Earlier today, 19-year-old Esteban Ocon was confirmed as a Manor driver for the remainder of the season, replacing Rio Haryanto.
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Manor, the smallest Formula One team but 10th of 11 in the current championship standings, signed Indianapolis 500 victor Alexander Rossi of the United States as their official reserve in March.
Manor are now 10th in the constructors’ standings, and racing director Dave Ryan said: “We’re confident that when Esteban makes his Grand Prix debut in Spa, we will have a very potent line-up with which to take the fight to our immediate competitors for the rest of the season”.
Ocon will partner Pascal Wehrlein for the nine remaining Grand Prix on the calendar.
Manor did however offer Haryanto a reserve role, which the team confirmed had been accepted.
“Rio’s team have worked tirelessly to try to resolve that situation with his Indonesian backers”, Ryan said. “I’m ready for this exciting step up”.
The 2015 GP3 champion has combined half a season racing for Mercedes in the DTM championship alongside his role as Renault’s reserve driver and has taken part in four Friday practice sessions at Barcelona, Silverstone, the Hungaroring and Hockenheim.
The pedigree of Ocon (left), reserve driver to the Renault Formula One team, seen here with drivers Kevin Magnussen (right) and Jolyon Palmer (second left) with Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn at the presentation of the Renault RS16.
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Toto Wolff believes that the Manor team will be an ideal location to further the development of Mercedes junior driver Esteban Ocon. “I can’t wait to get started!” He will also attend engineering meetings and PR activities as the team wish to continue supporting his racing ambitions.
