Manor (formerly Marussia)

Virgin

FIA Entry: Marussia Virgin Racing
Car 24: Timo Glock
Car 25: Jerome d’Ambrosio
Engine: Cosworth V8
Team Principal: John Booth
Technical Director: Nick Wirth
Race Engineer Car 24: Mark Hutchison
Race Engineer Car 25: Dave Greenwood

Stats as of end 2010

First Entered 2010
Races Entered 19
Race Wins 0
Pole Positions 0
Fastest Laps 0
Driver World Championships 0
Constructor World Championships 0

Manor Motorsport

When F3 team Manor Motorsport were given a place on the F1 grid in 2010 they commissioned Wirth Research to build them a car. Brawn sponsor Virgin became title sponsor and Virgin Racing was born

Virgin Racing

With Cosworth engines, Xtrac gearboxes and drivers Timo Glock and Lucas di Grassi Virgin Racing embarked on their first F1 season. The VR01 chassis was the first ever F1 designed entirely using CFD, with designer Nick Wirth believing computer simulations were sufficient to not need expensive wind tunnel testing.

Inevitably the team had reliability issues early on and they also discovered the fuel tank on the car wasn't sufficiently large enough to allow the team to complete full race distance. Wirth Research got a dispensation from the FIA to homologate a new chassis and by Spain both cars finished the race.

The team regularly finished races but barely troubled the mid-field. By seasons end the team were placed 12th and last in the Constructors Championship based on a count back of minor placing’s having managed a highest finish of 14th.

2011

Russian carmaker Marussia have taken a controlling interest in the team for 2011 and Belgian Jerome d’Ambrosio replaces Lucas di Grassi. With the VR02 chassis Virgin will be hoping to move further up the grid in 2011.

 

[RasputinLives]

Booth and Lowden have resigned from Manor! Bit shocked by that as they slogged to keep the team afloat

John Booth and Graeme Lowdon to leave Manor

I sense a name change and a 'reboot' coming on. The fact that Indonisian driver Rio Hyranto is linked suggesteds to me there may be some backing coming in from over that way.

 

[F1Brits_90]

Yeah I was hoping this wasnt true, because they are manor, their fighting spirit & underdog story will leave a big hole in f1. Because in my opinion they are this generations minardi. Success against all the odds

But adam Cooper has speculated that they may have lost faith in the ability of the owner to make the team a viable long-term proposition which is A real shame

 

[Greenlantern101]

I've heard nothing about this Stephen Fitzpatrick since he bought the team. It would be interesting to find how his vision for the future was in such conflict with Booth and lowden that they had to leave. I really hope the team survives this. Such good prospects since nailing the Mercedes deal.

Flavio for new TP. You heard it here first.

 

[siffert_fan]

Is it possible that Red Bull will now buy the team, thereby getting Mercedes engines?

 

[cider_and_toast]

Doubt that.

Interestingly though, with the aid of some speculation in Sky's FP1 commentary, there is talk of Dave Richards getting involved. Now taking that further, Dave Richards runs Prodrive who as we know looks after the Motorsport activities of Aston Martin (he's also on the AM board) and, as we know from the press discussion about Red Bull this week, which company were pushing the Aston Martin brand with Red Bull?.... Mercedes. Who just so happen to be supplying Manor engines from next season.

A bright new future as Aston Martin F1 perhaps?

 

[RasputinLives]

I hope not. What a way to suck the soul out of a plucky little race team.

Also I find Dave Richards detestable. Although I'm not really sure why.

 

[FB]

Dave Richards, Tom Walkinshaw, Ron Dennis, Christian Horner, Max Mosley - there's something about British Team principals being not very likable people.

 

[David Buckley]

Saddened to read this news and according to the beeb so is Toto Wolf. If Fitzpatrick is as much a fan of the sport as he claimed when he invested in the team, then surely the men whose monumental efforts have kept the team going against the odds are the best ones to continue the fight with the upcoming new engine-gearbox package? Who could possibly come in to take their place?

 

[gethinceri]

I see Bernie's not on your list. You clearly rate him as "likeable" FB

 

[FB]

Ah, after I posted that list Lord Bernard of Ecclestone came to mind gethinceri but I was just too lazy to edit the post.

 

[David Buckley]

Perhaps Fitzpatrick has someone like Ross Brawn in mind given the new engine-gearbox deal, he must have done enough fishing by now? He might like a challenge!

 

[Bill Boddy]

Dave Richards had the only successful season that BAR/Honda had, 2004 as I remember. Before and after, until Ross Brawn, they were in the bottom quarter of the field.

 

[Il_leone]

I'll have to dig the article on Dave Richards in F1 Magazine but always find him refreshing and the only British team principal I have respect for apart from Ross Brawn. Going back to Aston Martin story - it was suggested it could be Force India linking up that way
Force India could be rebranded as Aston Martin Racing

I would not mind because then we would be rid of some shady owners and Dave Richards is probably what Force India need to propel it as a front runner and also might want to rename the team Prodrive

Back to Manor .. it is actually sad for the team that both Booth and Lowdon will go given the tough times the team has had. Now going back to Fitzpatrick he apparently put £30m of his own money into the team and Justin King is on board as well.

Not sure whether it will affect Wehrein being signed or not? I 'd very much doubt Jordan King would suddenly be thrown into F1 just because his Dad happens to be part of the business management

 

[RasputinLives]

Yeah because thats never happened before

 

[Il_leone]

well up to this point King has not been mentioned as a candidate for the seat.

I was thinking would Mercedes now suddenly want more input on the team and run it as a junior team

 

[cider_and_toast]

I'm just gutted, with how hard the struggle, that Lowden and Booth feel they have to walk away. Makes it seem like it wasn't worth the effort.

 

[David Buckley]

If, as I've read elsewhere, Fitzpatrick has blocked other investors from the team one has to wonder just what his motives are in owning a team. Surely any sensible investment would be welcomed with open arms given the current state of finances in the smaller teams?

 

[RasputinLives]

It depends who those investors are a I guess. For instance if its Toto Wolff, Fitzpatrick might not want to run a Merc B-Team.

(or C-team after Williams)

 

[RasputinLives]

After having just read that I've now read that Bob Bell and others have also gone

F1 news: Manor F1 team technical chief Bob Bell leaves after five months

The comments from Totto Wolff saying that it doesn't effect the engine deal by Lowden, Booth and Bell were considered part of the deal so they will be watching make me inclined to feel my above comments are not wide of the mark. I think those around Merc were hoping to basically turn Manor into a junior team but Fitzpatrick and King have decided they don't want that even if it means they will continue to struggle.

Bob Bell especially was Merc connected. I think the clincher on whether this is correct will be if Werhlain gets the seat there

 

[Il_leone]

Well Fitzpatrick is going to look like a brave businessman who knows what he is doing or he is going to turn into one of those shady muppet owners that Formula One has had in the past

I will allude to my supporting club Spurs where the chairman turned down an offer from then a certain Roman Abramovic who was on his way home when he saw another club in West London and decide to buy that club. Suffice to say my club has been suffering as the chairman has done nothing for the club apart from sacking managers.

In the past we've seen how corporate business people run F1 teams quite disastrously so it will be interesting to see who wants to join Manor and answer to these two

I should add would Bob Bell consider joining Mclaren or Williams then seeing he knows Bouillier and Symonds ?

Manor had the potential to be a solid midfield team with the package they have now and looks like the team might take another 3 steps back when things looked on the up finally