Friday is another crucial day in the history of the reborn Marussia team. Now called Manor, the backmarker is expected to be listed on the delayed 2015 entry list, which is set to be released by the governing FIA on Friday.
It will then give the team exactly one week to complete the 2015 adaptations to its 2014 cars, pass the mandatory crash tests, and pack up the equipment to be shipped to Australia next Friday. Crash tests with FIA observers have been booked for March 5 -- the day before the F1 freight deadline.
The FIA's entry fee of over half a million dollars has been paid, and rookie Will Steven's name lodged as the first race driver. McLaren-linked duo Kevin Magnussen and Stoffel Vandoorne are reportedly in the running for the other seat.
McLaren is staying put as a technology partner and wind tunnel supplier, and fellow creditor Ferrari is making available a supply of 2014-spec engines, "but only if EUR 10 million is paid in advance", reported Auto Motor und Sport.
It is already known that former Sainsbury's boss Justin King is one of the team saviours, but on Friday the leader of the British consortium became known -- Stephen Fitzpatrick. He heads a British electricity and gas supplier called Ovo Energy.
It is believed Manor will race with a British racing license, honouring not only the new owners but also founder John Booth, whose Yorkshire facility is now housing the team. But there is no guarantee Manor's planned resurrection will actually succeed.
Firstly, the car will surely be hopelessly off the pace, as the rest of the field has made a couple of seconds per lap of progress since 2014. "If they are ten seconds off the pace," Felipe Massa is quoted by f1-insider.com, "it would be better if they did not come back." That sort of laptime deficit would also see Manor fall foul of the 107 per cent qualifying rule.
Bernie Ecclestone, meanwhile, reportedly fears Manor's investors are only making the rescue bid in order to collect the $47 million in official prize money from 2014. "Apparently," said correspondent Michael Schmidt, "Ecclestone has asked the new owners to deposit the same amount in the bank, just to make sure the project is reputable. Until now, only a tenth of the sum has been lodged," he added. (GMM)
Head of Ovo Energy behind Manor rescue plan
- Published on 27 Feb 2015 14:44
-
0
- By: Rob Veenstra
.
Trending news
-
Why Toto Wolff believes Max Verstappen's new Red Bull contract ends the 2025 silly seasonToto Wolff believes the driver market has effectively closed after Max Verstappen committed his future to Red Bull Ra...
25 Aug 2026 12:56 -
Why Wolff isn't worried about Norris repeating Verstappen's comebackToto Wolff has played down the threat posed by Lando Norris's closing title deficit, pointing to Max Verstappen&#...
25 Aug 2026 11:55 -
Can Hadjar return at Monza despite hand injury?Isack Hadjar appeared in the Zandvoort paddock on Sunday with his left hand injury downplayed, prompting Red Bull to ...
25 Aug 2026 10:53 -
Red Bull and McLaren push to overturn Monaco result againRed Bull and McLaren bring their appeal to the FIA International Court of Appeal in Paris today, challenging the deci...
25 Aug 2026 09:51 -
Waché admits Red Bull still not at desired level despite recoveryRed Bull technical director Pierre Waché has acknowledged clear progress with the RB22, but insists the team i...
14 Aug 2026 16:04
Dutch Grand Prix
Local time
-
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Dutch Grand Prix
Local time
-
Friday
-
Saturday
-
Sunday
-
Friday
-
Saturday
-
Sunday
Test calendar
Circuit de Catalunya - Winter testing
-
Jan 26
I. Hadjar
- 1:18.159
-
-
-
Jan 27
M. Verstappen
- 1:19.578
-
-
-
Jan 28
A. Antonelli
- 1:17.362
-
-
-
Jan 29
G. Russell
- 1:16.445
-
-
-
Jan 30
L. Hamilton
- 1:16.348
-
-
Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
-
Feb 11
L. Norris
- 1:34.669
-
-
-
Feb 12
C. Leclerc
- 1:34.273
-
-
-
Feb 13
A. Antonelli
- 1:33.669
-
-
Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
-
Feb 18
G. Russell
- 1:33.459
-
-
Feb 19
A. Antonelli
- 1:32.803
-
-
Feb 20
C. Leclerc
- 1:31.992
-
-
World Championship standings 2026
Pos
Driver
Team
Points
Pos
Team
Points
Related news
Give your opinion!
Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Spain
-
Bahrain
-
Bahrain
Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
-
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
-
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
-
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
6 - Mar 8
Australia
Albert Park
13 - Mar 15
27 - Mar 29
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
10 - Apr 12
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Apr 19
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
1 - May 3
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
22 - May 24
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
5 - Jun 7
Monaco
Monte Carlo
12 - Jun 14
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
26 - Jun 28
Austria
Red Bull Ring
3 - Jul 5
United Kingdom
Silverstone
17 - Jul 19
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
24 - Jul 26
Hungary
Hungaroring
21 - Aug 23
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
Driver profile
- Team -
- Points -
- Podiums -
- Grand Prix -
- Country Brazil
- Date of b. Apr 21 1981 (45)
- Place of b. Sao Paulo, Brazil
- Weight 59 kg
- Length 1.66 m
4 members have this team as their favourite
Tweets about Felipe Massa
Team profile
- Team name McLaren
- Base Woking, United Kingdom
- Jenson Button 1
- Lewis Hamilton 1
- Fernando Alonso 1
- Niki Lauda 1
- Stoffel Vandoorne 2
- Lewis Hamilton 2
- Lewis Hamilton 2
- Gerhard Berger 2
- Daniel Ricciardo 3
- Jenson Button 3
- Lewis Hamilton 3
- Kimi Räikkönen 3
- Mika Häkkinen 3
- Lando Norris 4
- Lewis Hamilton 4
- Jenson Button 4
- Kimi Räikkönen 4
- Jenson Button 5
- Sergio Perez 6
- Kimi Räikkönen 6
- Kimi Räikkönen 6
- Niki Lauda 8
- Alain Prost 8
- Kimi Räikkönen 9
- Fernando Alonso 14
- Kevin Magnussen 20
- Jenson Button 22
- Lewis Hamilton 22
- Gerhard Berger 28
- Stoffel Vandoorne 47
- Carlos Sainz jr 55
- Oscar Piastri 81
- 306,890 comments on McLaren
- 162 members have this team as their favourite
- Tweets about McLaren
Replies (0)
Login to reply