The Manor-Marussia Saga

  • Thread starter Thread starter TenEightyOne
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Luca Di Costanza joined Marussia this year to “contribute to defining Marussias’s development strategy” (SIC), he quitted the outfit this summer.
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Christian Horner is calling for the V6s to be abandoned and the V8s returned, claiming that the cost of development is what is driving smaller teams to financial doom.

Ignoring for the moment the way that this is completely impractical - the engine manufacturers have sunk hundreds of millions of dollars into their development and you don't just write that off - it speaks to an alarming attitude from the top teams, one that I feel has been the most destructive force in this situation: the way the top teams present what is good for them as being in the best interests of the sport. Reintroducing V8s might cut costs, but in doing so, Red Bull stand to make up a massive amount of ground to Mercedes. And as I pointed out, it's not a practical solution, but Horner nevertheless sticks to it because it's good for Red Bull.
 
He also claimed Red Bull can not afford to run a third car so you'd better grab the saltcellar. Maybe he thinks he can start a negotiation from there and agree on a middle-term consisting in an V6 engine-unfreeze...
 
Marussia are hopeful they can be taken over and driving next year.

Caterham are half way to their crowd funded target.

I'm a little confused about how they think these plans are gonna work long term, and how they can't see it'll probably just be a delay for their death.
 
legacyMACHINE
I'm a little confused about how they think these plans are gonna work long term, and how they can't see it'll probably just be a delay for their death.
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I'm confused as to who is giving money to Caterham to turn up to one race and run around at the back. Seems to me that people would get better value setting their cash on fire, at least then you get some heat and a bit of a spectacle.
 
legacyMACHINE
Marussia are hopeful they can be taken over and driving next year.

Caterham are half way to their crowd funded target.

I'm a little confused about how they think these plans are gonna work long term, and how they can't see it'll probably just be a delay for their death.
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Marussia are in delusional F1 la La land if they think they can be bought!

They are £100,000,000 in debt not counting the last tax year.

They have no value at all for anyone to take over. Anyone who wanted to get into F1 only has to buy the 13th franchise spot from the FIA. Why would you buy Marussia and have to pay off the debts as well?
 
It really depends on what you consider valuable. A “baroud d’honneur” ( can’t find an adequate translation but it refers to a last symbolic shot in a desperate fight) could be appreciated by some. It could also theoretically (or contractually) secure a 2015 entry which wouldn’t drop the car count up until the season opener. No wonder Bernie doesn’t like it. But I agree given their standings and circumstances Marussia would be a way better candidate for that.
 
prisonermonkeys
Sing it if you know it!

Powell, Powell, Powell makes a powerful car!

http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2014/11/12/powell-ready-massive-step-handed-f1-debut-caterham/

Sky are taking a more balanced view, pointing of that, at the moment, it's just an FP1 deal:

http://m.skysports.com/article/formula1//9561388
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I freind of Mine who races in the F3 Cup in UK races with her all the time and he says she is talentless hack that can't even beat his 12 year old Reynard with her Brand new Dallara F3.

Also a vid:

When Carlin brought Sainz Jnr and Da Costa in 2013 to do a round of F3 cup so they could qualify for Macau, they where both about 3 seconds faster then the field despite using comparable machinery to Powell, but obviously better Team setting up the car.
 
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mustafur
I freind of Mine who races in the F3 Cup in UK races with her all the time and he says she is talentless hack that can't even beat his 12 year old Reynard with her Brand new Dallara F3.
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Which Reynard competes in F3 nowadays?

Remains to be seen if she gets the drive or how she does... but I agree that she doesn't look that fast from the little I could find about her. I knew the name "A Powell" very dimly but otherwise hadn't heard of her until the "story" (actually a bit of advertising too) broke. :)
 
Must of been a dallara then, its the driver that crashed with her in the video tristan cliffe, what ever it is its a 12 year old F3 Chassis running a Mugen engine that should be atleast 2 seconds slower then Powels.
 
Liquid
Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy you a seat in F1.
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And the way to leave F1 with a small fortune is to start with a large one.

mustafur
Must of been a dallara then, its the driver that crashed with her in the video tristan cliffe, what ever it is its a 12 year old F3 Chassis running a Mugen engine that should be atleast 2 seconds slower then Powels.
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Must have, @mustafur :)

He put that on pole six times during the season... with the performance deficit you suggest either the car's not as bad as you think or he's very very good.

I notice Powell qualifies very well too, often less than a second off Cliffe's pole time. I don't know Cliffe and clearly you do so I can't speak for his experience of racing against Powell but I know the times don't fully support either Cliffe's aging car's dodginess or Powell's lack of pace.

EDIT: The times I was talking about were in 2013, my apologies for implying otherwise, I know nowt about F3 :)

Here's Powell in 3rd, 0.9 off Cliffe's pole. Louis Hamilton-Smith separated them. What a name, they should sign him with Felipe Nasr and blow everyone's minds.
 
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Lets just say everyone apart from her was running similar equipment to Tristan.

For Him its just a Hobby he does on the weekend and he is a full time engineer.

Most people in the F3 Cup are just Gentlemen drivers and you will get the odd professionals doing a round so they can Qualify for Macau.

Also: http://www.f3cup.co.uk/news-archive/2013/snetterton-qualifying.aspx

Yes Tristan Outqualified Ocon lol.
 
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I'm beginning to wonder if Caterham had planned for this event when Lotterer raced for free at Belgium.. As if it would give them a bit of a boost for making to the end of the season.

The only issue with that is, was their driver (not sure who he replaced that weekend) still paid or not?
 
Swagger897
The only issue with that is, was their driver (not sure who he replaced that weekend) still paid or not?
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He replaced Kobayashi, and I believe Kobayashi was actually driving for free this year, but I'm not completely sure about that.
 
hm... well that makes it all the more interesting as to how far in advance Caterham was expecting this.
 
Something tells me this is all about finishing the season so the owners can take the Prize money Marussia will no longer receive and run.
 
mustafur
Something tells me this is all about finishing the season so the owners can take the Prize money Marussia will no longer receive and run.
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It's something the ex-staff have asked for. In the UK this will free up their redundancy payments, pretty vital for them.
 
Since Marussia is finished, doesn't that technically mean that they are no longer in administration? Just thought leaving that in the thread title is abit misleading.
 
RACECAR
Since Marussia is finished, doesn't that technically mean that they are no longer in administration? Just thought leaving that in the thread title is abit misleading.
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No, they're still in administration and they're not yet out of F1.
 
TenEightyOne
No, they're still in administration and they're not yet out of F1.
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That's strange. How can they still be in F1 if they are no longer operating? I guess it works differently in F1 then it would anywhere else?
 
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