Manor Marussia are have been confirmed on the entry list for the Formula One season – and plan to be ready for the first race in Melbourne in two weeks.
It would be an astonishing recovery for the team that went into administration last October and missed the last three races of the season, with many people writing off their chances of staging a revival
The team are expected to confirm on Friday that they have completed an engine deal with Ferrari for the coming F1 season and have already named the Englishman Will Stevens as one of their drivers, with his team-mate to be named shortly. Their participation will allow them to collect their £30m prize money for coming ninth in last year’s championship and clear their debts.
Stephen Fitzpatrick, the chief executive of the engine company Ovo, is believed to be the main investor behind the team’s comeback but Justin King, the former Sainsbury’s chief executive, will also be involved.
The team entered F1 as Virgin in 2010 and scored their first points last season. But the season ended disastrously, with their driver Jules Bianchi sustaining life-threatening injuries in the Japan Grand Prix before the team went into administration.
There was a setback earlier this year when Force India blocked their plans to make a comeback using their 2014 car. But it is understood that the necessary modifications have now been made to conform with safety regulations and now Manor Marussia are making urgent preparations to go to Australia.
