Constructive First 2012 Test For Marussia Manor Racing GP3

The first pre-season test of the 2012 GP3 Series season got underway this week at the Estoril Circuit in Portugal. After nearly three months, the Marussia Manor Racing GP3 team were back on track with the fresh new driver line-up of Dmitry Suranovich, Fabiano Machado and Tio Ellinas at the wheel of the Dallara GP3 for the first time this season.

The test got underway yesterday with all three Marussia Manor Racing GP3 rookie drivers getting to grips with the track and the car. Tio set the third fastest lap of the morning (1:32.194), only 0.8s away from the quickest time. Fabiano had a good first morning and, despite a brief excursion into the gravel, he finished 10^th with a best time of 1:32.489. Dmitry was 20^th after completing 20 laps.

Yesterday afternoon all three Marussia Manor Racing drivers improved their morning times and were in the top 10 for most of the session. Tio was in good form again and ended up 7^th (1:31.640), only 0.4s behind Nico Muller. Fabiano was the driver who completed the most laps in both sessions, a total of 74, ending the day 14^th. Dmitry finished in 18^th position. 

Today was another positive day of testing. Tio was second fastest in the morning and this afternoon he set the fastest time (1:31.083). He continued his good form from winter testing and demonstrated strong pace during both days. Fabiano and Dmitry showed consistent improvement during today’s two sessions as they continued to get used to the GP3 Series. Dmitry was 11^th in both sessions while Fabiano was 12^th in the morning and 23^rd this afternoon.

The Marussia Manor Racing GP3 team will be back on track at the second pre-season test in Barcelona, 12-13 March.

Pete Sliwinski, Team Principal

“It’s good to be back out on track for the first time this season with our new driver line-up. The team has worked very hard over the winter and this first test is just what we needed as this is the first GP3 season for Tio, Fabiano and Dmitry. It has been a very constructive couple of days for us. We focused mainly on our drivers getting used to a new formula, even though we have also worked on developing the car set-up and gathered plenty of information. All three drivers have done a very good job.”

Tio Ellinas

“It’s good to be back in the car and I am very happy with this first test. We collected a lot of data that is going to be very useful for the future. I was also able to complete some very good runs and continue to get used to the car. I feel in very good form.”

Fabiano Machado

“This was my first time driving in GP3 with Marussia Manor Racing and I am very pleased with my debut. My first two days with the team have been very useful to understand this category even better. Everything is still very new to me and there is still a lot for me to learn, but I am quickly getting to grips with the car and I already feel like at home with the team.”

Dmitry Suranovich

“I am very happy with this first test of the season and with how the team is working. We were able to complete some good runs and I feel even more confident now than when I tested with the team at the end of last season. Racing in New Zealand’s Toyota Racing Series during the winter has also been very beneficial for me. This is going to be my first full season in GP3 and even though it’s still all quite new for me I think we are heading in the right direction and I feel more comfortable every time.”

Ends

Tio Ellinas completes Marussia Manor Racing GP3 Driver Line-up

Marussia Manor Racing is pleased to announce that Cypriot Tio Ellinas will join the team for the 2012 season, driving alongside Russian Dmtry Suranovich and Brazilian Fabiano Machado.

Tio impressed in winter testing running with Marussia Manor Racing in Valencia and Jerez, showing strong pace in all conditions. He adapted quickly to the category, underlining his potential and marking him out as one to watch in 2012.

The twenty year-old began his career in karting. From 2001 to 2009 he won 101 of the 131 races he competed in. He won the Cyprus ICA Junior Class three times as well as the Cyprus KF2 Karting Championship and the KZ2 Bridgestone Cup in 2009. That same year he also won the inaugural Grand Prix Shootout competition in the United Kingdom.

Tio stepped up to single-seater racing in 2010, competing in the British Formula Ford and winning 3 races on his way to 4^th place and top rookie in the championship. In 2011 he switched to the Formula Renault UK Championship, winning two races and finishing in third position.

Marussia Manor Racing will be out on track for the first time this season at the first pre-season test that will take place on 21-22 February in Estoril, Portugal.

Tio Ellinas

“I am very happy to join Marussia Manor Racing. It’s a winning team and I am really looking forward to building on the progress made during the two tests. I felt immediately at home in the team and now I can’t wait to get back in the car again and race in my first GP3 season.”

                                                      

Pete Sliwinski, Team Principal

“We are delighted to have Tio as part of the team this season. He did a very good job at the tests at the end of last year, demonstrating that he has the potential to be fighting at the top. Now we have our complete 2012 driver line-up we can focus totally on getting ready for the first test before the start of another exciting season.”

Marussia Manor Racing GP3 Confirms Fabiano Machado for 2012 Season

Marussia Manor Racing GP3 is pleased to announce that South American Formula 3 Champion Fabiano Machado will join the team for the 2012 GP3 Series season.

