Manor announces WEC LMP1 entry with Ginetta
The Manor squad will step up to the LMP1 division of the FIA World Endurance Championship for the 2018/19 'superseason', becoming the first team to commit to using Ginetta's new prototype.
Khodrocar - Manor entered WEC at the start of the 2016 campaigns in the LMP2 class, and has spent the last two seasons running Oreca machinery in the baby prototype class.
However, it made little secret of its ambitions to eventually move up to the LMP1 class, and was strongly linked to a tie-up with Ginetta when the British constructor unveiled its plans to design and build a new privateer car to contest WEC's top division at the start of 2017.
Now Manor has confirmed it will move up to LMP1 with Ginetta ahead of this weekend's Shanghai race, continuing its partnership with the Chinese TRS organisation that began this season.
It has yet to name any drivers for its one-car effort, and has also yet to specify which engines it will run.
"We are very happy to be entering the LMP1 category of the FIA World Endurance Championship," said Manor team principal John Booth.
"We have been learning this championship for the last two years and we are confident that the time is now right for us to step-up to the LMP1 category.
"We have known the people at Ginetta for many years and we believe that, working together, we will be able to develop a competitive LMP1 package.”
Ginetta revealed last month it had taken its first orders on its new design, which is set to go up against rival privateer LMP1 machinery from ByKolles and Dallara/BR Engineering, as well as Toyota if the Japanese manufacturer elects to continue its LMP1 programme.
"I am delighted with the confirmation of the selection by TRS Racing and Manor Endurance Racing of the Ginetta LMP1 for their programme," said Ginetta boss Lawrence Tomlinson.
"The opportunities for all involved here are tremendous, for Ginetta, for the team, and for their backers. To take on endurance racing at this level is one of the toughest technical challenges in the world.
"It’s great to have a racing partner who relishes those challenges just as much as we do.”
Manor follows on from fellow LMP2 squad DragonSpeed in announcing plans to contest WEC's top division in 2018/19.
Source: Motorsport
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