Posted on 14th February 2015
Yesterday it was announced that Manor’s hopes of making it onto the 2015 Formula 1 grid have been boosted by the FIA making clear it will keep the entry list open as long as possible.
The former Marussia team’s plan to race in Melbourne next month appeared to suffer a setback last week when Force India voted against the proposal that would have allowed teams to run a modified 2014 car for the start of the season.
But although that decision has made Manor’s job more difficult, it has not put it off totally. Over the past week, the team is still hoping it can get a 2015-specification car ready in time for one of the early flyaway races.
But Manor’s hopes of rejoining the grid require the FIA to confirm its entry when the final list for the 2015 F1 championship is published. The team has already paid its entry fee, but its position was subject to confirmation in the provisional list that was published in December.
Final entry lists are normally published well ahead of the season, but the FIA has not yet finalised the current one yet and is holding back until it knows what Manor is doing.
It has been rumoured in the paddock that since the strategy group vote, the FIA has been in discussions with Manor regarding how best to proceed as it seeks assurances that losing the hoped-for 2014 car concession has not destroyed its hopes of a return.
It is understood that Manor has told the FIA it can get an interim 2015 car ready for the early stages of the campaign and maybe even for the first race of the season in Australia. But in order to secure valuable commercial rights income, the team needs to be racing by the Bahrain Grand Prix on April 19 at the latest.
There are ongoing discussions between the team and governing body are continuing to ensure that Manor has the technical and financial infrastructure needed to compete permanently. Those talks between the two parties are set to run into next week and once the FIA is satisfied with the Manor situation it will confirm its entry.
But even though things still need to be sorted out using the correct and proper channels legally, the fact that there is the smallest chance of them returning is great to see, but I am realistic that it will take a lot of hard work, investment and negotiations for them to take up their grid position this season.
But it is clear that Manor behind the scenes are doing everything that they possibly can to get themselves in a position to take up their entry slot this season and with the team planning currently to come out of administration on February 19 as part of the push to get back on the F1 grid, I really do hope for their sake and also for the sport overall that is the case.
It is another small step forward that could allow them to return to the grid this season where they should be, racing among their rivals and most importantly it is where they belong too and where every fan of the sport currently would like them to be too.