The 25 year-old from São Paulo began his racing career in karting, showing great promise by winning the Paulista Championship and the Brazilian South Region Championship as well as finishing third in the PanAmerican Championship, Cup of Brazil and Brazilian Championships. In 2010 he won the RBC Karting Championship and he was rewarded with an F3 test. He stepped up to single-seater racing later that season, competing in 12 of the 24 South American F3 races with the Cesario Formula 3 Team.  He won four races and ended the season 4^th in the Championship.

In 2011 he competed in 25 races and dominated the South American F3 Championship, achieving 17 wins, 15 fastest laps and 7 pole positions.

This season the Brazilian driver will make his racing debut in the European GP3 Series in front of the Formula One crowds at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona in May.

Fabiano will line up alongside Russia’s Dmitry Suranovich for Marussia Manor Racing, with the full driver line-up due to be completed before testing begins on 21 - 22 February in Estoril, Portugal. 

Fabiano Machado

“To race in the GP3 Series with a winning team like Marussia Manor Racing will be a big step forward in my learning process and in my career. I’m really pleased and excited to be racing for the first time in a European Championship. I want to thank the team and my sponsor Grupo Schahin for this opportunity and I will work as hard as possible to put together a strong campaign.”

Pete Sliwinski, Team Principal

“We are delighted to welcome Fabiano to Marussia Manor Racing for the 2012 season. To win the South American F3 Championship shows that he is a fast and talented young driver and I’m sure that in his first season in Europe he will continue to impress us. He will be a great asset to the team.”

Marussia Manor Racing GP3 Confirms Dmtry Suranovich for 2012 Season

Marussia Manor Racing GP3 is pleased to announce that Russia’s Dmitry Suranovich will drive for the team in this year’s GP3 Series. Dmitry tested with Marussia Manor Racing in Valencia and Jerez at the end of last year, showing great promise. This will be his first season in the Championship.

Minsk-born Dmitry started his racing career in karting. He started in KF-3 class in 2008, becoming a European and World Cup finalist. In 2009 he became the Russian KF-3 Champion and a year later won the KF-2 Championship. In 2011 he raced in four events of the Formula Abarth European Series and this winter the 16-year-old also took part in New Zealand’s Toyota Racing Series, showing great potential in single-seater racing and obtaining his first podium finish.

                                           

Dmitry is the first Marussia Manor Racing driver to be confirmed this year, with the team set to complete its full driver line-up in the next few weeks.

Dmitry Suranovich

“I’m really happy to have secured a drive for Marussia Manor Racing, a winning team which is strongly linked to Formula One. It’s going to be an exciting season and I can’t wait to get started. It’s going to be a challenge, but I am ready for it. At the winter tests last year I already felt comfortable in the car and working with the team. Now we can continue to work hard together in order to achieve the best result possible in my first season in GP3.”

Pete Sliwinski, Team Principal

“We are happy to welcome Dmitry to the team. At the tests in Spain at the end of the year he already understood the category quickly and demonstrated his potential. We are confident that he will do a good job this year.”

Positive 2011 Season Continues With First Winter Test For Marussia Manor Racing

Marussia Manor Racing was back out on track this week (25-26 October) at the first post-season GP3 Series test that took place at the Circuit de Catalunya in Spain. Matias Laine was back at the wheel of the car for the first time since the 2011 season ended. Colombian-American driver Gabby Chaves was testing in the second Marussia Manor Racing car after finishing the GP3 season in 11^th position with the Addax Team.

It was a positive test for Marussia Manor Racing. On Tuesday Gabby quickly got to grips with the car and was always within1.5s of the lead times, ending up 9^th in the first session and 15^th in the second session. It wasn’t until the afternoon when Matias showed his real pace, finishing in 2^nd position and only 0.59s from the best time set by Mitch Evans.

On Wednesday Matias continued to demonstrate his good form. The results on the previous day gave him a big boost and he ended up in 2^nd position again in both the morning and afternoon sessions, only 0.2 and 0.4s away from Mitch Evans. Gabby also continued to improve and finished in 10^th and 8^th positions on his second day of testing with Marussia Manor Racing and never more than a second away from the fastest time.

The GP3 Series will be back on track in November 23-24 for the second post season test, again taking place in Spain, but this time it will be at the track in Valencia.

Pete Sliwinski, Team Principal

“It was good to be back on track after more than a month and a half. We haven’t stopped working and we arrived in Barcelona ready to continue with our 2011 season performance and evaluate our drivers, preparing for next year. Winter testing is good for them as they drive without all the pressure that normally exists during the season. Matias has demonstrated very good pace this week and I’m sure this will give him plenty of confidence for the next season. After his first season in GP3 he has clearly shown that he now understands the category and I’m sure he can keep up these good results. Gabby Chaves was also testing with us this week and he has done a good job. He completed a good season with Addax and we are happy for him to have tested with us. Now we will analyse all the data from these two days in Barcelona and get ready for the next test in November in Valencia."

