John Booth still wants Manor GP on F1 grid this year

[Alianora La Canta]

There is a question that always hovered around in my mind, did they know last year will be the year to bust?

Caterham, I think, knew 2014 was almost literally win or bust. I don't think Marussia ever let that sort of pessimism enter their heads until it was forced upon them. They knew they were under major financial stress but I think they always believed that if they finished 2014 and got the Bernie money, they'd be OK indefinitely. After all, if your team nearly has enough budget with no Bernie money, surviving with an extra £35 m a year (i.e. 50% more budget) is a doddle.

Unfortunately their main sponsor compounded his general cluelessness about how much a F1 team actually costs by ceasing to put in any funds at all at a crucial moment, and with both drivers' sponsors being less than consistent in their funding (Max's sponsors had a "glitch" heading into Spa and it's not clear how much got paid after that point, and obviously Ferrari cannot justify funding a seat if none of their development drivers are in it).

[F1fanaticBD]

Could not the people of Ferrari, put another driver from their stable and maintain the team? They are a team who would give important feedback in this all important race of engines, and knowing they will get a significant amount if they make it next year. Is Bernie trying to save his money, by making life difficult for this team? The fall of this company is simply extrodinary, horrible and to me unacceptable. The combo of Jules & Marussia really have a touch of fairytale, so having them not around in the grid is very difficult to fathom for me.

[Alianora La Canta]

Ferrari would have been happy to put Raffaele Marciello in as a substitute for Jules Bianchi - after all, Raffaele is being prepared for F1 and what better low-key start than at Marussia, for a team that wasn't going to trouble anyone except Caterham? The trouble was that in Sochi Marussia felt it would be disrespectful to put anyone else in the car (it's not clear they could really have afforded car #1 let alone car #2 thanks to their non-paying oligarch, but that was hardly their top concern at that moment) and after that Marussia couldn't afford to get a car in a place where Ferrari could have provided a driver. Mind you, Ferrari is still owed a fair amount for its 2014 engines, so it is more likely that the sponsorship would at least partly be in the form of forgiving debt.

Bernie's always trying to save his money, but in this case he has no choice. The Concorde Agreement says money won can't vest for 12 months (to stop manufacturers sweeping all before them and bolting with the money) and CVC doesn't allow Bernie to do "Bernie loans" on that prize money any more (how small teams used to bridge gaps like this).

Agreed with you on Jules and Marussia having been something of a fairytale. Still hoping for (at least) one more magic spell and wish for each of them.

[lkjohnson1950]

Booth says he is negotiating with an investor, could it be Haas?

http://www.worldcarfans.com/115012187606/rumour---haas-to-rescue-marussia-for-2015

[cosworth151]

The Racer mag doesn't think it's Haas. In any case, the auction is on hold.

http://www.racer.com/f1/item/112677-haas-to-use-former-marussia-factory

[Alianora La Canta]

Marussia/Manor is having a Company Voluntary Arrangement meeting on February 19th. This means that in return for a fixed monthly payment to the creditors (organised by an insolvency practitioner), the team will be able to exit administration and compete unimpeded. Admittedly, creditors representing 75% of the monies owed has to agree to the arrangement, but this is likely thanks to the way the Bernie monies are paid out (in instalments across the year, guaranteed until the end of 2016 if the team participates even in the worst-case performance scenario, likely to continue past that thanks to reducing team count and effect of doubling the team's budget on Manor's performance). Yippee! 

[F1fanaticBD]

There is still fair bit of politics involved in the matter. But I hope F1 people for a while apply their common sense.


http://en.espnf1.com/blogs/motorsport/story/190731.html

[Irisado]

Manor has today announced Will Stevens as their first driver, so they're still pressing ahead.  It seems as though they're going to run the 2014 car updated to 2015 safety rules.  I hope that they make it in time for Melbourne.

[Alianora La Canta]

I like the fact that Will has been picked by Manor. He did a good job in Abu Dhabi and was in danger of being overlooked.