Former Marussia Technical Consultant and current Williams Technical Chief Pat Symonds is delighted to see Manor GP seemingly rising from the ashes of the defunct Marussia team.
The FIA confirmed Manor GP on the official entry list for the 2015 season, with the team working overtime to prepare their cars ready for the opening Grand Prix of the season in Australia next week, and Symonds believes having small teams like Manor on the grid is essential for the future of the sport.
“I’m really pleased to see that they’re going to make it to Melbourne. I think we need teams like that,” said Symonds.
“In 1981 I started in a little team called Toleman; there were 20 of us and we didn’t know much about what we were doing, but that team went on to become Benetton, which went on to become Renault, who went onto become Lotus.
“If there wasn’t a chance for small teams to compete I think it would be a real shame. I worked with those guys for a while and I have a lot of respect for what they were trying to do.
“They’re straightforward, old-fashioned racers. They want to go racing; they’re not interested in politics.
“It’s really, really difficult to compete in F1, and that just makes it better if they do succeed.”
Last year Marussia scored two points in Monaco with Jules Bianchi that secured them ninth place in the Constructors’ Championship ahead of Sauber and Caterham, but the team went into administration just after the Russian Grand Prix.
With fresh investment, the team came out of administration a few weeks ago, and confirmed Briton Will Stevens as their first driver for the new season. Ferrari also confirmed they will supply the team with 2014-spec engines.