Matias Laine

“I'm very happy and pleased with the results after the test in Barcelona. I felt very comfortable during both days and I'm finally demonstrating that I can be up there fighting for top positions. There's still a lot of work to do and its very early days, but this is a very good start and I will work hard to continue like this. I feel more confident and this will help me during the next months."

Gabby Chaves

“It has been a very positive couple of days for me in Barcelona. After my first season in GP3, it has been great to be able to test with Marussia Manor Racing. I felt comfortable in the team and in the car very quickly. On the second day I was not far off from the top times so I am happy.”

Top 3 Finish For Marussia Manor Racing in the 2011 GP3 Championship

At the eighth and final round of the 2011 GP3 Series Championship at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza in Italy, Marussia Manor Racing ended the season in 3^rd position after Rio Haryanto’s double podium finish this weekend and Adrian’s 6^th position in today’s race.

The weekend got off to a good start in Italy for Marussia Manor Racing as Adrian Quaife-Hobbs showed early pace in both Practice sessions on Friday. He finished 2^nd in the morning and 3^rd in the afternoon, always within 0.1s from the fastest time. Rio and Matias also got to grips with the high-speed full, throttle track.

On Saturday Adrian took his second pole position of the season in the final seconds of the Qualifying session, finishing only 0.062s ahead of Nico Muller. Rio led the first part of the session but was finally bumped down to 3^rd. Matias was classified in 20^th position, 1s away from Adrian’s fastest timed lap.

With two drivers in the first three positions, it looked like a promising first race for Marussia Manor Racing. Adrian got off to a good start and stayed in the lead. Rio lost a position at the start but soon made a move passing Valteri Bottas for 3^rd. Muller then snatched the lead from Adrian who, on lap 10, made a mistake at Ascari and hit the wall and the Safety Car was deployed. At the restart, with only 3 laps to go, Rio and Muller battled hard for the final podium place and it was finally the Marussia Manor Racing driver who grabbed it. Matias finished in 20^th position.

In today’s race, the last of the season, Rio and Adrian drove excellent races. After yesterday’s crash, Adrian started from 24^th position but after some brilliant moves he finished 6^th and achieved a valuable point. Rio started the race 6^th and was fighting for another podium finish during the whole race, to end 2^nd. Unfortunately, Matias didn’t finish the race because of a flat tyre.

Pete Sliwinski, Team Principal

“What a great way to end the season! Today’s race was real racing. We had the pace during the whole weekend and it was great to watch Rio and Adrian fight so hard and perform great moves on track. This is what it’s all about! I’m very happy to have seen Rio on the podium on two occasions this weekend. The team have done an excellent job this season and it was a shame that the good results didn’t start coming earlier. We had to wait until the third race of the season for our first win, so we knew it was going to be difficult to win the Championship but we never stopped trying and at the end of the season the good results haven’t stopped coming our way. So overall I’m pleased with this season and I want to congratulate the whole team. Congratulations also to Adrian who of course wins the prize of an F1 test with Marussia Virgin Racing in Abu Dhabi.””

Adrian Quaife-Hobbs

“I really didn’t expect to finish in the points today after starting from so far back on the grid, so it was a good race – and I did it with a broken front wing as well! A good result for me and the team. I finish 4^th in the Championship, which is a great result, and now I just can’t wait to get to Abu Dhabi where I will be testing the MVR-02.”

Rio Haryanto

“It has been a very positive weekend for me – one I won’t forget! To be on the podium on both Saturday and Sunday is such a great result, I’m very happy with this weekend. We have worked hard this season and results like this are the reward. The team has done a very good job and I want to thank everyone for an excellent weekend.”

Matias Laine

“What a shame to end the season without being able to finish the race. It’s disappointing, but I’m happy because the team has finished third in the Championship. We deserve it. We have worked hard and I want to thank the team for all their hard work – I have really learned a lot this year.”

Marussia Manor Racing adds more points to its tally in Spa

The seventh and penultimate round of the 2011 GP3 Series took place this weekend at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium. Marussia Manor Racing demonstrated a strong performance once again, making it the fourth weekend in a row and the eighth race in which the team added points to its tally.

The weekend started in a positive way in the first and only Practice session on Friday, with all three drivers Adrian Quaife-Hobbs, Rio Haryanto and Matias Laine driving at constant pace and never below 1.5s from the fastest time set by Championship leader Valtteri Bottas. Adrian was the fastest Marussia Manor Racing driver that morning, battling for top positions during the whole session and ending up 4^th. Matias was 11^th and Rio 16^th.

Saturday’s qualifying session took place in difficult conditions because of the heavy rain overnight and the notoriously changeable conditions here in Spa. The track was damp but drying, so it was important to follow a good tyre strategy. Adrian was battling with front-runners Alexander Sims and Bottas, the three of them swapping fastest lap times as the track continued to dry. James Calado finally took his first pole position of the season, with Adrian finishing 2.5s away from him in 5^th position. Rio ended up 20^th and Matias 26^th.

