The Manor F1 Team has confirmed it will race in the season opening Australian Grand Prix, and have revealed further details about their new investors.
Following investment from Stephen Fitzpatrick, it has been announced that Graeme Lowdon will be Manor’s President and Sporting Director, while former Sainsbury’s CEO Justin King will become the team’s Interim Chairman. King’s son Jordan will race in this season’s GP2 Series with Racing Engineering.
“We’ve all worked incredibly hard to get the car ready for Melbourne and the season ahead,” said Fitzpatrick. “Our fans have given the team amazing support for many years and we want to restore Manor to the very best of racing in the future.
“I have a lifelong passion for Formula One and can’t wait for the season ahead, with Manor and the team.”
The team have confirmed they have been preparing cars to race in Melbourne, with the announcement of Will Stevens’ team-mate set to come soon. The car that will race in Australia will comply with the 2015 regulations, with a brand new car being introduced later in the season.
“I want to thank all of the teams, the FIA, Formula One Management, our suppliers and staff and of course all of the fans for the support we’ve received over the past six months,” said Lowdon.
“It has been a challenging period for all of us but we’ve come through it and now we just want to go racing again. With formidable new business leadership in Stephen Fitzpatrick and the board presence of Justin King we are now in a great place ahead of the new season.
“This is a fantastic and very rewarding moment for all those involved with the team.”
King believes that the Manor F1 Team can be competitive, especially with Lowdon and Team Principal John Booth as part of the team.
“It’s a real pleasure for me to be involved in Manor,” insisted King. “I know from the years I spent at Sainsbury’s that with the right people, the right values, and sheer hard work, you can turn any business around.
“In Graeme and Team Principal John Booth we have all three and I’m fully confident that we can help Manor be competitive at the highest level of racing.”
