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]

But the culture of F1 is to keep the big boys big and screw the rest.

Which is why whenever you hear Bernie, the FIA, the team owners or the drivers talk about ways to improve the 'show' and how they wish things were closer for the fans that you know they are lying through their teeth to us and basically suggesting the general public are idiots.

 

[cider_and_toast]

And we are idiots for as much as we gripe about how shite it all is, we'll still be watching next weekend just in case it's a classic race.

 

[Tuscan1969]

I do feel for Manor - I am sure if they had had uninterrupted development over winter and the new Ferrari engine they would be very respectable.....

Improving the show is easy....if you win you add 3kg of ballast in the next race, 2nd 2 kg, 3rd 1 kg ; very soon everyone is bunched up....and if you finish 4th or lower you can get rid of 1kg of the success ballast that you previously had been told to add... Great show but not sure about the true sporting ethos.....but then again people don't seem to mind horses racing with handicaps...

 

[siffert_fan]

The question I keep asking myself is why is it that none of the bottom-feeding teams of today have been able to generate the emotional involvement of the late and (to me) much-lamented Minardi team? I always liked the latter, but couldn't care less about the lower echelon teams on the grid today.

 

[Tuscan1969]

siffert_fan I think its probably a combination of factors... What actually attracted you to them in the first place? A particular driver, the team colours, the underdog status, the timing of their emergence into F1 coencinding with your interest developing????

These new teams would have a chance to attract "new" fans. The trouble is younger fans with no allegiance and no history or "favorites" are just not being attracted to F1 because of Bernies Barmy Business Bocks....

But for the record I will support Manor and Williams in 2015 plus Lewis and Carlos Sainz Jr

 

[siffert_fan]

I have always had a weak spot for the underdog, and Minardi were the quintessential underdog. In fact, underdog status was what made me a Williams fan starting in 1969 when Frank entered Piers Courage in a used Brabham.

There is just something missing, for me, from the current underdogs.

 

[Tuscan1969]

Money?????

 

[cider_and_toast]

I suspect most people's soft spot for Minardi grew when they emerged at the end of the 80's and start of the 90's as best of the rest. Before that they were swamped among a list of AGS, Zakspeeds, Coloni's and Eurobruns, among others. Last year with their points haul from Monaco there were signs that Manor were starting to achieve Minardi like support. Sadly money troubles and Japan ended that.

 

[teabagyokel]

I think Monaco was brilliant - supporting the Bianchi/Marussia combo was easy. Seeing them run in 3rd at Suzuka was a giddy moment too; sadly it was to be the last.

 

[RasputinLives]

....but with the governing body (not the teams) just being little bit forceful to make sure just a little bit of the millions and millions the sport makes trickled down to them then we'd be havimg even more enjoyment from them this year.

 

[siffert_fan]

I think that, for me, part of the charm of the underdog teams was that they were the real talent-spotters of the sport for a lot of years. They might find a true potential WDC is something like Formula Vee or even carting, and be willing to give them the chance to prove themselves. That is not very true any more, as the bank balance seems to be the top priority.

 

[cider_and_toast]

I agree with you totally RasputinLives. The FIA need to step up to the plate and force the issue. He's as much to blame as all the rest but towards the end Max started to try and do something about. Ham fisted yes but he did something. I've no idea what Todt is doing about the situation. You don't hear from him from one month to the next. who is actually at the helm of F1?

 

[siffert_fan]

I hate to say it, but to me, Todt has appeared to be Bernie's lap dog ever since he took office.

 

[RasputinLives]

Max said we'd miss him and we all laughed.

 

[RasputinLives]

Manor have stated that when their 2015 car is complete it will carry the 2015 Ferrari engine.

http://m.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/118400

That might be a game changer.

 

[cider_and_toast]

And in other news, McLaren take delivery of a batch of brown trousers. Are the two linked I ask myself ??

 

[Road of Bones]

Upon closer inspection of the batch of brown trousers, it was found that they had been re-labelled - apparently they were appropriately-coloured old stock from the dark days of 2007 and the "Honda Earth" project...

 

[RasputinLives]

Manor continue to come back to life with 3 more technical staff being added. Bob Bell being the biggest of these.

http://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/12989481/bob-bell-joins-manor-technical-consultant

They don't appear to have money issues anymore but they could do with that 2015 car soon though.

 

[cider_and_toast]

You have to admire how much work they've put in to get where they are now.

 

[Il_leone]

RasputinLives A good appointment in Bob Bell