The first race of the weekend on Saturday afternoon got off to a good start for all three drivers, with Adrian making a move on Nigel Melker whilst exiting La Source to take third position. From then on he was fighting for a podium finish until the end of the race, showing good race pace even though Bottas, leading the race, was soon under control and too quick for anyone. Both Rio and Matias were able to gain positions after starting from the back of the grid and finished 12^th and 18^th respectively, keeping out of trouble. Adrian finally finished 4^th and added 5 more valuable points to his tally.

Today’s second race at Spa-Francorchamps began positively for Marussia Manor Racing, as Adrian, who was starting from 5^th position, stormed up to 2^nd after only four laps. Unfortunately, he had to retire due to a turbo failure. Rio staged a strong comeback, finishing 9^th while Matias didn’t classify after spinning early in the race.

The eighth and final GP3 Series race weekend will take place on the 9-11 September in Monza.

Pete Sliwinski, Team Principal

“It’s always good to end up in the points during the weekend so we are pleased with this, but it’s disappointing because we could have ended up in the points again today. But we are all doing a good job and we have to continue the good work. There is only one more race weekend remaining, so we have to keep focused and aim for the best possible results in Monza.”

Rio Haryanto

“A typical Spa-Francorchamps weekend. The changeable conditions here make it a very tough race weekend. But we did our best and worked hard, and now we have to carry on like this to end the season on a high.”

Adrian Quaife-Hobbs

“It was so frustrating today! I was really feeling comfortable in the car and early in the race I was running in second position after a great start. Then all of a sudden I felt the car lost some power and everyone started to pass me – I couldn’t do anything. It’s a shame because the weekend had started well, finishing 4^th yesterday and if I had scored some more points today I could have ended up third in the Championship. But there is still one more race to go before the end of the season and I just have to keep on pushing.”

Matias Laine

“On Friday the speed was good and on Saturday during the qualifying in the wet I was also fast, but in the end the track started to dry and I was late in to put my dry tyres on. I felt comfortable in both races and my speed stats to be good but now I just need to avoid small mistakes and the results will come.” 

Successful Weekend

Photo credit gp3series.com

Rio Haryanto won his second GP3 Series race of the season today at the Hungaroring in Budapest and becomes the second driver after Championship leader Valteri Bottas to win more than one race this season. The early morning rain didn’t frighten Rio, who came home to another brilliant win after starting from 9^th on the grid. After today’s win and yesterday’s podium finish, the 6^th round of the GP3 Series Championship was a successful weekend for Marussia Manor Racing.

The weekend began with two busy Free Practice sessions on Friday, both interrupted by red flags due to a crash involving Luciano Bacheta in the morning and because of Gabby Chaves stopping at turn 10 in the afternoon. That didn’t leave much track time for the drivers. Nearly half of the field traded turns at the top of the timesheet, with all three Marussia Manor Racing drivers ending up in the top 16 in both sessions and within a second from the best time.

On Saturday morning the qualifying session took place. Adrian was the first to break the 1 minute 39s barrier to go top of the timesheet in the frenetic first minutes of qualifying, as the 30 drivers battled hard to find clean air. Rio was the fastest Marussia Manor Racing driver, qualifying 6^th after establishing a best time of 1:37.396, 0.6s off the pole position time. Adrian ended up 9^th with a best time of 1:37.515 and Matias was classified 16^th and also within a second behind poleman Valteri Bottas.

Adrian got off to an excellent start in Saturday’s 16-lap race, and by the end of the first lap he had stormed up to 3^rd position. From then on he was locked in a long battle with Alexander Sims and Nico Müller for the final podium placing. With Rio fighting for 9^th position and Matias battling for 14^th, Adrian was pushing hard for 3^rd and in the final few laps he found himself defending just as hard from a charging Müller. But it was Adrian who finally crossed the line in 3^rd position, achieving his second podium finish of the season and adding 6 more valuable points to his tally. Rio finished 9^th and Matias was 14^th.

Today’s second race began in rainy conditions. Rio stormed up to the front of the field quickly after starting the race from 9^th position. Unfortunately Adrian stalled but Matias got off to a good start and delivered his best race of the season so far, running in 9^th position until the final laps. The track was wet and slippery but Rio managed to stay out of trouble and manage the two Safety Car periods perfectly, crossing the line in first position. Adrian ended up 11^th and Matias finished 22^nd.

Pete Sliwinski, Team Principal

“The good results just keep coming and you can get used to this very quickly. It’s great to end up on the podium so frequently. I’m delighted with the results in the last races – we have won 3 races in the last 4 race weekends. We have to continue working in this direction and get the best out of the final two rounds of the Championship.”

Rio Haryanto

“It’s fantastic to celebrate another win only a week after winning in Germany. I’m so happy! It has been another positive weekend for me and the team, who are doing an excellent job. It’s the perfect way to get to the summer break.”

