RIP Manor Racing (2010-2017)

Post by **DemocalypseNow** » 30 Mar 2013, 16:09

Shizuka wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_0gS2Xx9M8 Here's some onboard footage, possibly the first this season. Bianchi at helm. I don't know, it seems to me he's being a little limited by the car.

That car looks impossible to drive. Snap oversteer everywhere. Completely unsettled in the corners. It's a miracle he can even get close to the Williamses and Toro Rossos...

Salamander · Post by **Salamander** » 30 Mar 2013, 17:28

Stramala [kostas22] wrote:
Shizuka wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_0gS2Xx9M8 Here's some onboard footage, possibly the first this season. Bianchi at helm. I don't know, it seems to me he's being a little limited by the car.

That car looks impossible to drive. Snap oversteer everywhere. Completely unsettled in the corners. It's a miracle he can even get close to the Williamses and Toro Rossos...

I was totally wrong to ever doubt him. He's something special, without question.

Post by **mario** » 30 Mar 2013, 17:52

BlindCaveSalamander wrote:
Stramala [kostas22] wrote:
Shizuka wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_0gS2Xx9M8 Here's some onboard footage, possibly the first this season. Bianchi at helm. I don't know, it seems to me he's being a little limited by the car.

That car looks impossible to drive. Snap oversteer everywhere. Completely unsettled in the corners. It's a miracle he can even get close to the Williamses and Toro Rossos...

I was totally wrong to ever doubt him. He's something special, without question.

To be fair, there were quite a few seasoned professionals who thought that Bianchi was quick but did have a few questions over his potential, given that he did have some scruffy races in GP2 and his performances weren't always entirely convincing (after all, he only narrowly beat Pic and van der Garde in the 2011 GP2 season, and the latter driver has been subjected to heavy criticism in some quarters here).
Added to that, there was the heavy pre-season testing crash he had for Force India that lead to a written off test day (and a fairly heavily damaged chassis too IIRC), so there might have been some who wondered if Bianchi was perhaps needed to polish his performance behind the wheel a bit more.

Still, I would have to say that Bianchi's efforts in that lap you've shown do highlight how he is clearly having to work very hard behind the wheel to cope with that car - especially dealing with the snap oversteer in the high speed corners (and I am fairly sure that he was getting some wheelspin in one or two high speed corners too).
No wonder the team praised Bianchi's performance in the high speed corners, where they said he was picking up a lot of time over Chilton and the other backmarkers - and I have to say that his performance so far this year does seem to be justifying Ferrari's decision to back him in the junior series. OK, to a certain extent Bianchi did at least have the benefit of plenty of testing in 2012 for Force India, so he did at least have some direct F1 experience that he could draw on, although that has probably meant that the bar was set higher for him as a result. So far, though, it looks like he has reached and exceeded expectations so far - and if he was able to beat one of the Williams or Toro Rosso drivers on raw pace in one of the upcoming races, then he could well see his standing in the paddock sharply increase (not to mention see that of the Williams or Toro Rosso drivers sink).

Incidentally, speaking of the relative performance of Bianchi against the Williams drivers, it looks like Williams are also struggling with high speed oversteer caused by problems with their current exhausts - they are actively considering downgrading to the exhaust configuration from the FW34 for the Chinese GP because of their current handling problems. I wonder if that is why Marussia were feeling more confident that Bianchi could take the fight to the Williams team in China? http://www.espn.co.uk/williams/motorspo ... 04348.html

Post by **Londoner** » 30 Mar 2013, 17:59

That car looked like it wanted to bury itself in the nearest tyre wall at any give opportunity. Bianchi is bloody good if he's battling the Williams/Toro Rosso lot whilst fighting his car all the way. :shock:

S951 · Post by **S951** » 09 Apr 2013, 16:33

http://www.gpupdate.net/en/f1-news/2927 ... t-updates/

I love how happy, cheerful and no bs the team is

David AGS · Post by **David AGS** » 10 Apr 2013, 09:50

East Londoner wrote:That car looked like it wanted to bury itself in the nearest tyre wall at any give opportunity. Bianchi is bloody good if he's battling the Williams/Toro Rosso lot whilst fighting his car all the way.

