The Marussia F1 Team, later known as Manor Marussia F1 Team, originated from the rebranding of the Marussia Virgin Racing team in 2011.
Notable Team Members and Drivers
Timo Glock and Charles Pic were the driver duo for the 2012 season, with Glock continuing from the Virgin era and Pic being a GP2 Series graduate joining the team. In 2013, Max Chilton made his Formula One debut with Marussia, and Jules Bianchi, a Ferrari Driver Academy member, replaced Luiz Razia before the season began due to sponsorship issues.
The team also benefited from the expertise of Pat Symonds, a highly respected figure in F1, who joined as a technical consultant.
Initially based in Banbury, Oxfordshire, and later in Dinnington, South Yorkshire, the team competed under a Russian license from 2012 to 2014 and switched to a British license in 2015. The team, part of Manor Motorsport (once Marussia Manor Racing), originated from Marussia Motors, a Russian sports car manufacturer that ceased operations. Starting its Formula 1 journey in 2010 as Virgin Racing, it embraced Marussia as a title sponsor in 2011, transforming into Marussia Virgin Racing, before adopting the Marussia F1 Team identity in 2012.
Marussia made history at the 2014 Monaco Grand Prix by scoring its first championship points, thanks to Jules Bianchi’s ninth-place finish. This made them the first Russian-licensed constructor to earn points in F1 history.
The team faced tragedy following Bianchi’s accident at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix, leading them to compete with a single car at the Russian Grand Prix that year. Financial difficulties prompted reports in late October 2014 that Marussia would miss the United States Grand Prix, with subsequent administration filings indicating severe financial issues. Despite being listed for the 2015 season, the team ceased operations in November 2014.
In January 2015, a potential buy-out halted the auction of Marussia’s assets, allowing the team to exit administration in February 2015 as Manor Marussia F1 Team, thanks to new investments and the involvement of Justin King, a former CEO of Sainsbury’s. Retaining the Marussia name and adopting a British licence for the 2015 season, the team transitioned to Manor Racing in 2016, using Mercedes-Benz power units.
Marussia F1 Legacy
Marussia’s legacy in F1 is marked by its struggle for competitiveness because of financial constraints. The team’s journey was fraught with challenges, including the tragic loss of test driver María de Villota in 2013 following a testing accident and the death of Jules Bianchi at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix. Bianchi’s ninth-place finish at the 2014 Monaco Grand Prix, earning the team’s only points in Formula 1, remains the highlight of Marussia’s time in F1.
Despite financial difficulties and the absence of key technologies like KERS in their initial seasons, Marussia showed signs of progress, engaging in a season-long battle for 10th place in the Constructors’ Championship with Caterham in 2012, a position that represented significant financial rewards.
The team underwent various changes, including an ownership shift when Russian supercar manufacturer Marussia acquired a controlling stake, leading to rebranding efforts and changes in the driver lineup. Despite these efforts and a landmark point-scoring finish in Monaco, financial instability led to the team entering administration in late 2014.
The Marussia F1 Team’s assets and entry were eventually taken over by the Manor Motorsport group, leading to the reformation of the Manor Marussia F1 Team for the 2015 season. However, despite a valiant effort to remain in the sport, including the introduction of Mercedes engines in 2016 and the recruitment of promising talents like Pascal Wehrlein and Esteban Ocon, Manor Racing was unable to secure the necessary funding to continue, leading to its final closure in early 2017.
Marussia F1 Formula One World Championship Records
| First entry | 2012 Australian Grand Prix |
|---|---|
| Races entered | 74 (73 starts) |
| Constructors’ Championships | 0 |
| Drivers’ Championships | 0 |
| Race victories | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Points | 2 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| Final entry | 2015 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix |
Marussia F1 Constructors’ Championship Results
| Year | Name | Car | Drivers | Points | WCC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Marussia F1 Team | MR01 | Timo Glock Charles Pic | 0 | 11th |
| 2013 | Marussia F1 Team | MR02 | Jules Bianchi Max Chilton | 0 | 10th |
| 2014 | Marussia F1 Team | MR03 | Max Chilton Jules Bianchi Alexander Rossi | 2 | 9th |
| 2015 | Manor Marussia F1 Team | MR03B | Will Stevens Roberto Merhi Alexander Rossi | 0 | 10th |