The revived Marussia team is now closing in on a Formula 1 return and is aiming to race in Melbourne with an interim 2015 car. Essentially it will be the 2014 chassis with a 2015 nose and various other bits for this season, so as to meet the FIA's new technical regulations. The team now has a confirmed place on the FIA entry list for this season and has named Will Stevens as one of its two drivers.
Stevens made his debut for Caterham at last years Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, after previously being Marussia's reserve driver. Ferrari have also said that they will provide them with 2014 engines, presumably until the full 2015 car is ready, then they will get there hands on the latest engine from the Scuderia, although this deal, as Maurizio Arrivabene said last week in Barcelona, 'is not yet in writing'. The team is using the Marussia name still as it needs to use it to gain the $30 million it earned from finishing 9th in the constructors championship in 2014 and is yet to announce who its second driver is, but things are looking good for the team, who are now at the bast they used to use when they were Virgin Racing, at Dinnington in Yorkshire.
Surely this is fantastic news for the sport. After the horrific accident for Jules Bianchi in last years Japanese Grand Prix,and all the team went through after entering administration, it would be brilliant to see them back on the grid and a huge pat on the back has to go to John Booth and Graeme Lowdon, who have fought tooth and nail to save the team from extinction. I think its a good news story for Formula 1, a comeback against the odds, when at one time it looked like they would be gone for good. We will now hopefully have twenty cars on the grid in Melbourne and whilst they may not be competitive until the 2015 car is launched, it will be great to see Manor Marussia F1 on the grid in 2015, and hopefully beyond.
#ForzaJules
No comments:
Post a Comment