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ART secures the services of Esteban Ocon

Published on 11 Mar 2015 15:34
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By: Rob Veenstra

ART Grand Prix is thrilled to announce that they have secured the services of Esteban Ocon for their 2015 GP3 campaign. At just 18 years of age, the Frenchman, managed by Gravity Sport Management, already has a very impressive resume, including taking part in a Formula One race weekend with the LotusF1 team at Abu Dubai in 2014. Esteban’s racing career began at the tender age of ten with karting, winning the crown in 2011. He made his debut in single-seaters the following year in the Formula Renault Championship. This was followed by a move to F3 in 2014 where he instantly took command from round one, taking the crown with a race still in hand.

The title in F3 also earned Esteban the prestige of becoming the recipient of a scholarship from Pirelli to race in GP3 in 2015. ART Grand Prix welcomes the involvement of the Italian manufacturer in the curriculum for young drivers. This project helps to assist the best young drivers in their racing careers as they keep the highest level of motorsport firmly in their sights.

After tasting the power of Formula One late in 2014, the ART GP team is eager to take the young Frenchman under their wing so he can learn the circuits and the GP3 Series, which is one of the toughest and most competitive junior series on offer. ART Grand Prix’s ambition is to give Esteban the best possible conditions so he will be well positioned to assist the team in regaining its position as head of the hierarchy.

Esteban Ocon said: "I am very pleased to contest GP3 with ART Grand Prix because it's the project that I wanted to happen the most. After a great season in 2014 and given the experience and the team's track record, my ambition is to repeat this in 2015 and win the title. There are a few question marks because I have not yet tried out the car, but ART Grand Prix has all the skills, data and talent to allow me to have such high ambitions."

Sébastien Philippe (ART Grand Prix GP3 Team Manager) commented: "ART Grand Prix is pleased to work with Esteban who had an exceptional season in 2014. We should not minimize the magnitude of the task at hand because Esteban is only just starting in GP3 and will have to adapt to the requirements of the discipline in the first race. But we trust in his talent and potential to achieve this and to join in the fight for the title."

Paul Hembery (Pirelli Motorsport Director) revealed: "As well as a €200,000 scholarship for the winner of the GP3 Series to put towards a GP2 budget, we are very pleased to award a prize fund of €100,000 for the European Formula 3 champion to use in GP3, helping ensure a solid path of career progression that is driven by merit and talent alone. This fits in perfectly with our philosophy of being more than just a tyre supplier to motorsport, but instead a genuinely proactive partner that creates opportunities for stakeholders to grow at every level."

GP3 News Esteban Ocon ART Pirelli Renault