RIP Manor Racing (2010-2017)

[Waris]

Manor Racing enter administration and are on brink of collapse

Damn it, so close and yet so far...

But note:

Manor Grand Prix Racing, which owns the rights to the team's participation in F1, is not in administration.

That is a glimmer of hope, I think.

[yannicksamlad]

But note:

Manor Grand Prix Racing, which owns the rights to the team's participation in F1, is not in administration.

That is a glimmer of hope, I think.

So the race team and equipment are in administration..hoping someone will buy them. Meanwhile the entry rights are held by another company...so if you own the intellectual property to your F1 car and buy the company with the entry rights, you can join F1. Meanwhile the race team and assets are sold off to pay creditors of that separate company..if no-one comes along and buys it.
Does anyone out there want to do a Haas, get Dallara to help, produce a car and buy the entry ( and then ask to change the name) ? Easier to buy the race team and the entry rights, surely. But time is against you , and that's the problem . As people already noted , there are crash tests to meet...etc.
Of course if you were interested in buying, you'd leave it late so you'd get it cheaper from the receiver ( which is another reason the entry is in a different company so the owner can still try to extract a higher price for the entry)
Fingers crossed

[AdrianBelmonte_]

Does anyone out there want to do a Haas, get Dallara to help, produce a car and buy the entry ( and then ask to change the name) ? Easier to buy the race team and the entry rights, surely. But time is against you , and that's the problem . As people already noted , there are crash tests to meet...etc.
Of course if you were interested in buying, you'd leave it late so you'd get it cheaper from the receiver ( which is another reason the entry is in a different company so the owner can still try to extract a higher price for the entry)

But only with Louis Deletraz and Roy Nissany as drivers

[Waris]

Autosport reports there's only a week left. Ouch, it's tight. And they have the car ready to go into production...

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/127722/one-week-left-for-manor-f1-to-be-saved

Despite the financial situation, the 2017 car is ready to go into production at the team's Banbury headquarters.

However, due to being in administration, production of the parts cannot start as the administrators have blocked all extra expenditure in order to protect the creditors.

Manor is believed to be in a situation where it could still be ready for Melbourne, but it needs to find an investor before the end of next week.

A source close to the situation indicated that the deadline to find a solution is January 20. After that, the fate of the team will be sealed.

[Nuppiz]

Unfortunately, I think this team has run out of miracles and seriously doubt that there will be another investor popping up. Still, seven seasons and three points are somewhat respectable for a team that originally entered under the promise of something that never happened (budget cap).

[mario]

Unfortunately, I think this team has run out of miracles and seriously doubt that there will be another investor popping up. Still, seven seasons and three points are somewhat respectable for a team that originally entered under the promise of something that never happened (budget cap).

The only slight glimmer of hope that Manor might have is the fact that, according to the BBC, they have had a slight stay of execution, since the administrators have found enough funding for the team to continue operating until the end of January. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/38603355

It does give the team slightly more time at least, though it does feel like it is just putting off the inevitable.

[watka]

Unfortunately, I think this team has run out of miracles and seriously doubt that there will be another investor popping up. Still, seven seasons and three points are somewhat respectable for a team that originally entered under the promise of something that never happened (budget cap).

I think most would classify Virgin, Marussia and Manor as separate teams for the purposes of this site (although Manor had a hand in all of them), but if not they are easily the longest surviving reject team we've ever had.

[andrew]

So Felipe Nasr has stuffed his f1 career by scoring points

[Rob Dylan]

I mentioned a few days ago that Felipe Nasr should win honourary Reject of the Year for scoring points, which led to Manor's administration.

[yannicksamlad]

motorsport.com reporting that there is an offer to buy the team ( all the companies) ...there seems to be hope!

[mario]

motorsport.com reporting that there is an offer to buy the team ( all the companies) ...there seems to be hope!

We can hope that the offer is accepted, though it seems that there is not much time if the bidder is demanding an answer by Friday and, at this stage, it is still pretty unclear as to whom the possible investors may actually be.

[Fetzie]

motorsport.com reporting that there is an offer to buy the team ( all the companies) ...there seems to be hope!

I'm not holding my breath, there have been at least two deals that got very close to closing that fell through this winter.