I guess it was similar to Alonso's performance in the Minardi in 2001.

According to Gustav Brunner, those performances were literally unbelievable. Shows drivers talent

AndreaModa · Post by **AndreaModa** » 12 Apr 2013, 12:09

Bam! SponsorWatch!

More good news on the sponsorship front for Marussia, RBC, one of the largest and most dynamic media companies in Russia, has joined Marussia with the logos immediately appearing on the rear wing endplates, in Cyrillic font. That's the third Russian partner signed to the team this year, so clearly the targeted efforts of the marketing team at Marussia are paying off.

Full story: http://www.marussiaf1team.com/news/807/

Shizuka · Post by **Shizuka** » 12 Apr 2013, 12:21

Clearly, they are on the way up. If Bianchi gets a point through attrition at one race (Canada?), then bigger companies might join on board.
With more Russian sponsorship, it might be possible that the Russian Grand Prix is getting into gear better than expected - more sponsorship, possibly more F1 coverage, and hopefully a big amount of tickets getting sold next year.

Post by **DemocalypseNow** » 12 Apr 2013, 12:43

Meanwhile, at Caterham...still nothing.

Marussia are surely going to wipe the floor with Caterham in years to come - that is assuming Caterham even make it past, or to the end of, 2013.

Post by **Londoner** » 12 Apr 2013, 13:42

I think I may have to join the Marussia bandwagon shortly. Caterham/Lotus/Team Malaysia started out so well, but they're going the way of Red Bull - a team once immensely likeable, but now the polar opposite of what they were.

UncreativeUsername37 · Post by **UncreativeUsername37** » 12 Apr 2013, 15:09

East Londoner wrote:I think I may have to join the Marussia bandwagon shortly. Caterham/Lotus/Team Malaysia started out so well, but they're going the way of Red Bull - a team once immensely likeable, but now the polar opposite of what they were.

Originally when the new teams came out in 2010, I liked Caterham since they had that "competent but underfunded" feel to me. Nowadays they just seem like idiots and Marussia are the team like that.

DanielPT · Post by **DanielPT** » 12 Apr 2013, 15:29

I must admit that it is a quite turn of events after the whole 'CFD-only' debacle. And a quite pleasant one too.

Post by **mario** » 12 Apr 2013, 15:51

UgncreativeUsergname wrote:
East Londoner wrote:I think I may have to join the Marussia bandwagon shortly. Caterham/Lotus/Team Malaysia started out so well, but they're going the way of Red Bull - a team once immensely likeable, but now the polar opposite of what they were.

Originally when the new teams came out in 2010, I liked Caterham since they had that "competent but underfunded" feel to me. Nowadays they just seem like idiots and Marussia are the team like that.

Especially now that Symonds has had the time to make changes and start influencing the decisions of the team - now the team have a small but steady stream of incremental updates, whilst Caterham have ended up re-using parts of the CT-01 in the CT-03 (such as the chassis) and are essentially putting all their eggs into one basket with their Barcelona package.

OK, Marussia are perhaps being flattered a touch by Bianchi, given that he is probably the quickest of the four drivers at the rear of the field, though I shall admit that, before the season started, I had a few worries about Bianchi given that he did have a reputation for being a little accident prone. Instead, he is now worrying Sauber and Williams in qualifying as he is within a few tenths of them - in retrospect, you have to wonder if Razia's disappearing sponsors might turn out to have been a real blessing in disguise, because you have to wonder if the team would look anything like as strong as they do if they'd had a Chilton-Razia line up instead.

johnnyCarwash · Post by **johnnyCarwash** » 12 Apr 2013, 16:18

mario wrote:you have to wonder if the team would look anything like as strong as they do if they'd had a Chilton-Razia line up instead.

