Manor Motorsport Explained

Manor Motorsport
Founded:1990
Principal:John Booth
(Team Principal)
Graeme Lowdon
(President & Sporting Director)
Former Series:Formula One
FIA World Endurance Championship
GP3 Series
Formula 3 Euro Series
Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0
Formula Renault 2.0 UK
Formula Renault 2.0 UK Winter Series
Formula Renault 2.0 Northern European Cup
British F3
Auto GP

Manor Motorsport Ltd, currently trading as Manor Endurance Racing Ltd is a British motor racing company that was formed in 1990 by former single-seater champion John Booth.[1] Manor has participated as a team in many motorsport disciplines since its inception, including Formula One.

Its current sole involvement in motor racing is an entry to compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship since 2016.

The Formula One team most recently known as Manor Racing cut its links with Manor Motorsport following John Booth and his partner Graeme Lowdon's resignation from the Formula One project at the end of the 2015 season.[2]

Historical overview

Throughout its history, the team primarily competed in Formula Renault, with past drivers including 2007 Formula One World Champion Kimi Räikkönen, 7 times Formula One World Champion Lewis Hamilton and other Formula One drivers such as Antônio Pizzonia. In 1994 James Matthews set a record 11 race wins in a season that lasted more than 20 years, on his way to winning both the British and European series for Manor.

They entered Formula Three in 1999,[1] winning successive British titles with Marc Hynes and Pizzonia.[3] [4]

In 2007, Manor Motorsport saw a change of ownership when Formula Renault UK team manager, Tony Shaw, bought out John Booth and continued operating under the name of Manor Competition from a completely separate base. In turn, John Booth retained the Manor Motorsport name and continued to race in the Formula 3 Euro Series until 2009.

From 2010 to 2015, Manor Motorsport participated in the Formula One World Championship under many guises.[5]

Manor also had a GP3 Series team from 2010 until 2014, run under the name of "Marussia Manor Racing" with the exception of the 2010 season.

On 5 February 2016, Manor Motorsport announced its entry into the 2016 FIA World Endurance Championship.[6]

Partnership with MP Motorsport

See main article: MP Motorsport.

From 2012 until 2015, Manor Competition competed in the Formula Renault 2.0 Northern European Cup and Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 championships in partnership with MP Motorsport. As well as this, the two teams combined forces in Auto GP in 2012 and 2013.

World Endurance Championship

For its participation in the 2016 FIA World Endurance Championship, Manor are using two Oreca 05 chassis powered by Nissan engines, racing in the LMP2 class. The No. 44 car – driven by Tor Graves, James Jakes and Will Stevens – was entered for the full season.[7] The No. 45 car was entered on a one-off basis for every race except for Le Mans, as the car was entered too late to gain entry.[8] Richard Bradley, Roberto Merhi and Matt Rao were signed to drive the car.[7]

Formula One

Virgin Racing (2010–11)

See main article: Virgin Racing. On 12 June 2009, it was announced Manor's application to participate in the 2010 Formula One season had been accepted.[1] Their Formula One team was registered as Manor Grand Prix although it raced as Virgin Racing for sponsorship reasons. Powered by Cosworth engine, the team distinguished itself for designing its cars only digitally.[5] This design approach was abandoned in 2011 when the team forged a technical partnership with McLaren.[5]

Marussia F1/Manor Marussia (2012–15)

See main article: Marussia F1. The Formula One team was renamed the Marussia F1 Team after Marussia Motors bought a controlling interest in the team.[5] In 2014, coinciding with the team's switch of engine supplier from Cosworth to Ferrari, the team scored its first ever World Championship points thanks to the exploits of their leading Ferrari-sponsored driver, Jules Bianchi, during the .[9] The team suffered a major blow at the, when Bianchi was involved in a serious crash and remained in a coma before succumbing to his head injuries in July 2015. At the following race, the inaugural, Marussia fielded only one car out of respect for Bianchi but also as a result of mounting financial pressure, which then saw the team enter administration alongside its rival, Caterham.[10] Marussia would take no further part in the 2014 season. It risked losing its 2014 prize money unless able to further compete in the sport the following year.

