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.

 

[Titch]

Don't expect to see much of Marussia on TV.
They still don't have a commercial agreement with FOM and therefore can't be filmed.

I had no idea, how mad is that?

 

[F1Yorkshire]

So if there is a close battle for the lead, both cars evenly matched and if a backmarker in the way could cause a key overtake would the camera have to cut away if a Marussia was involved?

 

[RasputinLives]

Sounds like it. Or add the big censored square as previously shown.

 

[RasputinLives]

So it appears Marussia have made up the financial difference they lost out on when the Razia deal fell through by signing this guy as a reserve

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/106000

Gonzalaz is truely one of the worst GP2 drivers I've ever seen in action and if he does get a drive we may be looking at a driver on a par with Sakon Yamamoto, Philipe Adams and Alex Yoong. I'm sure he's bringing the team lots of lovely venzulan cash though. I hope sacrafixing some of those friday sessions is worth it!

 

[RasputinLives]

The Marussia's sneaked past the Caterhams right at the end of Q1 in their final runs although we didn't see it(FOM not filming them?) however the interesting thing was both Chilton and Bianchi had to slow down for the yellows so could have gone even quicker

car looks like it has potential.

 

[no-FIAt-please]

Have Marussia signed the FOM agreement then? I can't remember seeing them in qualifying...

 

[RasputinLives]

Saw them in the race though so must have. Bianchi looks like he's going to be a good asset for the team.

 

[RasputinLives]

Well Marussia tell us they'll have sorted their engine supplier for 2014 by end of April and the 2014 car is already in the wind tunnel. An upturn in form may have been a good bargaining chip. They say it'll be Merc or Ferrari and they have a foot in each camp so hard to predict.

http://m.gpupdate.net/en/f1-news/292516/marussia-hopes-to-sign-engine-deal-in-april/

Odds are in favour of them being the first of the new batch to finally get on terms with the rest of the grid although lets not count any chickens just yet.

 

[RasputinLives]

Unfourtunatly we won't get to have a small measure of how Bianchi/Marussia might shape up against a Caterham driven by Kovi in FP1 as Marussia have made the decision to give 'speedy' Gonzalez a run out.

Gonzalez will take the title of worst driver to drive a 2013 GP car when he takes to the track tomorrow. Previous holder Qa Maa is apparently livid and already raising the funds to get back in the cockpit in order to show he is the ultimate back marker. As we went to press Sakon Yamamoto was unavalible for comment.

 

[Fenderman]

Jeeeeez. Someone really has got to put a stop to this. I've just read Rodolpho's stat's. Are we talking about the same bloke? What on Earth are Marussia thinking about? This reminds me of the cartoon characters whose eyeballs turn into the spinning wheels of one-arm bandit machines, kerlunk, or cash register dollar signs, kerching. They seem to be totally blind to the CV's of these blokes and oblivious to their own perilous situation.

Surely Marussia's obligations to its investors and sponsors include developing a car fit for purpose and getting in race results. Until the car is competitive their priority has to be car development and for that their drivers need to bring experience and development skills to the party. Rodolpho is 28 years of age and has been racing open wheelers for a very long time so one could be forgiven for thinking that he is very experienced indeed. The trouble is that his is the record of an inveterate loser.

If I were a shareholder or sponsor at Marussia I would be calling for a meeting followed by a really hard look at the accounts. I would be interested in seeing where the money is coming from and where it is going to other than the laundry. F1 isn't a back street bare knuckle fighting racket, where no hopers are used to rack up wins for a golden boy who suddenly gets defeated in the rigged big money bout. I mean, where is the pay off? Does Marussia think their drivers are so irrelevant to developing the car that the cash now is more important to keep them in F1?

Marussia must have sound financial reasons for taking the money and worrying about the other things afterwards. For them the answer to that last question must be a yes. However, they have a responsibility to F1 which is to field cars and drivers fit for the task. In an era when safety has been as important to the sport as the competition itself it is surely irresponsible to have poor drivers dawdling around the track even if only in practice sessions. Teams are getting on with serious work and can do without unpredictable mobile chicanes at the best of times. So, along with the other changes for 2012 maybe the FIA should have a rethink about how it hands out super-licenses. From where I sit it looks like they're being given out like sweets at a children's picnic, and meanwhile people with more talent in one finger than Marussia's reserve drivers are all over the planet itching for an opportunity. If Marussia can't take their place in F1 seriously they should be told in no uncertain terms that they are not fit for purpose and should get lost.

Note: Sorry, Fender's is in ranting mood. Apparently.

 

[pirateplunder]

Or just enforce the 107% rule - it does still exist doesn't it?

 

[KekeTheKing]

It'll be fun having a RoGo and a RoGro out there!

 

[Fenderman]

... or a disaster ...

 

[KekeTheKing]

No, that's not until Robbie Glover (RoGlo) makes his way through the ranks

 

[teabagyokel]

Fenderman - I do wonder what outcome a sponsor gets for paying loads of money to a driver who is quite clearly shit to drive extremely slowly for a team with scarcely any TV coverage for one session.

 

[Fenderman]

It's a head-scratcher, isn't it teabagyokel. especially when that coverage is likely to contain a fair amount of criticism of that driver getting in the way. And woe betide the bloke if he spins off or worse. Not exactly great publicity. No, it's strange to say the least.

 

[RasputinLives]

I'll just remind you Fenders tha Maa was driving the Caterham in china so both back times have employed the same strategy of cash for an hours play. I guess it pays the bills but it is slightly embarrasing.

I'm guessing in Marussia's case its to make up the shortfall from not getting the cash for Razia to drive. Maybe they'd spent it already and desperate times called for desperate measures?

 

[Fenderman]

Heh, heh, RasputinLives, just because I haven't yet let rip into Caterham doesn't mean that they're off my hook. It's just I haven't caught up with them yet to hook 'em in the first place.

 

[teabagyokel]

Fenderman - It seems surprising of all the teams not to catch up with, you chose Caterham!

 

[Fenderman]

I was too busy netting Marussia. I've lapped 'em at least twice while I wasn't looking, went home for supper and sleep. Came back and got distracted messing about on t' interweb and went home again. Having a rest now 'cause old duffers my age need the odd break. Should be able to catch up with at least one of the Caterhams in time for the next issue of Rootersport. That's if I can be arsed to do so, of course.