The ChiltonCraze would be working overtime :lol:

girry · Post by **girry** » 12 Apr 2013, 18:53

Am I the only one still remaining in Caterham bandwagon? :cry:

AndreaModa · Post by **AndreaModa** » 12 Apr 2013, 19:44

giraurd wrote:Am I the only one still remaining in Caterham bandwagon?

I still want to see Caterham do well, make no mistake, but the fact that Tony "down with the fans" Fernandes is running the team makes it very hard for me to like them. When he started out it all looked legit and he seemed genuine, but as time has wore on, likewise with QPR, he's all talk and no substance.

Paul Hayes · Post by **Paul Hayes** » 12 Apr 2013, 19:57

It is amazing how well Masurria seem to be doing this season. I wouldn't be surprised if Bianchi actually nicks an actual, real-life point before the season's end.

Post by **DemocalypseNow** » 12 Apr 2013, 21:19

Even though it didn't make any sense whatsoever three months ago, Force India should have sacked Paul di Resta and had a Sutil - Bianchi lineup. Imagine how well they'd be doing just now!

Post by **mario** » 12 Apr 2013, 22:12

Stramala wrote:Even though it didn't make any sense whatsoever three months ago, Force India should have sacked Paul di Resta and had a Sutil - Bianchi lineup. Imagine how well they'd be doing just now!

On the other hand, a Bianchi-Sutil line up would have other drawbacks, such as increased political pressure on Force India from Ferrari and the probable termination of their research and development contract with McLaren (since Ferrari were pushing Force India to become a customer team, a la Sauber, for the post 2014 turbo era during their negotiations over a possible seat for Bianchi). Those downsides half make me wonder if Ferrari might have actually cost Bianchi a seat at Force India since they were so wary of cutting their current ties with McLaren and Mercedes.

Equally, to a certain extent it seems that Force India were caught out by Hulkenberg deciding to move to Sauber in late 2012 - although, so far, you have to wonder if Hulkenberg might be beginning to wish that he hadn't left the team given that the C32 seems to have balance issues compared to the VJM06 (the C32 seems to be suffering from quite a bit of rear end instability and Hulkenberg has been sounding rather dispirited in the press recently).

Hound55 · Post by **Hound55** » 13 Apr 2013, 00:24

Stramala wrote:Even though it didn't make any sense whatsoever three months ago, Force India should have sacked Paul di Resta and had a Sutil - Bianchi lineup. Imagine how well they'd be doing just now!

Di Resta has been doing a fine job on the driving front this season (don't get me wrong, he is still an ass). Sutil has outdone him, but its not an astronomical difference. As great as I think Bianchi is, he probably would be doing about as good as Sutil right now. Better than any other rookie, but still not enough to offset the potential loss of Mclaren Mercedes backing.

cbbcisace · Post by **cbbcisace** » 13 Apr 2013, 21:42

So Aethra who is one of Bianchi's sponsors was on the Force India car at the start of the season, on the barge boards. I hear they got themselves out of the deal to move to Marussia and also OIIR will be on the MR02 soon.

Onxy Wrecked · Post by **Onxy Wrecked** » 14 Apr 2013, 17:11

Paul Hayes wrote:It is amazing how well Masurria seem to be doing this season. I wouldn't be surprised if Bianchi actually nicks an actual, real-life point before the season's end.

Especially if the handling issues in the Marussia are solved.

Shizuka · Post by **Shizuka** » 17 Apr 2013, 13:53

More onboard videos!

Melbourne with Bianchi - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTvRlnSz8lM and with Chilton - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzFfNd81Quk
Shanghai with Chilton - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2NN7XMWxcE

Post by **DemocalypseNow** » 17 Apr 2013, 13:59

Based on that, this may be of some interest.

Look at how much faster Bianchi is through the medium to high speed corners than Chilton! Right now Jules is on a whole other level to his team-mate.

