Manor’s newest driver, Esteban Ocon has officially selected his car number for his career. During his previous practice sessions with Renault, the Frenchman used the number 45, but he has chosen to change his number as he begins his racing career.
Ocon has confirmed, via a Tweet, that he will be driving the number 31. This was the number of the kart which he used to win his very first national title: the 2007 French Minime Championship.
He won last year’s GP3 series championship title with ART Grand Prix’s car #6. Unlike GP3, Formula One drivers are allowed to select any vacant number when they start their career, with the exception of #1, which is reserved for the World Drivers’ Championship winner. This option came into the sport in 2014.
Ocon will be replacing Rio Haryanto, who has been demoted to the Manor test driver due to a lack of funding from the Indonesian’s financial backers. Ocon will be making his Formula One racing debut after summer break at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps for the Belgian Grand Prix.