[Waris]

Spanish journalst Albert Fàbrega now reports that there is a "principle accord" with an investor: https://twitter.com/AlbertFabrega/status/822422354030632960

According to the Indonesian Motorsport.comit's GC Gapital (isn't that Sean Gelael's dad? Again? Does that mean Ron Dennis is no longer involved then?).

Unfortunately it's not on Autosport or the English-language Motorsport.com as of right now, so it doesn't seem very firm. And I'm not sure exactly what a "principle accord" means, but it doesn't sound like a definite buyout. But he says the final contract will be signed next week, so I'm holding my fingers crossed like crazy, and I imagine you all are.

Edited to add: You'd think if they are saved they absolutely have to sign Nasr, don't they? But according to most rumors, it seems like it will probably be Gutiérrez/Haryanto, unfortunately.

[mario]

Spanish journalst Albert Fàbrega now reports that there is a "principle accord" with an investor: https://twitter.com/AlbertFabrega/status/822422354030632960

According to the Indonesian Motorsport.comit's GC Gapital (isn't that Sean Gelael's dad? Again? Does that mean Ron Dennis is no longer involved then?).

Unfortunately it's not on Autosport or the English-language Motorsport.com as of right now, so it doesn't seem very firm. And I'm not sure exactly what a "principle accord" means, but it doesn't sound like a definite buyout. But he says the final contract will be signed next week, so I'm holding my fingers crossed like crazy, and I imagine you all are.

Edited to add: You'd think if they are saved they absolutely have to sign Nasr, don't they? But according to most rumors, it seems like it will probably be Gutiérrez/Haryanto, unfortunately.

I'm not entirely certain, but I think that the accord would be an agreement that the purchase of the team would not come with certain obligations on the part of the buyer relating to some of the debts that the team has accumulated. That would suggest that the deal would be dependent on some sort of debt restructuring that saw some of the debts of the team being written off - that might be a bit of a bitter pill to swallow for some suppliers who may have already been burnt once in the previous administration proceedings.

With regards to the buyers, there is still no clarity as to who exactly they are - Ricardo Galael's name has been mentioned a few times, but he seems to have entered the fray more recently (i.e. the suggestion is that the administrators have been talking with an as yet unnamed bidder up to now).

[Aislabie]

Sean Gelael's dad? Again?

Ricardo Galael's name has been mentioned a few times

[Waris]

Wait, it looks like I was confused. Ricardo Gelael is the KFC Indonesia guy. GC Capital doesn't have anything to do with him, it appears to be a private investment firm from San Francisco. Interesting... Might they want an American driver in the team?
Also that makes me wonder if Ron Dennis is somehow still involved. I hope so, although it means the livery will be boring.

I hope there will be some good news in the coming week...!

[DemocalypseNow]

Wait, it looks like I was confused. Ricardo Gelael is the KFC Indonesia guy. GC Capital doesn't have anything to do with him, it appears to be a private investment firm from San Francisco. Interesting... Might they want an American driver in the team?

That's the wrong company entirely.

The company involved is Capital GF. They will not be the purchasing client interested in Manor, but rather an advisory company assisting with a potential acquisition of the team, on behalf of whomever their client may be. Given the firm's connections mostly to Asian investors, the Gelaels may well be the potential buyer in question.

[madmark1974]

It's over ...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/38772098

[IceG]

Yup

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.ph ... buyer-fail

[golic_2004]

http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/manor ... nd-868976/

[This Could Be You]

It's somewhat ironic that as soon as the last of the reduced budget "new teams" of 2010 meets its demise, F1 starts talking about introducing the cost cap they were originally intended for. Unbelievable...

[rachel1990]

And it ends. RIP Manor/Virgin/Marussia. Thanks for Chiltonmania, the 2014 Monaco gp and for the engines that weren't big enough in Bahrain 2010.

[DemocalypseNow]

F1 2017 is now pointless. Without Manor, we have no reject representation.

[Bobby Doorknobs]

F1 2017 is now pointless. Without Manor, we have no reject representation.

Haas are still a reject team...

Not the same though, is it?

[DanielPT]

RIP Manor. Thanks for all the joys you gave us.

