The all-new Manor Racing MRT05 breaks
cover Monday morning at the Circuit de Barcelona in southern Spain. John
McQuilliam (Technical Director) and Dave Ryan (Racing Director) give us
the heads-up.
- Absolutely. Even at this early stage
of the game, we can easily say this is the best car we’ve ever launched.
Certainly the most developed, the most ambitious and the most
aggressive. The overall package is a very significant step forward, not
just from last year, but from any of the cars from our stable. So yes,
we have a long way to go from here in terms of developing the MRT05, but
it’s already a dream package for the 154 Manor Racing people who’ve
worked so hard to design and build it. In a small team like ours, every
single individual has played their part.
What’s so special?
- Well, for starters, it’s all new. As
it should be of course, but we had to ‘make do’ last year and that’s not
what we’re here for. We build fast race cars for a living and it’s
great to get back to doing what we love. We’re also pretty good at it,
when we have the right tools for the job. So that in itself is quite
special. Better still, the MRT05 is a contender. We really believe that.
The design team have focused almost exclusively on it since the middle
of last season and it’s just a whole different ball game to any of its
predecessors. We haven’t left any performance on the table and right now
I can say there’s not a single part of the car we’d have designed
differently.
So what has it got on it?
- We’ve carried over the 2015 fire
extinguisher (winks), the rest is brand new. Some 3393 different parts
in fact and that’s just our in-house components. We delayed the
monocoque programme to wait for the new Power Unit, which was well worth
waiting for of course. The Mercedes-Benz PU106C Hybrid Power Unit is a
magnificent feat of engineering and we’re proud and excited to be
powered by championship-winning technology developed by Mercedes AMG
High Performance Powertrains. We also have a very competitive
transmission package thanks to our technical partner Williams Advanced
Engineering, who supply our gearbox and other rear-end components.
Together with the efforts of our accomplished aero and mechanical design
teams, that’s a pretty impressive package.
You love it, don’t you?
- Absolutely. It was already a great-looking car but the new livery is stunning.
Dave, more or less 90 days in your new role. How has that gone for you?
- It’s been a very busy time, but it
has really served to underline everything I thought when I first agreed
to join the team – a great little operation, with huge potential and the
vision and ambition to make a big step forward. There was a lot to do
to prepare for this season. The team did a laudable job last year given
its circumstances over the previous winter. This year, with the package
we have, we need to be every inch the professional racing outfit. That’s
where I’ve been focusing my attentions.
Two new technical partnerships to get to grips with. How are those relationships developing within the team?
- Fantastically well. Our Mercedes HPP
and Williams Advanced Engineering personnel have been installed in the
factory for quite some time now and both of their headquarters are less
than an hour away from our factory in Banbury. So we have all the
resource and support we need pretty much on tap. It’s a really nice,
easy relationship, with everyone working together very closely on our
factory floor. The transition has been pretty seamless.
What about the peddlers?
- Pascal and Rio are a great addition
to our team. They are young and hungry but, crucially, experienced
racers with a lot of talent and a great deal of potential. We’re very
proud that they’re making their F1 debut with Manor Racing.
What can we expect from Manor Racing this season?
- Respectability and competitiveness.
We are done with just turning up just to make everyone else look good
and every single person in this Team is looking forward to the first
race in Melbourne in a few weeks’ time. We know we have to improve in
every area and in no way do we underestimate the opposition, but we have
assembled a great group of people, we have a fantastic technical
partnership with Mercedes-Benz and Williams Advanced Engineering and now
it’s up to us to deliver.
