Arguably the most unexpected inclusion on the 2010
Formula 1 World Championship entry list – Manor Grand Prix – has vowed to 'surprise a few people' in bringing honest 'Yorkshire values' to the top flight when it makes its debut next season.
Along with USF1 and Campos Grand Prix, Manor was announced as one of just three successful applicants for a slot on the starting grid next year – and following sustained success in both British and European Formula 3 and the junior single-seater formulae over the past two decades, yielding no fewer than 19 major titles along the way, hopes are high that it will far from embarrass itself at the highest level.
Amongst the drivers to have plied their early trade with Manor are the last two F1 World Champions,
Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Raikkonen, as well as
DTM race-winner Paul di Resta and
GP2 Series front-runner
Lucas di Grassi – and the design of the Sheffield-based outfit's new grand prix car, team principal John Booth has revealed, is already almost complete.
“Manor Grand Prix will run to Yorkshire values,” the former single-seater champion is quoted as having said by the
Daily Mirror, “as cleanly and efficiently as possible.
“I'd expect it to be a good car straight out-of-the-box. I don't expect to win races immediately – but I do expect to surprise a few people.”