[Rob Dylan]

It was too much to hope that they'd survive a second near-death situation. But I can only congratulate them for lasting this long under the context of modern Formula 1. Kudos to everyone who contributed to seven seasons of Formula 1 participation, and I hope those now without jobs at the end of January find other places to work soon.

Alex Rossi drove for them in 2014 and 2015 on various occasions, and went on to win the Indy 500; Jules Bianchi is remembered as being one of the greatest backmarker drivers in recent years, whose points at Monaco were one of the most feelgood moments I've ever seen in the years I've watched this sport; Timo Glock was achingly close to getting in the points at Singapore 2012, and that was when the team were highly underrated in comparison to their green backmarker rivals Lotus/Caterham. And after all this, Virgin/Marussia/Manor survived beyond their peers, scored more points, and were just generally more respected and liked as the years went on.

It'll be sad to see them go.

[pasta_maldonado]

They lasted more than twice the amount of time as HRT, but it's sad to see them go

This will be the first reject team-less season since 2009

[Ataxia]

Very sad news. I knew a couple of people who worked there, so it's an uncertain time for them and their families.

I've written a small piece here reflecting on their time in F1; Manor were the modern equivalent of the teams that this site has celebrated in the past, and it only seems fair to give them a bit of a send-off.

[Yannick]

With Manor closing its doors, all of the 3 "new teams" which were invited to join F1 based on a proposed budget limit for all teams that never came to be, have now shut down. The first to go into administration was HRT/Hispania, the former team of Adrian Campos. And not so long ago, Caterham/Lotus Racing, formerly of Tony Fernandez, also went into administration, though they showed up for one final race at the Abu Dhabi GP with adminstrator Finbarr O'Connell serving as their team boss.

Formerly John Booth's and Graeme Lowden's team, Virgin/Marussia/Manor was sold to another organisation when the team went insolvent at around the same time that Caterham went under. Booth and Lowden have since revived the team's name in sportscars, so all is not lost for the fans of this outfit.

Of the other teams who applied on the same invitation by the FIA to join F1, Ken Anderson's and Peter Windsor's USF1/USGPE didn't make it past producing a nosecone, in spite of having been allowed into the series.
Lola Cars, Ltd. weren't permitted to join F1 and later, applied as a chassis supplier to IndyCar. Not long after that contract went to Dallara, Lola ceased to exist.

Dave Richards' ProDrive organisation and N Technology (formerly known in DTM circles as Alfa Corse) probably still exist (or don't they? I have no idea). So not joining F1 was maybe a good idea in the end.

I'm looking forward to Jamie & Enoch's take on this matter in their next podcast (if they still make those).

[dinizintheoven]

So, Sauber have "triumphed", in a way. And on this Remembrance Sunday, I'd like you all to take a minute's silence for the imminent death of the team we knew as Manor, then Virgin, then Marussia, then back to Manor again. Even if by some fluke they do manage to struggle on into 2017, the loss of the FIA's small-but-significant cash bonus for 10th place in this year's Constructors' Championship will send them spiralling back to the level they were at last year, cast far adrift at the back of the field and utterly unable to compete on any level. Either way, their fate is now sealed.

At the going down of the sun, during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, we will remember them.

I said this on 9th November 2016, and the accuracy of my prediction doesn't make it any easier to take.

[Barbazza]

This is all very sad if not terribly surprising. Cancelled Sky Sports a couple of weeks ago, I might just about bother to watch the races on C4 but now this has happened I might not even do that to be honest.

[dr-baker]

Sad to see the demise of the team, but they lasted longer than I had ever anticipated, and had more points finishes than I thought possible. They survived for many more seasons than Super Aguri or Simtek or Pacific or Forti or MasterCard Lola or Spyker or Midland or Caterham/Lotus/Fondmetal Team Malaysia etc. And they survived for almost as long as Toyota! RIP Virgin Manor.

[Waris]

That's very sad news for all of us here at Rejects. They were a bit like the new Minardi for me; perennial backmarkers, but always trying hard, and it looked as though in 2017 they might have actually had a solid midfield car. Shame. But let's not forget they already rose like a phoenix once before, they worked hard despite all the difficulties with their never-say-die attitude. Which is what F1 rejects fans admire, I imagine.
That BBC article does mention that someone could still buy the assets and race the team, and the company that holds the rights to race in F1 still exists. So I have a little bit of hope still, but I don't expect it to happen and I'm pretty sure that even if it would happen there would be no time anymore to build the 2017 car.

