Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/767466
22 maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 28 DECEMBER 2016 Sport FORMULA 1 Ocon replaces 'one of the best' - Pérez SERGIO Pérez says Esteban Ocon is replacing "one of the best" driv- ers on the grid in Nico Hülkenberg, but reckons the Mercedes young- ster will rise to the challenge. Hülkenberg was Pérez's team- mate at Force India over the past three seasons, and also raced for the outfit back in 2012, but will make the switch to Renault for 2017. Ocon, 20, has been signed as Hülkenberg's replacement on a "multi-year deal", having spent half a season at Manor, and previously tested F1 machinery with Force India. "I think Nico is one of the best ones out there," commented Pérez, when asked by GPUpdate.net to assess the impact of Hülkenberg's move to Renault, and Ocon's ar- rival. "It was very difficult to beat him through this year and last year. "It's been very competitive be- tween us in every session and we pushed each other forward quite a lot. I think I learned a lot from him, I don't know if he did [learn] from me." Force India has set itself a "stretch objective" of third next season, having climbed to fourth in 2016, and Pérez is confident that, de- spite limited experience, Ocon will deliver. "I have heard a lot of good things about him, so let's see how quick he is, and how quickly he can get on with the new regulations as everyone," he went on to comment. "The team went for the best pos- sible driver they could get, and eve- ryone is very happy that we have Esteban for next year, so let's hope we can both deliver many points." Ocon, who beat fellow Mercedes- backed Pascal Wehrlein to the seat, was also praised by Force India COO Otmar Szafnauer, who says the Frenchman has "great poten- tial". "When you're making decisions, it's always [a case of] the more in- formation you have, the better off you are at making a good decision," Szafnauer said. "We looked at who we'd worked with and decided that Esteban was the best fit, the best potential, willingness to learn and improve, and we're good at improving young drivers. "I think that very quickly we'll get Esteban up to speed." Esteban Ocon Super Bowl an example for Formula 1 FORMULA 1 could learn from the way in which the NFL promotes the Super Bowl in order to boost fan engagement at each Grand Prix, according to McLaren Execu- tive Director Zak Brown. Marketing guru Brown was heav- ily linked to a role with Formula 1's new owners, Liberty Media, be- fore joining McLaren, and reckons more should be done to promote the sport. "We need to take a look at the weekend format and how we en- gage with the consumers in the grandstands, and how close can we get them to our team and drivers," said Brown. "We go to these cities and [it should be] a big event leading up to it. "I think the Super Bowl does an excellent job, with their level of fan engagement, they come into town a week before and they take over the cities, the hotels and the airports. "We have got 21 Super Bowls that we put on across the world." Brown is also hopeful that Lib- erty, which installed Chase Carey, the Vice-Chairman of 21st Centu- ry Fox, as Formula 1's new Chair- man, will expand the sport's digital output. "Digital, which we all talk about, is a quickly, fast-paced and evolv- ing [area of business]… what worked yesterday may or may not work tomorrow," Brown went on to comment. "I think given that Liberty has a media-centric background and Chase [Carey] comes from the me- dia world, I have got high expecta- tions that they will do great things in the media space. "This is ultimately how we reach the largest audience we can."