Adrian Quaife-Hobbs

“I’m really happy to have achieved another podium finish. It’s such a great feeling! Even though the weekend didn’t start as well as we expected, we didn’t let that affect us. We knew that this was a track that suited us, as in the mid-season test at the beginning of June here in Budapest we did a good job and were always in the top positions. Unfortunately I couldn’t finish in the points today but I am happy with my weekend.”

Matias Laine

“It’s been a good weekend. We were in much better form here in Budapest and I was much closer to the top times. My race pace was also better and I am happy to see that we are making progress.”

Thrilling Win

Photo credit gp3series.com

Marussia Manor Racing GP3 driver Rio Haryanto won his first race of the season in dramatic style this afternoon at the Nürburgring.

Rain was threatening minutes before the start of the race but everyone except the front row starters decided to start the race on slicks. Luckily for Rio the rain stayed away for the first part of the race and he was able to move from 3rd on the grid to 2nd by the end of the first lap.

The race settled down in the dry, with Rio driving at a constant pace from start to finish. A grid penalty for Mitch Evans for changing his tyres after the three minutes start warning left Rio clear in 2nd position.

Finally, the predicted rain started to fall, bunching the top five closely together. Rio initially closed onto the back of Williamson, and as it started to rain even harder he briefly snatched the lead from Valteri Bottas, the leader at the time. The final laps were an thrilling battle between the three drivers, but it was Rio who finally came home to a brilliant win in the most challenging of conditions.

This is the first win of the season for Rio and the second one for Marussia Manor Racing; Adrian Quaife-Hobbs also won the feature race in Valencia.

Good Race Pace

The fourth round of the GP3 Series Championship got off to a good start at Silverstone for Marussia Manor Racing yesterday, as Adrian Quaife-Hobbs achieved the first pole position of the year for him and the team. His best lap of 1:51.190 put him nearly 0.4s clear of second place man James Calado. With only one second covering the top ten, it was another extremely competitive session. Rio Haryanto ended up only 0.7s away from the fastest time (1:51.932) and classified ninth, while Matias Laine was sixteenth.

It was then time for Marussia Manor Racing’s first race of the weekend in front of its home crowd. Yesterday’s race got underway under tricky conditions as it started to rain seconds before the formation lap. Adrian, who was on pole, was one of the 19 drivers that entered the pits to switch to wet Pirelli P-Zero tyres, starting the race from the pit lane.

It was very difficult to stay on track due to its conditions, with Adrian dropping down to 9th. Matias’ race was cut very short as he was forced off track by Maxim Zimin, who was penalised and suspended from Race 2.

Meanwhile, Adrian was showing the rest of the field that he meant business and after the first laps he was already 4th and within podium contention. Rio once again demonstrated good race pace again and was fighting for a points finish, ending up 11th. Adrian finally crossed the line in 4th position.

Today’s second race didn’t get off to a good start for Adrian as he stalled on the grid. But he recovered quickly and his race pace was soon quicker than the leaders of the race, posting the fastest lap of the race, a 1:52.916. Rio also confirmed he was fast and did some excellent moves. After starting from 11th on the grid, he finally crossed the line in 4th position after a very strong race, achieving his first three points of the season. Unfortunately, Matias’ race was over on lap 2 after he spun and was obliged to retire after breaking the floor of the car.

After Marussia Manor Racing’s home Grand Prix, Adrian is now 7th in the Championship with 18 points, 11 behind the leader, while Rio is 19th. The next round of the GP3 Series Championship will take place in Germany on 22-24 July.

Pete Sliwinski, Team Principal
“This is the level we should have been competing at since the beginning of the season – fighting for top positions and starting races from pole position. The team has worked very hard during the past few weeks and we can finally say that we are back in the fight for top positions. It’s always special to race on home soil and in front of the passionate British crowd. We started the weekend very well with Adrian on pole, but then we had unexpected difficulties at the start of both races that complicated things a bit. The good news is that we are quick.”

Adrian Quaife-Hobbs
“Qualifying was a brilliant session and it felt great to finally end up on pole position and at our home race. It’s difficult to put into words how it feels. The team once again did a fantastic job and we have carried the momentum from our race in Valencia to here. Unfortunately we didn’t get off to a good start in either yesterday or today’s race, but I am happy because we have demonstrated that we are fast.”

Rio Haryanto
“I am happy to have finally finished a race in the points. It was a hard race today as we started from eleventh position, but I managed to perform well and finish 4th. We clearly have good race pace and if we carry on like this I’m sure the good results will continue to come.”

Matias Laine
“I wasn’t very lucky this weekend. On Friday I couldn’t complete many laps during the practice sessions and I wasn’t able to finish any races. Yesterday I was forced off track and today I had to retire after a spin where I broke the floor of the car, so it hasn’t really been a good weekend for me.”