AndreaModa · Post by **AndreaModa** » 17 Apr 2013, 14:39

Stramala wrote:Based on that, this may be of some interest.

Look at how much faster Bianchi is through the medium to high speed corners than Chilton! Right now Jules is on a whole other level to his team-mate.

Fascinating.

Though I would say that Chilton's lap did look quite conservative there, whereas Bianchi was using a lot more of the road, and often really pushing the limit on the corner exits. Are they both their best qualifying laps?

Post by **mario** » 17 Apr 2013, 17:16

AndreaModa wrote:
Stramala wrote:Based on that, this may be of some interest.

Look at how much faster Bianchi is through the medium to high speed corners than Chilton! Right now Jules is on a whole other level to his team-mate.

Fascinating.

Though I would say that Chilton's lap did look quite conservative there, whereas Bianchi was using a lot more of the road, and often really pushing the limit on the corner exits. Are they both their best qualifying laps?

Without the timing data, it's difficult to tell the exact context of those laps - however, it would fit with the reports from Kravitz that noted that Marussia were impressed by the amount of time that Bianchi was picking up in medium to high speed corners, which those clips do suggest is indeed the case.

CoopsII · Post by **CoopsII** » 17 Apr 2013, 17:30

Never Underestimate Marussia!

GwilymJJames · Post by **GwilymJJames** » 22 Apr 2013, 08:27

Lloyds have sold their share in Marussia.

Lloyds Banking Group has sold its 25.3pc stake in the Marussia Formula One team after it made huge losses and failed to perform on the track.

The Sheffield-based team joined F1 in 2010, but has yet to score a single point. Its drivers finished 19th and 20th in Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix and its latest accounts show that in the year ending December 31 2011, it made a net loss of £46.3m on revenue which dropped 5pc to £28.6m.

The team’s current and former management hold a 7.3pc stake in the team and the majority is owned by Marussia, the Russian sports car manufacturer which it is named after.

Lloyds Development Capital (LDC), the private equity division of the bank which is 43pc owned by the Government, invested an estimated £10m in the team in 2009.

A spokesman confirmed: “LDC has sold its minority shareholding in the Marussia F1 team to Marussia. While the details will remain undisclosed, the terms of the transaction will enable LDC to recoup the full value of its investment in the business.”

In October last year, the team’s chief executive, Andy Webb, revealed that he was in “active discussions with potential new investors in the business”. However, the sale to Marussia suggests that these talks were not fruitful.

It indicates that F1’s high budgets may be putting off investors. At the end of last year, the Spanish HRT team closed its doors after a funding shortfall.

Shizuka · Post by **Shizuka** » 22 Apr 2013, 18:58

Another onboard video, this time from Gonzales in Bahrain: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLpakqGVyA8

S951 · Post by **S951** » 30 Apr 2013, 12:27

2 snippets of news that Marussia are close to an engine deal now which is good but also the not so good is the 11th team will no longer get prize money so Marussia will need to keep this impressive run of form going to beat Catherham unless they do they usual thing of updates not working

UncreativeUsername37 · Post by **UncreativeUsername37** » 30 Apr 2013, 13:12

S951 wrote:2 snippets of news that Marussia are close to an engine deal now which is good but also the not so good is the 11th team will no longer get prize money so Marussia will need to keep this impressive run of form going to beat Catherham unless they do they usual thing of updates not working

The 11th team got prize money last year?

Divina_Galica · Post by **Divina_Galica** » 30 Apr 2013, 13:23

Stramala wrote:
Shizuka wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_0gS2Xx9M8 Here's some onboard footage, possibly the first this season. Bianchi at helm. I don't know, it seems to me he's being a little limited by the car.

That car looks impossible to drive. Snap oversteer everywhere. Completely unsettled in the corners. It's a miracle he can even get close to the Williamses and Toro Rossos...

To be fair that lap of Malaysia looks like it is during one of the dry/damp/dry times so the workload on the driver is pretty standard given the variable grip - plus he misses a couple of apexes.

