Ocon alongside Pascal Wehrlein for the rest of the 2016 season as we announced in AUTO issue 2075hebdo available in digital version and on newsstands.

The test pilot Mercedes will therefore be lined up on the grid for the Belgian Grand Prix on August 28 at Spa-Francorchamps, being the second French holder with Romain Grosjean.

“I am delighted to make my debut in F1 with Manor Racing, confirmed Esteban Ocon. In addition, it will be at Spa, the closest circuit to my country. I am ready to take this step thanks to the experience acquired as a reserve pilot. I would like to thank Renault Sport F1 Team and Mercedes F1 for working together to make this possible and Manor for this opportunity. »

“He is clearly a rising star in F1. He shone in his role as a reserve at Renault while competing in the DTM with Mercedes, underlined Dave Ryan, director of Manor Racing. Our team achieved great performances in 2016, notably finishing in the points for the first time last month in Austria (thanks to Pascal Wehrlein). We must maintain this pace of development to achieve our objectives, not only for this season but in the long term. We will have a very good crew on the Spa grid. »

His DTM program therefore ends with his start in F1. Felix Rosenqvist has been confirmed to replace him.

“We are very happy that this opportunity has materialized for Esteban, that Manor has placed its trust in a young driver and that the collaboration between Mercedes and Renault has come to fruition., added Toto wolff, the director of Mercedes Motorsport. We have seen this year that Manor can play for points depending on the circumstances. Manor is the right environment for a young driver to gain experience in F1. It is a small but professional structure which is on an upward slope and where the pilot can make the difference. Esteban did an exceptional job during the Mercedes test at Silverstone (Great Britain) and we are delighted to see him step up into the competitive environment in F1. »

“His presence in the last nine races of the season at Manor Racing is proof of the good relations between Mercedes and Renault which have been formed over several years, welcomed Cyril Abiteboul, the general director of Renault Sport F1 Team. This is a huge opportunity for Esteban to put in the miles behind the wheel of an F1 car and gain experience in a young and professional team. Esteban will face a very fast teammate, which will allow us to evaluate him in a representative environment. »