F1: Manor Replace Haryanto with Ocon

[Chris]

Esteban Ocon has been announced as the replacement driver of Rio Haryanto for the remainder for the 2016 Formula One season.

The Frenchman will make his Grand Prix debut at the Belgian Grand Prix alongside fellow up-and-comer Pascal Wehrlein for the Manor F1 Team. Touted as one of F1's "next big things", Ocon joins a grid brimming with young talent the likes of which Formula One has not seen for a very long time, if ever.

Unfortunately in the cut-throat business of F1, Haryanto was forced to make way for the Frenchman due to being "unable to meet contractual obligations", which is PR-speak for, "Rio's sponsors failed to cough up enough cash and we need money to go racing, so we're going to go with the other guy". However, if Manor had announced that the decision to drop Haryanto was based on performance grounds, then it would have been a believable excuse too, due to the Indonesian's performances this season being fairly sub-par in comparison to his impressive German teammate.

Following the driver line-up confirmation, Ocon stated that,

"I'm thrilled that I’ll be making my Grand Prix debut with Manor Racing later this month, and at Spa, of all circuits, which is the next best thing to my home race. I'm ready for this exciting step up, thanks to the experience I’ve gained as a Formula One Reserve Driver this season.

I’d like to thank Renault Sport F1 Team and Mercedes-Benz for working together to make this happen, and to Manor Racing for the opportunity, which I’m going to grab with both hands."
​

In 2014 Ocon took the FIA European Formula 3 championship in commanding style, beating out fellow F1 prodigy Max Verstappen in the process of wrapping up the title with a round to spare. He's also had several free practice session outings this season with the Renault F1 Team and has shown very some very capable pace.

Given a full time racing seat, let's see what he can manage over the rest of the 2016 Formula One season.

 

[Tim.E]

Well if he's beaten Max in the past that must mean the guy has some talent. Like to see how he'll compete against the other future star that Manor has atm. I pray Ocon-Wehrlein for Mercedes 2019.

 

[fortyfivekev]

Drivers like Ocon should get their chance in F1 so it seems like a good result for the team and us fans.

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

Good to see Rio go. Definitely not good enough for Formula 1.

 

[Chris]

Good to see Rio go. Definitely not good enough for Formula 1.

He showed some impressive speed in GP2, but as we have seen that doesn't necessarily translate to F1.

 

[Nox]

Wehrlein went from Euro F3 to DTM to F1
Ocon Euro F3 & GP3 to DTM to F1
Felix Rosenqvist Euro F3 Champ will now replace Ocon in DTM.

Nice to see a path for young drivers to break into the higher echelons of the sport. Once they make the jump from F1 into WEC, they'll have made it all the way to the top!

 

[Alex Townsend]

Grosjean had impressive GP2 but when he came to F1 he was a wreck-fest. Now he's matured into a decent driver.
Just wonder if we're not getting to see these young drivers reach their full potential in the minimal time frame their given these days..?

 

[Nox]

Grosjean had impressive GP2 but when he came to F1 he was a wreck-fest. Now he's matured into a decent driver.
Just wonder if we're not getting to see these young drivers reach their full potential in the minimal time frame their given these days..?

You're right. We can look at Kvyat this year as an example. He has an impressive record in Formula Renault, Euro F3, GP3, but look how F1 has chewed him up so far. I think young drivers need more time and support. Less pay drivers, please, and more young talented prospects being given a proper path into F1.

 

[Peter Hooper]

So does this mean less pressure on Palmer now as there as talk of Ocon replacing him at Renault.

 

[oorjit07]

You're right. We can look at Kvyat this year as an example. He has an impressive record in Formula Renault, Euro F3, GP3, but look how F1 has chewed him up so far. I think young drivers need more time and support. Less pay drivers, please, and more young talented prospects being given a proper path into F1.

Kvyat's performance is the result of some really bad treatment from Red Bull, not his actual driving skill. Grosjean was a crash-prone driver, but he did score podiums in 2012, while Harayanto was very slow compared to his (less experienced) team mate.

 

[Nox]

Kvyat's performance is the result of some really bad treatment from Red Bull, not his actual driving skill. Grosjean was a crash-prone driver, but he did score podiums in 2012, while Harayanto was very slow compared to his (less experienced) team mate.

I mostly agree with you.

 

[gamer19]

What kind of "drivers" did used to drive F1 ...Rio is a champion.
Actually, this could maybe be a great time for some history lesson.
Worst F1 driver you say ? Here's some deadly serious candidates.
Alex Yoong, Luca Badoer, Taki Inoue, Yuji Ide, Esteban Tuero,... Or only driver disqualyfied for being too slow ! Al Pease.
Speaking of Taki... there's this amazingly entertaining interview with him from Top Gear:
http://www.topgear.com/car-news/adventures/interview-top-gear-meets-taki-inoue-f1s-worst-ever-driver
Just a small part:
When he reached London, his lack of preparation became apparent. “When I arrived at Heathrow, I ask at the information desk, ‘I want to be racing driver, where can I go?’ It’s true. They say, ‘You should go Newmarket - race course there.’ I got a ticket, took the national coach.”
So on a dark and miserable October evening, Inoue rattles out of London and into deepest Norfolk. “The driver says, ‘Newmarket,’ so I get off. Then I ask a man, ‘Is this race course?’ He says, ‘Yes, this is horse-racing course.’ Horse racing! Not car. Very disaster.”
What a legend !
And this, sorry... I must:
“In my first Formula One race in São Paulo, Brazilian GP, I didn’t know what a pit stop is. No one told me,”

 

[Christian Moreau]

Wasn't a big fan of Rio so I'm not really disappointed he's gone. Ocon sounds like he has great potential and might be able to give Pascal a little bit more of a challenge for the team battle. Looking forward to his debut at Spa!

 

[Lorenzo Bonder]

So does this mean less pressure on Palmer now as there as talk of Ocon replacing him at Renault.

Not at all. He's still the one to go out in case either Massa, Nasr, Rossi or even Ocon gets involved.

Magnussen is still in the hot seat as well, but he has more potential than Palmer. What Palmer has more than Magnussen is money, so he can be a paid driver in any mid-tier team.

 

[Ole Marius Myrvold]

So does this mean less pressure on Palmer now as there as talk of Ocon replacing him at Renault.

That's always been for 2017 anyway, so it's still on. Ocon are also in the funny situation that he is a Merc-driver on loan to Renault, being put in a Manor.

Worst F1 driver you say ? Here's some deadly serious candidates.
Alex Yoong, Luca Badoer, Taki Inoue, Yuji Ide, Esteban Tuero,...

This is a bit OT.

Esteban Tuero, the third youngest F1 driver in history at the time, he is still only 38 and could in theory still been a F1 driver, qualifying 17th in his first ever F1 race. and often dragged the car away from the last row on the grid.

Luca Badoer, the man was in a way lucky in the European GP in 99. If not Minardi had f'ed up his pit-stop massively, he would've been 2nd when the car broke down. Indeed, 2nd, in a Minardi.
Only remembered for his two races in Ferrari in 2009, where people seem to forget that Giancarlo Fisichella only managed to get out of Q1 once when he replaced Badoer, even qualifying last twice. One also seem to forget that he won F3000 as a rookie, beating Panis, Coulthard, McNish and Barrichello. He also outpaced Michele Alboreto in 93, but the car was dead slow, and the team went bankrupt.

There are legitimate bad F1 drivers, and there are drivers who genuinely had bad luck.

 

[Mitja Bonca]

I would like to see Antonio Fuoco in F1. He really shows great potential.