Monday 30 November 2009

Manor to run under Virgin Racing title

The Manor Grand Prix team will run under the Virgin Racing name in 2010, according to the latest entry list issued by the FIA today.

Richard Branson's company entered Formula 1 as a sponsor of the Brawn team this year, but has long been linked with a larger role with Manor. The FIA document confirms that this will be the case, although an official announcement from Virgin is still awaited.

John Booth's squad will use chassis created by former Simtek and Benetton designer Nick Wirth's Wirth Research company, which designed the Acura LMP cars. Timo Glock has been signed as Virgin's first driver.

The other news confirmed by the FIA's entry list was that Red Bull Racing will continue with Renault engines. The team had been linked with a switch to Mercedes power earlier in the year.

But the entry list did not resolve the issue of the 13th entry. The Sauber team is hoping to get back into the field now that Toyota had pulled out of F1 - having previously committed to the new Concorde Agreement - but the FIA said it could not make an announcement about this situation yet.

"Toyota Motorsport GmbH remains formally bound by the Concorde Agreement to put forward a team for participation, though it has indicated that it will not be in a position to do so," said a statement from the governing body. "An announcement will be made regarding this entry in due course."

Champion team Brawn GP remains listed under its 2009 name on the entry, but the FIA noted that it "has indicated its intention to change its team name to Mercedes Grand Prix prior to the start of the 2010 season" following its purchase by the Germany company.

No Driver Entrant Constructor
1 Jenson BUTTON (GB) VODAFONE McLAREN MERCEDES McLAREN MERCEDES
2 Lewis HAMILTON (GB) VODAFONE McLAREN MERCEDES McLAREN MERCEDES

3 Nico ROSBERG (D) BRAWN GP FORMULA ONE TEAM BRAWN MERCEDES
4 TBA BRAWN GP FORMULA ONE TEAM BRAWN MERCEDES

5 Sebastian VETTEL (D) RED BULL RACING RED BULL RENAULT
6 Mark WEBBER (AUS) RED BULL RACING RED BULL RENAULT

7 Felipe MASSA (BR) SCUDERIA FERRARI MARLBORO FERRARI
8 Fernando ALONSO (E) SCUDERIA FERRARI MARLBORO FERRARI

9 Rubens BARRICHELLO (BR) AT&T WILLIAMS WILLIAMS COSWORTH
10 Nico HULKENBERG (D) AT&T WILLIAMS WILLIAMS COSWORTH

11 Robert KUBICA (PL) RENAULT F1 TEAM RENAULT
12 TBA RENAULT F1 TEAM RENAULT

14 Adrian SUTIL (D) FORCE INDIA F1 TEAM FORCE INDIA MERCEDES
15 Vitantonio LIUZZI (I) FORCE INDIA F1 TEAM FORCE INDIA MERCEDES

16 Sebastien BUEMI (CH) SCUDERIA TORO ROSSO STR FERRARI
17 TBA SCUDERIA TORO ROSSO STR FERRARI

18 TBA LOTUS F1 RACING LOTUS COSWORTH
19 TBA LOTUS F1 RACING LOTUS COSWORTH

20 TBA CAMPOS META 1 CAMPOS DALLARA
21 Bruno SENNA (BR) CAMPOS META 1 CAMPOS DALLARA

22 TBA US F1 TEAM US F1 COSWORTH
23 TBA US F1 TEAM US F1 COSWORTH

24 Timo GLOCK (D) VIRGIN RACING VIRGIN COSWORTH
25 TBA VIRGIN RACING VIRGIN COSWORTH

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