Will Stevens has secured the first seat for the Manor F1 Team as they continue to strive to race in 2015.
The announcement comes as they continue to build a 2015 specification car, although they are expected to race a modified 2014 Marussia for the initial stages of the season. Ferrari have already confirmed they will supply the team with engines, albeit to 2014 specification, while the team also came out of administration in the past few weeks.
Stevens, who made his Formula 1 debut driving a Caterham in the season finale of the 2014 season in Abu Dhabi, finished sixth in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series last year with Strakka Racing, winning twice, and now makes a full-time step up into F1 with the team he joined as a test driver during the middle of 2014.
The twenty-three-year-old Briton has been watching the team at Manor working overtime to prepare themselves for the upcoming season, and is delighted to have signed to race for the outfit. He is expecting the team to be ready to race in the first race of the season in Melbourne.
“It’s very exciting to see everything coming together at Manor after the tremendous effort that has gone into saving the team,” insisted Stevens.
“It would not have been possible without the incredible support we have received from all the suppliers and from within the sport, but most of all the fantastic team of people at Manor who are working around the clock to ensure we are ready for Melbourne.
“My thanks to the team for their confidence in me and I can’t wait to see all the hard work rewarded when we line up on the grid in two weeks’ time.”