On 19 February 2015, Manor Motorsport's administrators announced that the team had come out of administration and planned to enter the 2015 Formula One season under the name Manor Marussia F1 Team with John Booth and Graeme Lowdon continuing to run the team.[11] This was possible thanks to businessman Stephen Fitzpatrick buying the team, with Justin King joining as chairman.[12]

Booth and Lowdon left the Formula One team at the end of the 2015 season. The team continued to race for one more season, under the name of Manor Racing, albeit independently of Manor Motorsport.[2]

Driver accidents

Two of the Manor team's drivers have sustained fatal head injuries.[13] In July 2012, test driver María de Villota crashed heavily into a team transporter during straight line aerodynamic tests.[14] Among other things, she suffered the loss of her right eye but recovered sufficiently to become a motorsport safety advocate and get married. In October 2013, however, she died following a heart attack believed to have been caused by her underlying brain injuries.[15]

In October 2014, race driver Jules Bianchi suffered severe brain injuries while competing in the .[16] He succumbed to his injuries in July 2015 after remaining hospitalised and in a coma since the accident.[17] Bianchi had made a significant contribution to the team as recognised by team principal, John Booth who, immediately following the 2015 Australian Grand Prix, attributed the team's 2015 return after failing to complete the prior season to the point-scoring and prize-winning performance of Bianchi at the 2014 Monaco Grand Prix.[18] [19] In Bianchi's honour, from the 2014 Russian Grand Prix until the end of their F1 participation, the team cars carried a "JB17" logo,[20] which represent Bianchi's initials and race number.

Results

Formula One

YearNameCarEngineTyresNo.DriversPointsWCC
Virgin
Virgin RacingVR-01Cosworth CA2010 2.4 V824.
25.
Timo Glock
Lucas di Grassi
012th
Marussia Virgin RacingMVR-02Cosworth CA2011 2.4 V824.
25.
Timo Glock
Jérôme d'Ambrosio
012th
Marussia
Marussia F1 TeamMR01Cosworth CA2012 2.4 V824.
25.
Timo Glock
Charles Pic
011th
Marussia F1 TeamMR02Cosworth CA2013 2.4 V822.
23.
Jules Bianchi
Max Chilton
010th
Marussia F1 TeamMR03Ferrari 059/3 1.6 V6 t4.
17.
42.
Max Chilton
Jules Bianchi
Alexander Rossi
29th
Manor Marussia F1 TeamMR03BFerrari 059/3 1.6 V6 t28.
53.
98.
Will Stevens
Alexander Rossi
Roberto Merhi
010th

F3 Euroseries

Formula 3 Euro Series results[21]
YearCarDriversRacesWinsPolesF.LapsPoints
2004Dallara F304-Mercedes HWA Charles Zwolsman Jr.20000916th5th
Lewis Hamilton20110685th
2005Dallara F305-Mercedes-HWA Lucas di Grassi20110683rd4th
Paul di Resta200003210th
2006Dallara F305-Mercedes Kohei Hirate20100613rd2nd
Esteban Guerrieri20220584th
Kazuki Nakajima20100367th
2007Dallara F305-Mercedes Franck Mailleux20104387th2nd
James Jakes20100425th
Cyndie Allemann200000N/A
Yelmer Buurman20000406th
2008Dallara F308-Mercedes Koudai Tsukakoshi20000367th5th
Sam Bird200002311th
Niall Breen16000816th
Kazuya Oshima20100719th
2009Dallara F308-Mercedes César Ramos16000025th4th
Pedro Nunes20000027th
Roberto Merhi20000427th

GP3 Series

YearCarEntrantDriversRacesWinsPolesFast lapsPoints
2010Dallara GP3/10-Renault Manor Racing James Jakes12000218th4th
Adrien Tambay4100620th
Rio Haryanto16100275th
Adrian Quaife-Hobbs160001015th
2011Dallara GP3/10-Renault Marussia Manor Racing Adrian Quaife-Hobbs16122365th3rd
Rio Haryanto16201317th
Matias Laine16000031st
2012Dallara GP3/10-Renault Marussia Manor Racing Tio Ellinas16103978th5th
Fabiano Machado16000021st
Dmitry Suranovich16000023rd
2013Dallara GP3/13-AER Marussia Manor Racing Tio Ellinas162111164th5th
Ryan Cullen16000029th
Dino Zamparelli160001318th
2014Dallara GP3/13-AER Marussia Manor Racing Patrick Kujala180002214th6th
Ryan Cullen16000025th
Dean Stoneman185121632nd