Obviously Bianchi is good but would he beat di Resta if they were both in Red Bulls?

DG

UncreativeUsername37 · Post by **UncreativeUsername37** » 30 Apr 2013, 14:02

Divina_Galica wrote:Obviously Bianchi is good but would he beat di Resta if they were both in Red Bulls?

Yes.

AndreaModa · Post by **AndreaModa** » 30 Apr 2013, 14:43

UgncreativeUsergname wrote:
S951 wrote:2 snippets of news that Marussia are close to an engine deal now which is good but also the not so good is the 11th team will no longer get prize money so Marussia will need to keep this impressive run of form going to beat Catherham unless they do they usual thing of updates not working

The 11th team got prize money last year?

Yeah, but it was massively less than 10th place. I think Marussia gambled on securing 10th with the plan they had for 2013, with Glock and Pic driving. Once they knew they didn't have the prize money, they had to say goodbye to Glock and bring in Razia's money. He paid a bit up front, and then of course defaulted, at which point Bianchi comes in with some minor backing, and no doubt a payment from Ferrari too I suspect, to leave Marussia in the position they're now in.

Divina_Galica · Post by **Divina_Galica** » 01 May 2013, 11:42

S951 wrote:2 snippets of news that Marussia are close to an engine deal now which is good but also the not so good is the 11th team will no longer get prize money so Marussia will need to keep this impressive run of form going to beat Catherham unless they do they usual thing of updates not working

Pat Symonds quoted on the James Allen podcast this month saying they need to sign up an engine deal in the near future, and that the Ferrari power plant is looking like the one they are going to run with in 2014 onwards

DG

Shizuka · Post by **Shizuka** » 16 Jul 2013, 07:25

Marussia switches to Ferrari units and gearboxes from 2014

Will Bianchi stay with them for next year too?

AustralianStig · Post by **AustralianStig** » 16 Jul 2013, 08:09

Just saw on Sky Sports F1's Twitter that Pat Symonds is leaving with immediate effect!

EDIT: Updated that he is joining Williams as Chief Technical Officer...should be interesting to see how that affects both teams!

Faustus · Post by **Faustus** » 16 Jul 2013, 09:17

AustralianStig wrote:Just saw on Sky Sports F1's Twitter that Pat Symonds is leaving with immediate effect!

EDIT: Updated that he is joining Williams as Chief Technical Officer...should be interesting to see how that affects both teams!

Very interesting. Williams originally tried to get Paddy Lowe but couldn't agree terms with him and the CEO Alex Burns got sacked because of it.
Mike Coughlan is out.

dinizintheoven · Post by **dinizintheoven** » 16 Jul 2013, 09:54

Williams, from here, will soon be announcing they've hired Flavio Briatore as an "image consultant" or similar, and their drivers for next year will be Tomas Enge and Johnny Cecotto Jr.

Meanwhile, I'd give a word of caution to Marussia about the use of Ferrari engines and gearboxes. Remember when Minardi had a similar deal (which, given that it was 1991, most of you won't actually remember due to not being alive at the time)? They broke the bank to get hold of those powerplants, only to find that they didn't come with an instruction manual as to how to get the best out of them, or even anything approaching that mark...

madmark1974 · Post by **madmark1974** » 16 Jul 2013, 10:04

dinizintheoven wrote:Williams, from here, will soon be announcing they've hired Flavio Briatore as an "image consultant" or similar, and their drivers for next year will be Tomas Enge and Johnny Cecotto Jr.

Meanwhile, I'd give a word of caution to Marussia about the use of Ferrari engines and gearboxes. Remember when Minardi had a similar deal (which, given that it was 1991, most of you won't actually remember due to not being alive at the time)? They broke the bank to get hold of those powerplants, only to find that they didn't come with an instruction manual as to how to get the best out of them, or even anything approaching that mark...

Given Ferrari's performance themselves in 1991, I don't think an instruction manual ever existed ... or someone flushed it down the toilet or something ...