Victory in Valencia

Adrian Quaife-Hobbs won his first race of the season for Marussia Manor Racing today at the Valencia Street Circuit in Spain. After qualifying in third position, he got off to an excellent start and was leading the race at Turn one after a great move. Adrian had a very good race pace and even though he was forced to slow down due to a Safety Car period during the first laps, he was able to get into the race again quickly and didn’t give his rivals a chance, comfortably driving to his first win of the season.

The Marussia Manor Racing driver also set the fastest lap during the race, adding one more point to the ten for the win and he is now fifth in the GP3 Series Championship.

Adrian will drive again tomorrow in the second race of the weekend here at the Valencia Street Circuit, starting from eighth position, as the first eight finishers in Race 1 start in reverse order the following day.

Positive Second Mid-season Test

Only two weeks after the test in Budapest, the Marussia Manor Racing GP3 Team were back on track this week taking part in the second mid-season test at the Circuit de Valencia in Spain.

Having analysed the data from the test in Budapest, it was another opportunity for the team to further develop the set-up of the Marussia Manor Racing GP3 car and continue to work on the team’s qualifying performance.

On the first day all three drivers Adrian Quaife-Hobbs, Rio Haryanto and Matias Laine focused on working on race simulations ahead of the third round of the GP3 Series at the Valencia Street Circuit next week. During the first morning the drivers got to grips with the circuit, completing a total of 76 laps between them. Adrian managed to end up second after setting a time of 1:27.647, only 3 tenths away from the best time of the day. Matias was 13th and Rio, 25th. In the afternoon the team demonstrated good pace, with all three drivers finishing in the top ten. Rio was always within the leading quartet and after 30 laps and a best time of 1:28.409, he finished in first position. Adrian completed 31 laps and was 6th, while Matias finished 8th after 19 laps.

During the second and final day of testing in Valencia, all three drivers continued understanding the behaviour of the Pirelli P-Zero soft slick tyres, as well as concentrating on set-ups rather than trying to set quick times. Adrian, Rio and Matias added a further 96 laps to the teams tally, ending up 13th, 17th and 22nd respectively. Adrian improved his fastest lap time from yesterday, setting a personal best of 1:27.595. It was a very close final session this afternoon, with the top 20 drivers all within one second of each other. Rio set a time of 1:28.556, ending up second, while Matias was 12th and Adrian finished 21st.
The Marussia Manor Racing GP3 team will be back on track from the 24-26 June at the Valencia Street Circuit in Spain for the third round of the GP3 Series.


Pete Sliwinski, Team Manager
“This week we have demonstrated that we have the potential to be fighting at the top of the grid. We had the pace at the tests in Budapest and here in Valencia we have seen it again. So now we just need to put everything we have learned here into practice in the forthcoming races as well as focusing more during the qualifying sessions and get the best out of the tyres so that we can start the race in a good position.”
Rio Haryanto

“To be back at the top of the grid again is a good feeling. I know it’s only testing, but we have confirmed that we have good pace. We have done a really good job working on the car set-up during these two mid-season tests in Budapest and Valencia, and now we have to show that we can carry that through to the race next week weekend.”

Adrian Quaife-Hobbs
“Yesterday was good, as it showed that the direction we took in Hungary was the correct one and we backed it up with finishing second. Today we looked to further improve the set-up and concentrate on the behaviour of the tyres.”
Matias Laine
“I think we have done a good job here in Valencia. I feel comfortable in the car and we have achieved some good results. We have found a good set-up and I’m sure that we will be able to improve our performance in the next races.”

MARUSSIA MANOR RACING GP3 GOES TESTING IN BUDAPEST

After the first two races of the season, the Marussia Manor Racing GP3 Team this week took part in the first of the two mid-season tests at the Hungaroring in Budapest.

The team used this test to develop the set-up of the Marussia Manor Racing GP3 car as well as to continue understanding the behaviour of the Pirelli tyres and improve the team’s qualifying performance. During the first test day all three drivers Adrian Quaife-Hobbs, Rio Haryanto and Matias Laine completed a total of 127 laps between them, acquiring plenty of valuable data for the team. Adrian was always in the top 12 and finished yesterday’s afternoon session in third position with a best time of 1:38.487 - within a tenth of the leader - demonstrating that the team has good pace. Rio ended up 24^th in both sessions and Matias was 29^th in the morning and 23^rd in the afternoon.

Today’s second and last day of testing in Budapest was useful for Marussia Manor Racing to continue achieving more valuable information that will be used during the forthcoming races. Adrian’s lap times were indicating progress for the team and he improved his time to 1:37.849. He ended the morning 5^th and only three tenths away from the best time. Rio was 12^th and Matias 19^th, just over half a second away from the top of the timesheets. In the afternoon it started to rain and Adrian finished 12^th, Matias 16^th and Rio was 24^th, adding a further 116 laps to the teams tally.

The Marussia Manor Racing GP3 team will be back on track testing again in Valencia on the 16^th and 17^th of June, before going back to racing a week later, from the 24-26 June at the Valencia Street Circuit in Spain.

