[Team] Marussia - what next?

[bella]

bad news from mexico suggesting that graeme lowdon and john booth will be leaving manor.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/mot...l-to-quit.html

if the story is true, it doesn't reflect very well on the new owners and backers at all.

[steve_r]

We don't know the full story yet. I'm not sure that article is enough for any conclusions to be drawn over the owner.

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by bella

bad news from mexico suggesting that graeme lowdon and john booth will be leaving manor.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/mot...l-to-quit.html

if the story is true, it doesn't reflect very well on the new owners and backers at all.

Originally Posted by steve_r

We don't know the full story yet. I'm not sure that article is enough for any conclusions to be drawn over the owner.

Whilst that article may not give a lot of detail I'm inclined to agree with bella - losing the racers from the management hierarchy is a bad move. The team did look to be heading in the right direction but if true this is a huge backwards step.

[Paradise City]

The owner doesn't seem to be in the game and it's hard to know what he wants with the team. Fitzpatrick, the owner, doesn't seem to use the team to promote his company. It seems more like a vanity project. Sad to see Booth going.

[Moneyseeker]

John Booth and Graeme Lowdon have resigned following a difference of opinion with new owner Stephen Fitzpatrick...

[djinvicta]

My brain overloads with thoughts over this...Renault buy out is first thought..especially with the Merc engine deal in place

[pirenzo]

There goes the feel good factor in Manor's revival.

I know we shouldn't draw conclusions, but when that amount of experience and integrity and passion walks out of the door, the genius of the owner doesn't spring immediately to mind does it?

[djinvicta]

grandprix.com

"It is clear that Renault wants to return to being its own team," said correspondent Michael Schmidt.

The now Renault-linked Bell's move to Manor, then, was completely unexpected.

But also noteworthy is that, joining Bell in switching to the former Marussia team is engineer Gianluca Pisanello, formerly of Caterham and Toyota.

Schmidt said both Bell and Pisanello have in recent weeks been linked with the proposed new Renault works team being championed by Cyril Abiteboul and brand ambassador Alain Prost.

He wondered: "Will Manor be Renault's new factory team?"

[Mekola]

But Mr Booth is Manor itself, AFAIK. I think with its new owner, the team must change its name.

[S griffin]

I have a bad feeling. Who is this owner anyway?

[djinvicta]

Abdulla Boulsien and Stephen Fitzpatrick. Yes. Who?

[Hawkwood]

Originally Posted by djinvicta

Abdulla Boulsien and Stephen Fitzpatrick. Yes. Who?

Fitzpatrick founded Ovo Energy - hopefully he has Manor working better than his energy company does.

[Mike Harte]

Interesting article on Motorsport dot com (sorry not linking to it - getting more and more frustrated with the amount of junk that loads up with each page on that site, which slows down the loading process) which seems to highlight the issues at Manor. Fitzpatrick seems to fail understand how F1 works, and this has been making life difficult for Lowden and Booth. It is suggested that he was attempting to have the team change to Renault power mid-way through this season, without having any comprehension about the amount of work that would be required to be undergone, and all between races.

It would also seem that Fitzpatrick and his partners had only rescued the team to try to make a quick buck by being able to sell it on quickly for a huge return on investment. It is believed that they paid just £500,000 for the defunct team, and have invested minimally in it since. And during the course of this year they have negotiated with two different potential buyers, seemingly looking at a price around the £50 million mark. Both buyers were, apparently, not happy with the reception given to them by Fitzpatrick.

[dan_ferguson]

If you're trying to make a quick buck, F1 doesn't seem like the best environment to do it.

Merc power must make it attractive to buyers though - I wonder if they've had any phone calls from Austria or Milton Keynes?

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by dan_ferguson

If you're trying to make a quick buck, F1 doesn't seem like the best environment to do it.

Merc power must make it attractive to buyers though - I wonder if they've had any phone calls from Austria or Milton Keynes?

It's the £100 million from FOM that makes it attractive; £50 million for 2016 and another £50 million for 2017. And if they finish tenth this year, which they surely must as there are only 10 teams, there should be another £50 million in 2018.

If Fitzpatrick can sell it for £50 million, then thats a good return on his purported investment of £20 million.

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by djinvicta

grandprix.com

"It is clear that Renault wants to return to being its own team," said correspondent Michael Schmidt.

The now Renault-linked Bell's move to Manor, then, was completely unexpected.

