Manor F1 Team’s hopes of competing in the 2015 Formula One world championship look to have taken another large step towards reality after the team announced that they intend to race in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix with newly signed race driver Will Stevens.
Stevens, who made his Formula One début in last year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix for Caterham in the place of Marcus Ericsson, served as a test driver for Marussia in the past and became a race-winner in the Formula Renault 3.5 championship last year.
“It’s very exciting to see everything coming together at Manor after the tremendous effort that has gone into saving the team,” said the 23-year-old British driver,
“It would not have been possible without the incredible support we have received from all the suppliers and from within the sport, but most of all the fantastic team of people at Manor who are working around the clock to ensure we are ready for Melbourne. My thanks to the team for their confidence in me and I can’t wait to see all the hard work rewarded when we line up on the grid in two weeks’ time.”
Manor must race within the first four rounds of the championship in order to claim the money they will earn after scoring their first championship points last year as Marussia with Jules Bianchi. The team can receive dispensation from the FIA to miss a few rounds, but they intend to race at the first round in Albert Park, Melbourne.
“The car with which Manor will begin the season is now in an advanced stage of build at the team’s current race preparation facility in Dinnington, UK, where personnel are working 24-7 towards the air freight despatch date of 6 March,” Manor stated, “[Manor] is now in a position to be able to provide regular updates on its preparations for Melbourne and wider plans for the season, including the completion of its driver line-up”.