Pete Sliwinski, Team Manager

“It has been a very useful test, and one that we needed before returning to the racing. Our start to the season hasn’t been the best, and certainly not what we expected, but luckily this is still only the beginning and we still have time to react and get better. The good news is that we know we have the pace and here in Budapest we have seen it again. Now we just need to focus more during qualifying to start the race in a good position and fight at the top of the grid.”

Rio Haryanto

“It has been a very constructive two days here in Budapest. We needed to make sure we spent some time understanding how to improve and we have made progress for sure. We still have another two days of testing in Valencia so I’m sure that when we are back racing we will be stronger.”

Adrian Quaife-Hobbs

“We came into this test looking to improve our qualifying performance, and we did. We started the day on our baseline set-up and gradually worked away at it and we think we have found a good solution now. I was P3 at the end of the day yesterday, and today we were also in the top positions. We still have another two days of testing in Valencia before the next race so I’m sure we can further fine tune our set-up.”

Matias Laine

“It’s always positive to have some testing days during the season. I think we have done a good job here in Budapest. Yesterday it wasn’t my best day, but today we found a good set-up. It started raining in the afternoon, and that didn’t really help us, but I am really happy with what we have done and I feel comfortable driving the car. It will be good to carry on working on all this at the Valencia test in two weeks’ time.”

Good Race Pace in Barcelona

The second round of the GP3 Series took place this weekend at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona for the Marussia Manor Racing GP3 Team.



The weekend started positively, as all three drivers were always in the top 15 during the Free Practice sessions and with Rio Haryanto always within the top 4. However, it was a more frustrating story in Saturday’s qualifying session, with neither Rio, Adrian Quaife-Hobbs nor Matias Laine able to complete a lap without having lift for other cars out on track. It was an extremely competitive session where only one second covered the top twenty-four drivers. Adrian qualified in 12th position, Matias was 21st and Rio was 23rd.



All three managed to get the cars back home after the first race of the weekend after some good overtaking manoeuvres, with Adrian finishing 11th, Matias 19th and Rio 20th.



In today’s second race Marussia Manor Racing demonstrated once again that it has the pace to be at the front. Rio, who was starting from 20th position, managed to end up 11th. Adrian stalled at the beginning of the race and dropped to the back, but despite finishing 23rd, he showed a similar pace to the drivers at the front. Matias finished the race in 24th position after a pitstop to replace a badly flatspotted tyre.



The Marussia Manor Racing GP3 team now looks forward to the two tests that will take place on 1-2 June in Hungary and two weeks later in Valencia, before the next round of the Series on 24-26 June in Spain again, at the Valencia Street Circuit.



Pete Sliwinski, Team Manager

“It has been another weekend where we have demonstrated that we can fight for top positions and that the car has the pace to race for wins. But we have to always be on top form and the drivers have to show their ability at the wheel of the car. It has been another weekend where we were expecting a better result than what we have finally achieved.”



Rio Haryanto

“Once again we have demonstrated that we have a good race pace. It was frustrating having to start again from the back of the grid and move my way up during the race. But we have to try and do a better job in qualifying so that we can start the races in a better position.”



Adrian Quaife-Hobbs

“Although the weekend doesn’t look great looking at the results, we have improved a lot in terms of pace since Istanbul. We can be happy about this. Without the gear change issues in qualifying the weekend would have looked different. We still finished 11th in the first race, which was good and we were as quick as the leaders. We now have four days of testing to further develop the car to our liking before the next race weekend.”



Matias Laine

“On Friday in the free practice sessions we did a good job, but in Qualifying I wasn’t able to achieve my targets. When you start a race at the back of the grid it’s very hard to finish in a good position. But the team has been working hard and I am already looking forward to the next race where I hope to find a solution to the problems I had during qualifying here in Barcelona.”

Ready for the New Season

The third and final pre-season test for the GP3 Series Championship took place this week at the Circuit de Catalunya in Spain. The Marussia Manor Racing team continued its preparations for the 2011 season which begins in Turkey in May, with all three drivers – Rio Haryanto, Adrian Quaife-Hobbs and Matias Laine - demonstrating a good pace during the three days.

The main objective this week was to continue gathering more valuable information from a variety of different race simulations. Plenty more mileage was added to the car ahead of the season opener that will take place next month.

It was a sunny and dry final test where the Marussia Manor Racing team always had one of its three cars in the top positions and Adrian Quaife-Hobbs topped the classification on the final day, demonstrating that the team is ready to fight for the Championship.

Pete Sliwinski, Team Manager

“We are satisfied with our preparations for the season. During the three pre-season tests we have developed our car set-ups as well as testing in all different types of weather conditions, which is always useful. We are more than ready to go racing again. All three drivers have done a very good job during the winter and I’m sure we will see good races this year.”

Rio Haryanto

“It has been very a productive week in Barcelona for the final pre-season test. The weather conditions have been similar to what it will be like at the first race in Istanbul, so it’s been good to drive and try the tyres here. I am very happy with how the team is working and I feel comfortable in the car.”

