The farewell of two competitors at Manor

Since the Mexico weekend, it had become clear that the two team leaders would no longer be heading their team next season. While the reasons given are a strategic disagreement with their new shareholder, Stephen Fitzpatrick, both men have remained true to their principles of elegance and did not wish to elaborate on the reasons for their departure.

During a press briefing where we were invited, Graeme Lowdon stated: « As we have said, the important thing is not why we are leaving. What matters is what we have managed to achieve. We have a sense of accomplishment. We can be proud as managers of how we have led the team in difficult times, as well as in the good ones. »

The track record of the two men leading a team created from scratch in 2009 is thus not negligible. Of the teams that arrived as part of the FIA’s initiative to implement a budget cap of 100 million dollars, Manor is the only one still present.

However, difficulties and tough times have not been lacking, from the bold choice to launch a 100% computer-designed car, to last year’s bankruptcy following the withdrawal of their previous shareholder, and including the dramatic accidents of Maria de Villota and Jules Bianchi.

But even this choice to completely forego wind tunnel testing is made deliberately since John Booth states: “This first car wasn’t that bad. If we look among the new teams close to us, there was only the team called Lotus (Editor’s note: which later became known as Caterham) and their car was, in fact, designed by Force India.”

For the leader, one of the most significant moments at the helm of the team was during the first free practice session in Bahrain in 2010 when the car left the pits for the first time. But when Manor managed to make its comeback this year after the storm of last season, the emotion was just as strong: In 2010, it was the same feeling as the birth of a first child. This year, it was like the birth of a second child.

For Graeme Lowdon, one of the main sources of pride is seeing how quickly his team members agreed to return during the team’s revival: « These people had lost everything, both personally and financially, as they no longer had jobs. Their willingness to come back so quickly was very powerful. »

His main regret is that he is convinced that F1 has a very bright future ahead of it, despite all the criticism that can be heard in the Paddock: « If only we thought that F1 had no future. But I am convinced that the growth potential is enormous. That makes leaving even sadder. »

But his accomplice slipped: « We will be back one way or another. » F1 needs competitors of this nature so much that we can only wish for it…

From our special correspondent in Abu Dhabi