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.

 

[siffert_fan]

But doesn't it mean that Ferrari will have to continue to produce last year's brick of an engine, just for Marussia?

 

[RasputinLives]

I really don't know. Surely they can alter the 2014 cars to fit the new engine right? I know Brawn managed to squeeze that Merc engine into their car in 09 when it was made for another one.

 

[cider_and_toast]

What with Force India coming out and denying something we all didn't know needed denying, Bernie needs a 9th team in his back pocket to safeguard against falling grids. If Force India fail to start the season a mysterious benefactor in the form of a Mr E Becclestone may pump enough money into Marussia to keep the numbers on the grid above the minimum threshold. It would almost certainly be cheaper to do that than to compensate the 4 big teams having to supply a third car each.

 

[teabagyokel]

But why pump a load of money into the half-baked Marussia project, when a genuine midfield runner would be sufficient.

 

[Mephistopheles]

Because it is cheaper for the top teams than it would be to run a third car.

 

[teabagyokel]

Put it this way: Ecclestone is interested in the televised product, supposedly. So he has two choices:

1. Force India, fighting on the fringes of the top 10, bloodying the noses of the middle-top teams, adding a guaranteed WCC battle down the field by starting well then falling back, and adding intrigue to races with their unorthodox strategies, thus generating a chance for the top teams' sponsors to be connected to a pass without any real threat. They would also run Sergio Perez, boosting viewing amongst Mexicans and hispanic Americans, thus legitimising two of the events on the calendar.
2. Marussia, pootling around 2-3 seconds off the pace, perhaps even of the midfield, diving right into run off areas to get out of the way of the top teams once in a while, and running two pay drivers whose fan clubs are about the same size as their sponsor list.

Why the heck would he go for Option 2?

 

[Mephistopheles]

There is still an obstacal for the return of Marussia and that is, all teams must agree that they can use last years chassis and the small teams may veto this because as it stands they are guaranteed prize money and there is a chance however small that Marussia could pull off some points beating them like they did last year..

 

[cider_and_toast]

Because to dear old Bernie teabagyokel 10th may as well be last. Force India don't bring money into the sport. Ferrari etc do. Money has to keep coming in to keep the whole thing moving. So it matters not if its Force India or Marussia who make up the 9th team. Bernie would like to see more McLarens, Ferraris and Red Bulls on the grid but if it were to happen by way of another team collapsing this year then FOM would have to convince the other teams at short notice to fill the grid and they would want cash. Who would the other teams want? Force India pinching points off the mid field or Marussia pounding round in last and doing no damage to anyone's travel budget for next year? It's wild speculation but someone is keeping the Marussia corpse on life support. You have to ask why them and not Caterham for example? what are we missing here?

 

[Bushi]

But Maurussia needs engines, thus costing the engine supplier money since they can't pay the bills for it.

 

[FB]

Who would be willing to cough up huge amounts of cash just so they could have the "honor" of driving around at the very back of field and trying to stay out of everybody's way?

 

[FB]

Motorsport.com reckon Justin King is behind Marussia coming out of administration to give somewhere for his son to drive.

http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/uk-businessman-king-key-to-marussia-survival-bid

 

[Mephistopheles]

Tescos every little 'elps

All right so it's Sainsbury's but the gag's a good 'un..

 

[The Pits]

Try Something New, eh Justin!!

 

[Mephistopheles]

What do you call a man with a one inch penis.

Oops sorry wrong thread...

 

[The Pits]

Thats not a great name.

 

[RasputinLives]

King has signed up for GP2 this year already.

I do have a conspiracy theory though. Put on your tin foil hat with me.

For the last year Ferrari have had a vested interest in Marussia with a youth driver there and engines being supplied. They are also the people owed the most money by the team.

Now Ferrari have always been super keen to have at least another car on the grid but the three car team thing isn't happening. There has been talk of them buying a junior team recently so why not Marussia?

They also happen to have two drivers in JEV and Guttierrez already signed up as development drivers. What better way to push development than having them at every Grand Prix trying the engine and parts out at the back?

But what would they call it? Well don't Fiat own Alfa Romeo? Wouldn't that be a great name to put back in F1? Oh and by the way did anyone notice the Alfa Romeo badge suddenly appear on the Ferrari at Jerez?

Might be wild speculation but think about it.

 

[Mephistopheles]

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[cider_and_toast]

But to be honest RasputinLives I'd love it if that were to happen.

 

[siffert_fan]

http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-strategy-group-rejects-bid-by-marussia-to-keep-2014-car

Finally the end?

 

[RasputinLives]

Mean spirited gits.