But also noteworthy is that, joining Bell in switching to the former Marussia team is engineer Gianluca Pisanello, formerly of Caterham and Toyota.

Schmidt said both Bell and Pisanello have in recent weeks been linked with the proposed new Renault works team being championed by Cyril Abiteboul and brand ambassador Alain Prost.

He wondered: "Will Manor be Renault's new factory team?"

Barely has the ink dried (metaphorically) on this post than it is announced that Bob Bell announces that he is leaving Manor. It would seem as though the team will be rudderless very shortly!

[djinvicta]

Yes. Heard that Mike. Give you that one! Hope it doesnt all fall off the cliff over the Winter

[peebee2]

Is clear the owners have done zero about building a 2016 car, expecting to sell long before

[djinvicta]

Actually, I do believe you may be correct.

[knighty]

Am I allowed to change the subject and discuss the potential of Mannussen getting the second Manor seat, yes it appears Manor are going through some leadership turmoil, but the fact remains they have an engine deal for next year that is the envy of the pit-lane, and this is Manors best opportunity to score a sack load of points in 2016 which could propel them for many years to come, the missing ingredient is a capable driver.......Magnussen is the bloke for the job surely, Stevens + Magnussen, sounds like good potential in 2016.........Stevens + Mehri, what a waste of 2016

Or is this DTM Mercedes champion Wehrlein already got first dibbs?.....any news there?.....sounds like the next Paul DiResta to be honest......I'd still go for Magnussen, he is a well known quantity to Mercedes who must have influence in the decision, but unfortunately he is not German, which may be the deciding factor, sadly

Will be a bit of a problem if the 2016 car really is not yet designed, oh dear...

[bella]

+1 for magnussen taking that other seat, though you can imagine it might not appeal to him in any way shape or form versus a serious wec drive, for example.

i think stevens is a bit uninspiring, but can see why he's a commercially sound choice and there's far worse drivers out there. merhi's really good, but without knowing exactly why f1 isn't suiting him it's hard to back him.

[Moneyseeker]

Anyone heard about a possible tie up with Manor and Prodrive or is that just Banbury gossip?!

[knighty]

Originally Posted by Moneyseeker

Anyone heard about a possible tie up with Manor and Prodrive or is that just Banbury gossip?!

For me as soon as Prodrive is mentioned, that immediately pings up an Aston-Martin works effort, perhaps which would complete the loop of a Mercedes engine, plus explain a mass exodus of team leadership as David Richards will want to be the fat-controller in front of the cameras......sounds quite credible to me, especially when Manor lost their main base to HAAS......for me Force-India-Aston-Martin just does not sound right, it must be British to the core if Aston Martin are involved.......but perhaps neither Prodrive or AM is involved and its all gossip....

[steve_r]

Originally Posted by knighty

Am I allowed to change the subject and discuss the potential of Mannussen getting the second Manor seat, yes it appears Manor are going through some leadership turmoil, but the fact remains they have an engine deal for next year that is the envy of the pit-lane, and this is Manors best opportunity to score a sack load of points in 2016 which could propel them for many years to come, the missing ingredient is a capable driver

To be pedantic, the missing ingredient is a decent chassis / car. Whilst I love an underdog, this team have not yet produced the goods. With lots of their senior staff leaving it remains to be seen whether they can do the business aero / chassis-wise to get off the back row even with the best engine package.

Unless the Mercedes deal involves a Mercedes protégé getting a seat (and Toto Wolff said this is not the case), then I suspect that the highest bidders will get the drives. Alex Rossi has done enough performance-wise in my mind to justify one of the seats.

Of course Magnussen is a very good driver. But I think he will need to bring money or sponsorship for this seat.

[Moneyseeker]

Originally Posted by steve_r

To be pedantic, the missing ingredient is a decent chassis / car. Whilst I love an underdog, this team have not yet produced the goods. With lots of their senior staff leaving it remains to be seen whether they can do the business aero / chassis-wise to get off the back row even with the best engine package.

Unless the Mercedes deal involves a Mercedes protégé getting a seat (and Toto Wolff said this is not the case), then I suspect that the highest bidders will get the drives. Alex Rossi has done enough performance-wise in my mind to justify one of the seats.

Of course Magnussen is a very good driver. But I think he will need to bring money or sponsorship for this seat.

There were rumours that Saxo Bank might be backing KM aside from his usual backers, so he might be able to get the drive. I read that Manor want £10M per seat and Mercedes were at around £3M to £4M in their offer.