Adrian Quaife-Hobbs

“We had three very good days concentrating on developing the car from what we learned at Silverstone. We did a mix of runs from one lap to race distance and we were quick, finishing day three first and by a good margin. So now I can’t wait for the first race in Istanbul. It’s time to put our testing progress into action in the races.”

Matias Laine

“A positive final three-day test here in Barcelona. The weather has been warm and it hasn’t rained, which has been good to get ready for the first race in Istanbul. We have done some long runs and the car felt very good throughout the test. Some work still needs to be done to get the best out of the new tyres, but we are ready to face our first race of the season.”

Second Test for Marussia Manor Racing GP3

The GP3 series conducted its second pre-season test at Silverstone this week, where the Marussia Manor Racing team continued its preparations for the 2011 season, which starts on 7-8 May in Turkey. All three of the team’s drivers - Rio Haryanto, Adrian Quaife-Hobbs and rookie Matias Laine - were at the wheel of the Dallara GP3 again for the three days of testing.

In contrast to the first test of the season in France, this time the drivers were greeted by blue skies and sunny conditions when they first hit the track on Tuesday. In the afternoon, they ran in damp conditions as it started to rain, providing a good opportunity to compare the behaviour of the car in different conditions.

The Marussia Manor Racing drivers continued to demonstrate their strong form during the second day, as the team made use of their time on track to obtain valuable information. In the afternoon the weather provided another opportunity to run with the wet Pirelli tyres.

During today’s third and final day of testing, the team continued to develop the different car set-ups. The drivers demonstrated once again that they are quick in the wet and dry. The team was able to continue adding more mileage to the car as the young drivers completed plenty of laps during the three days of the test. They will be back in action at the final pre-season test in Barcelona next month.

Pete Sliwinski, Team Manager

“It has been a very useful second test for us. Fortunately we have been able to complete plenty of laps in dry conditions after not having much time for this during the first test in France, where it rained a lot. We have continued developing our car set-ups as well as gathering more information for the team to prepare for the new season. I am very pleased with the job that all three drivers have done here in Silverstone this week.”

Rio Haryanto

“We concentrated on developing the car here in Silverstone, and the team has done a really good job. I feel comfortable in the car and the test has been very productive to continue collecting important data.”

Adrian Quaife-Hobbs

“We have been trying various set-up ideas from the winter and trying to understand how the new softer tyre compounds react. It was also beneficial to have dry as well as wet running here. So far we are very happy with our performance. We have three more test days in Barcelona before the first race which will really help us to completely understand the car.”

Matias Laine

“I am very pleased with this second test of the season. The weather hasn’t been the best but we have achieved some good running in the rain as well as in dry conditions. I am very happy with how the team is working and I can’t wait for the first race.”

Constructive First Test for Marussia Manor Racing GP3

The first pre-season test for the 2011 GP3 season got underway this week at Circuit Paul Ricard in France. After nearly five months, the Marussia Manor Racing GP3 cars were back on track with Rio Haryanto and Adrian Quaife-Hobbs back at the wheel of the Dallara GP3 for a second season. Rookie driver Matias Laine got to grips with his new car and started to settle in at his new team.

With a wet track and low temperatures, the drivers completed their first laps of the season with the Pirelli wet tyres. The track dried enough to run with slicks for a few laps before the lunch break, but in the afternoon it rained steadily again. Rio demonstrated strong pace, setting one of the quickest wet times of the day. Adrian also had a good start and worked on the set-up of the car, while Matias Laine was able to complete 34 laps in the afternoon after recovering from a problem with his car in the morning.

During today’s second and final day of testing in France, all three drivers were able to complete plenty of mileage on a dry track and the team continued to develop the different car set-ups in preparation for the season ahead.

The Marussia Manor Racing team will be back on track at the second of three tests in Silverstone at the end of the month.

Pete Sliwinski, Team Manager

“The team has worked very hard over the winter so it is good to be back out on track for the first time this season. It has been a very constructive test here at Paul Ricard. We have been working to develop our set-up from last season in wet and dry conditions, gathering useful information on the new tyre compounds in the process. All three drivers have done a good job, so with their feedback we go back to base to process the information in preparation for testing at Silverstone in a month time.”

Rio Haryanto

“It’s good to be back in the car after the winter break and to start a second season with Marussia Manor Racing. We tried many different set-ups and collected a lot of data that will be very useful for the future.”

Adrian Quaife-Hobbs

“We had a good couple of days testing and getting back into the swing of GP3 after so many months away. As we will not be racing at Paul Ricard this season, the times were not so important, so we concentrated on the car development and carried out some race simulation work.”

Matias Laine

“I am very happy with how the team is working. The weather was not the best here as yesterday it rained a lot. But today we were able to complete some good runs on a dry track and we tested a lot of different set-ups in order to be ready for the new season.”