So that means 10 teams, 20 cars for the first time since 2009 (apart from those three two races in 2014 when there were 18-20 cars). Here's hoping F1's new owners will create circumstances making it more attractive for new teams to enter the sport. Hopefully we won't have to wait until 2020.

Unless a last-minute miracle happens, F1 will be more boring for me next year, that's for sure.

Edit: Look at this. The car was ready to go into production, looks like a neat car. Just like their 2015 model that never saw the light of day: http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2017/01/27/manor-employees-reveal-never-raced-2017-car/

[watka]

Manor started off as a team who built a car without a big enough fuel tank and developed into a very well run little team that unlike their compadres actually gave their drivers a chance to turn in good performances and get noticed. They are very unfortunate not to be on the grid this year as they had the measure of Sauber (not for the first time) for most of the season and with a bit more cash could really have pushed forward.

Will definitely miss them. HRT were short-lived and likeable only really as no-hopers, Lotus/Caterham I never really connected with but Manor I really liked as a plucky underdog that sometimes had their day.

[pasta_maldonado]

That's very sad news for all of us here at Rejects. They were a bit like the new Minardi for me; perennial backmarkers, but always trying hard, and it looked as though in 2017 they might have actually had a solid midfield car. Shame. But let's not forget they already rose like a phoenix once before, they worked hard despite all the difficulties with their never-say-die attitude. Which is what F1 rejects fans admire, I imagine.
That BBC article does mention that someone could still buy the assets and race the team, and the company that holds the rights to race in F1 still exists. So I have a little bit of hope still, but I don't expect it to happen and I'm pretty sure that even if it would happen there would be no time anymore to build the 2017 car.

So that means 10 teams, 20 cars for the first time since 2009 (apart from those three two races in 2014 when there were 18-20 cars). Here's hoping F1's new owners will create circumstances making it more attractive for new teams to enter the sport. Hopefully we won't have to wait until 2020.

Unless a last-minute miracle happens, F1 will be more boring for me next year, that's for sure.

Edit: Look at this. The car was ready to go into production, looks like a neat car. Just like their 2015 model that never saw the light of day: http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2017/01/27/manor-employees-reveal-never-raced-2017-car/

I am surprised no one is interested in the team, given this is the best (and probably cheapest) opportunity to get into Formula One in the last few years. I haven't read anything regarding full-size chassis components being produced, but a potential purchaser has almost everything he needs to go racing.

[DemocalypseNow]

N Technology (formerly known in DTM circles as Alfa Corse) probably still exist (or don't they? I have no idea).

Doesn't appear so. They went into liquidation shortly after, rebounded with a Porsche Panamera S (raced in the Italian Superstars series by Fabrizio Giovanardi ), but they wound their Superstars presence down in 2012 and haven't been heard from anywhere since.

[Spectoremg]

That's very sad news for all of us here at Rejects. They were a bit like the new Minardi for me; perennial backmarkers, but always trying hard, and it looked as though in 2017 they might have actually had a solid midfield car. Shame. But let's not forget they already rose like a phoenix once before, they worked hard despite all the difficulties with their never-say-die attitude. Which is what F1 rejects fans admire, I imagine.
That BBC article does mention that someone could still buy the assets and race the team, and the company that holds the rights to race in F1 still exists. So I have a little bit of hope still, but I don't expect it to happen and I'm pretty sure that even if it would happen there would be no time anymore to build the 2017 car.

So that means 10 teams, 20 cars for the first time since 2009 (apart from those three two races in 2014 when there were 18-20 cars). Here's hoping F1's new owners will create circumstances making it more attractive for new teams to enter the sport. Hopefully we won't have to wait until 2020.

Unless a last-minute miracle happens, F1 will be more boring for me next year, that's for sure.

Edit: Look at this. The car was ready to go into production, looks like a neat car. Just like their 2015 model that never saw the light of day: http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2017/01/27/manor-employees-reveal-never-raced-2017-car/

I am surprised no one is interested in the team, given this is the best (and probably cheapest) opportunity to get into Formula One in the last few years. I haven't read anything regarding full-size chassis components being produced, but a potential purchaser has almost everything he needs to go racing.

