Fry joins ex-McLaren team-mates at Manor

Manor F1 Team's Spanish driver Roberto Merhi drives during the second practice session at the Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi on November 27, 2015 ahead of the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix. AFP PHOTO / MARWAN NAAMANI / AFP / MARWAN NAAMANI

Manor F1 Team's Spanish driver Roberto Merhi drives during the second practice session at the Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi on November 27, 2015 ahead of the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix. AFP PHOTO / MARWAN NAAMANI / AFP / MARWAN NAAMANI

Published Jan 25, 2016

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Banbury, Oxfordshire - Formula One's smallest team Manor Racing has announced that Pat Fry is joining as an engineering consultant, bringing another former McLaren employee on board.

The move reunited three senior figures from McLaren's past with former chief engineer Fry joining aerodynamics head Nikolas Tombazis and racing director Dave Ryan also at a team that is switching to Mercedes engines.

Manor said Fry, who moved from McLaren to Ferrari in 2010 before being shown the door in 2014, will provide engineering expertise as the team prepare for the season starting in Australia on 20 March.

Tombazis and Fry were also colleagues at Ferrari before both left in the restructuring which led to Maurizio Arrivabene taking over as principal of the Italian team that provided Manor with engines in 2015.

Marussia name disappears from F1 

Ryan, who spent 35 years at McLaren before leaving in 2009, was appointed racing director at Manor - a team with a tiny budget compared to his previous employer's huge resources - in November 2014.

Ryan said: “The aim is to bring performance to the car with effect from the pre-season tests in Barcelona pre-season tests in February, then translate that to the race track in Melbourne to ensure we make the strongest possible start to 2016.”

Manor, previously known as Marussia and before that Virgin Racing, failed to score a point in 2014 and finished 10th and last overall.

It has yet to name a principal, with founder John Booth and sporting director Graeme Lowdon departing at the end of 2015, or its 2016 driver lineup.

Reuters

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