Manor GP could well be called Virgin F1

The Formula One newcomer, Manor GP, will team up with Virgin after reaching a sponsorship agreement with Sir Richard Branson’s financial empire. The deal is expected to be announced on November 4, three days after the last race of the season in Abu Dhabi, when Virgin’s involvement with the title-contending team, Brawn GP, will have ended.

The partnership between Manor GP and Virgin, which could see the team racing under the name Virgin F1, will inject significant funds into the team. Moreover, it is understood that the team will remain based in Dinnington, near Sheffield, as manufacturing work has begun there. The design and development of the car have been entrusted to Wirth, who has his own facility in Bicester. The Dinnington facilities currently host around thirty technicians with good F1 experience. Only the names of Ben Agathangelou and Christian Silk have been mentioned, but this has not been confirmed by the team.

John Booth, the man who started the Manor venture from his own garage in 1990 and turned it into one of the leading teams in the Formula 3 championship, was ready to break into the expensive industry of Formula One when the federation proposed a budget cap. Since the announcement of their entry into F1, John Booth and his team have been working tirelessly and against the clock to meet this challenge and secure funding. Richard Branson, for his part, has been omnipresent at the Grand Prix this year. He is keen to remain involved in Formula One and had stated this summer that he wanted to support a smaller team. Rumors also indicate that Alex Tai, vice-president of Virgin, will take on a significant role in the Manor/Virgin team.

John Booth, for his part, stated that the team is, overall, ahead of the initial plan. The car is progressing well and everything is moving forward, announced John Booth. The design of the single-seater is already well advanced at Wirth’s factory in Bicester, and work has also begun at the team’s factory in Dinnington, 160 kilometers further north. Enough to allay any fears from Virgin or the FIA.

The drivers considered for Manor GP are the former Super Aguri driver turned BBC consultant, Anthony Davidson, the ex-Red Bull driver, Christian Klien, and Adam Carroll, the current A1GP champion. All are in discussions with the team, and it seems that Adam Carroll and Anthony Davidson are leading the race, but nothing has been decided yet: “There are many talented drivers available,” concluded John Booth.