I've been dismayed over the years that for relatively little cash (in corporate terms) a big brand could go racing but none choose to.

[CaptainGetz12]

The question now is if any team will purchase the remnants of the team? I assume they had a car ready or near ready, and going by last year's car showing much promise (especially on low-downforce circuits) it may be something for Sauber or Renault to look into.

But it's sad to see them go again. Here's to Haas's successes encouraging more teams to join the sport in the near future.

[Ataxia]

I've been dismayed over the years that for relatively little cash (in corporate terms) a big brand could go racing but none choose to.

Perhaps they just believe it's an unnecessary expense. Companies only get involved in F1 if they can get something out of it; sponsorship has long ceased to be just an exercise in brand awareness, and instead seek activation from the team they're affiliated with (and vice versa). For example, GlaxoSmithKline's partnership with McLaren doesn't just work from a standpoint of advertising Sensodyne toothpaste; there's a case study here which describes how McLaren Applied Technologies helped to streamline GSK's factory processes, and in return GSK have assisted McLaren in the field of nutrition and welfare to ensure that their drivers are in peak physical condition.

If a big conglomerate were to go it alone, what would they gain? Let's think of the big companies, the multi-billion dollar firms.
- Google are in the field of driverless cars, and so F1's image wouldn't be something that they'd consider suitable.
- Microsoft are currently tied up with Renault, and value the partnership with an existing team to improve their data analytics and programming efficiency more than setting up their own team.
- Big car companies still live on the adage of "win on Sunday, sell on Monday". Clearly, other (cheaper) categories work for this ethos just as well.
- Fast food chains such as McDonalds or Burger King don't really integrate well with a sport known to trim away all excesses.
- The larger product manufacturers haven't determined a need to be involved in F1, and although they could just throw money at a team, what would be the point? The likes of Coca-Cola or Nestle don't need brand exposure.

The likes of Haas are involved because they recognise the need to expand the impact of the business into Europe, where Haas Automation isn't such a big player in the CNC machine market. Whether any more businesses with similar intent exist, I don't know.

[CaptainGetz12]

I've been dismayed over the years that for relatively little cash (in corporate terms) a big brand could go racing but none choose to.

Perhaps they just believe it's an unnecessary expense. Companies only get involved in F1 if they can get something out of it; sponsorship has long ceased to be just an exercise in brand awareness, and instead seek activation from the team they're affiliated with (and vice versa). For example, GlaxoSmithKline's partnership with McLaren doesn't just work from a standpoint of advertising Sensodyne toothpaste; there's a case study here which describes how McLaren Applied Technologies helped to streamline GSK's factory processes, and in return GSK have assisted McLaren in the field of nutrition and welfare to ensure that their drivers are in peak physical condition.

If a big conglomerate were to go it alone, what would they gain? Let's think of the big companies, the multi-billion dollar firms.
- Google are in the field of driverless cars, and so F1's image wouldn't be something that they'd consider suitable.
- Microsoft are currently tied up with Renault, and value the partnership with an existing team to improve their data analytics and programming efficiency more than setting up their own team.
- Big car companies still live on the adage of "win on Sunday, sell on Monday". Clearly, other (cheaper) categories work for this ethos just as well.
- Fast food chains such as McDonalds or Burger King don't really integrate well with a sport known to trim away all excesses.
- The larger product manufacturers haven't determined a need to be involved in F1, and although they could just throw money at a team, what would be the point? The likes of Coca-Cola or Nestle don't need brand exposure.

The likes of Haas are involved because they recognize the need to expand the impact of the business into Europe, where Haas Automation isn't such a big player in the CNC machine market. Whether any more businesses with similar intent exist, I don't know.

If Manufacturers don't have much to gain in such a high-cost sport, then why are Ferrari and Mercedes involved? They clearly have a ton of influence with both teams an engines. My guess would be to help develop technologies for road cars and other racing series (as Ferrari has done since the 1980s at the earliest).

And perhaps cost-cutting may encourage more companies to at least look in interest? It could attract more sponsors at each event, but it still eludes a solution to get more teams to the grid. In that respect, perhaps 3-car teams are the best option forward to having bigger grids.