In detail

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearChassis
Engine
Tyres
Drivers123456789101112131415161718Points
2010GP3/10
Renault
CAT
FEA
CAT
SPR
IST
FEA
IST
SPR
VAL
FEA
VAL
SPR
SIL
FEA
SIL
SPR
HOC
FEA
HOC
SPR
HUN
FEA
HUN
SPR
SPA
FEA
SPA
SPR
MNZ
FEA
MNZ
SPR
4th64
James Jakes972883Ret112Ret13Ret
Adrien Tambay189Ret1
Rio Haryanto202581642RetRetRet20111818323
Adrian Quaife-Hobbs2126RetRet125RetRetDNS1812735172
2011GP3/10
Renault
IST
FEA
IST
SPR
CAT
FEA
CAT
SPR
VAL
FEA
VAL
SPR
SIL
FEA
SIL
SPR
NÜR
FEA
NÜR
SPR
HUN
FEA
HUN
SPR
SPA
FEA
SPA
SPR
MNZ
FEA
MNZ
SPR
3rd67
Adrian Quaife-Hobbs24161123184155Ret3104RetRet6
Rio Haryanto2610201119221041109112932
Matias Laine18Ret192417RetRetRet1423142118Ret20Ret
2012GP3/10
Renault
CAT
FEA
CAT
SPR
MON
FEA
MON
SPR
VAL
FEA
VAL
SPR
SIL
FEA
SIL
SPR
HOC
FEA
HOC
SPR
HUN
FEA
HUN
SPR
SPA
FEA
SPA
SPR
MNZ
FEA
MNZ
SPR
5th97
Dmitry Suranovich11Ret16DSQRet152220†1514Ret16221822DNS
Fabiano Machado16Ret1517Ret19199RetRetDNSDNS2521Ret16
Tio Ellinas7159845641071344Ret21
2013GP3/13
AER
CAT
FEA
CAT
SPR
VAL
FEA
VAL
SPR
SIL
FEA
SIL
SPR
NÜR
FEA
NÜR
SPR
HUN
FEA
HUN
SPR
SPA
FEA
SPA
SPR
MNZ
FEA
MNZ
SPR
YMC
FEA
YMC
SPR
5th129
Tio Ellinas1464562611108RetRet1171
Ryan Cullen21Ret20202117192523Ret181720Ret2024
Dino ZamparelliRet1591010Ret971220107RetEX98
2014GP3/13
AER
CAT
FEA
CAT
SPR
RBR
FEA
RBR
SPR
SIL
FEA
SIL
SPR
HOC
FEA
HOC
SPR
HUN
FEA
HUN
SPR
SPA
FEA
SPA
SPR
MNZ
FEA
MNZ
SPR
SOC
FEA
SOC
SPR
YMC
FEA
YMC
SPR
6th117
Patrick Kujala4Ret9712Ret25161310Ret217Ret
Ryan Cullen1516171319Ret201924211413Ret16
Dean Stoneman71Ret10101854981951

World Endurance Championship

YearEntrantNo.CarClassDriverRacesWinsPolesPoints
2016 Manor44Oreca 05-NissanLMP2 Tor Graves4001425th10th
James Jakes200431st
Will Stevens20047th
Matthew Rao6011017th
Roberto Merhi300614th
Antônio Pizzonia1001027th
Matthew Howson1001027th
Richard Bradley5011017th
Alfonso Toledano Jr.1000NC
Alex Lynn201430th
45 Matthew Rao3002317thNC
Richard Bradley3002317th
Roberto Merhi4002914th
Tor Graves2000.525th
Alex Lynn1000.530th
Shinji Nakano1000.532nd
Roberto González200629th
Mathias Beche1000NC
Julien Canal100629th
2017 CEFC Manor TRS Racing[22] 24Oreca 07-GibsonLMP2 Tor Graves300347th7th
Jonathan Hirschi300347th
Jean-Éric Vergne300347th
25 Roberto González3001013th13th
Vitaly Petrov3001013th
Simon Trummer3001013th
2018–19 CEFC TRSM Racing[23] [24] 5Ginetta G60-LT-P1LMP1 Charlie Robertson1000NC6th
Léo Roussel1000NC
Michael Simpson1000NC
Dean Stoneman0000NC
6 Alex Brundle1000NC
Oliver Rowland1000NC
Oliver Turvey1000NC

24 Hours of Le Mans results

YearEntrantNo.CarDriversClassLaps
2016 Manor44Oreca 05-Nissan Tor Graves
Roberto Merhi
Matthew Rao
LMP2283DNFDNF
2017 CEFC Manor TRS Racing24Oreca 07-Gibson Tor Graves
Jonathan Hirschi
Jean-Éric Vergne
LMP23607th6th
25 Roberto González
Vitaly Petrov
Simon Trummer
152DNFDNF
2018 CEFC TRSM Racing5Ginetta G60-LT-P1 Charlie Robertson
Léo Roussel
Michael Simpson
LMP128341st5th
6 Alex Brundle
Oliver Rowland
Oliver Turvey
137DNFDNF

Timeline

Former series
British Formula Renault Championship1990–2011
Eurocup Formula Renault 2.01991–2003, 2010, 2012–2015
British Formula 3 Championship1999–2003, 2010
Formula 3 Euro Series2004–2009
GP3 Series2010–2014
Formula One2010–2015
Auto GP2012–2013
Formula Renault 2.0 Northern European Cup2012–2015
FIA World Endurance Championship2016-2018

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Manor – History. Manor F1 Team. Manor Motorsport. 30 March 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150314191721/http://manorf1team.com/#history. 14 March 2015. dead.
  2. News: Is there a new adventure for Lowdon, Booth? @RealManor Twitter launches today. Tony. DiZinno. MotorSportsTalk. NBC Sports. 1 December 2015. 5 July 2016.
  3. News: Pizzonia flies in Snetterton test. 19 February 2000. 6 April 2015. Autosport. Haymarket Publications.
  4. News: Pizzonia's title, Monteiro's race. 24 September 2000. 6 April 2015. Crash.net. Crash Media Group.
  5. Web site: FIA – Marussia team. Formula1.com. Formula One Administration. 30 March 2015.
  6. News: Manor Confirms WEC Entry with Oreca 05 Nissan. Tony. DiZinno. 5 February 2016. 5 July 2016. Sportscar365. John Dagys Media, LLC.
  7. News: Ex-Manor F1 driver Roberto Merhi joins reborn team in WEC LMP2. Autosport. Haymarket Publications. 30 March 2016. 5 July 2016.
  8. News: Manor Takes Delivery of Second Oreca 05 Nissan. John. Dagys. Sportscar365. John Dagys Media, LLC. 27 March 2016. 5 July 2016.
  9. News: Jules Bianchi says Marussia's first F1 points not luck. Edd. Straw. Jonathan. Noble. Autosport. Haymarket Publications. 25 May 2014. 26 May 2014.
  10. Web site: Marussia F1 team goes into administration . BBC News . 27 October 2014 . 1 February 2015.
  11. News: Marussia's administrators say the team will exit administration on February 19. William. Esler. Sky Sports. BSkyB. 4 February 2015. 6 February 2015.
  12. Web site: Benson. Andrew. Manor Marussia aim to be ready for start of F1 season. BBC Sport. BBC. 6 March 2015. 5 March 2015.
  13. News: Maledizione Marussia: il tragico filo che unisce la de Villota e Bianchi . 5 October 2014 . Il portale di Ticino . it. Marussia curse: the tragic thread that links de Villota and Bianchi.
  14. Web site: F1 test driver De Villota loses eye after accident. 4 July 2012. Yahoo! Eurosport. TF1 Group. 6 April 2015.
  15. News: Hallan el cuerpo sin vida de María de Villota en un hotel de Sevilla. ABC. Catalina Luca de Tena, Grupo Vocento. 11 October 2013. 6 April 2015.
  16. News: Bianchi suffers severe head injuries at Suzuka, requiring surgery. Luke. Smith. MotorSportsTalk. NBC Sports. 5 October 2014. 6 December 2014.
  17. Web site: DiZinno. Tony. Jules Bianchi dies at age 25, his family confirms. NBC Sports. 17 July 2015. 17 July 2015.
  18. Web site: Booth: Bianchi made Manor return possible. 19 March 2015. GP Update. 21 March 2015.
  19. Web site: How Jules Bianchi saved an F1 team. 18 July 2015. 21 May 2015. Kate. Walker. Motorsport.com. Motorsport.com, Inc..
  20. Web site: Booth anticipating 'tough' Monaco weekend. 18 May 2015. GP Update.
  21. http://www.speedsport-magazine.com/motorsport/formula-level3/formula-3-euroseries.html F3 Euroseries complete results
  22. Web site: CEFC Manor TRS Racing: the people behind the name. FIA World Endurance Championship. Automobile Club de l'Ouest. 27 October 2017. 2 April 2024.
  23. Web site: TRS & Manor To Join LMP1 Ranks For 'Super Season'. Dailysportscar. Kilbey. Stephen. 1 November 2017. 2 April 2024.
  24. Web site: Manor no longer involved with Ginetta LMP1 team in WEC. Autosport. Motorsport Network. Watkins. Gary. 10 September 2018. 2 April 2024.