Manor MRT05 launch

[Samus]

I wonder why so many constructors leave the back of the hood black...

I'm really digging the blue

They say it's because of the heat in that area, it would crack the paint.

 

[Bo]

Lack of sponsors or not, that is by far the most beautiful car on the grid. What a classy racing car.

RE their pace today, it's two new drivers putting in the car's first ever laps. The first few days of testing are all data collecting. Pace means nothing.

EDIT - high res pics:

I absolutely adore the detail on this.

 

[Dennisch]

Shame that we will only see them at the start, and when they're being lapped.

 

[TheElbows]

Shame that we will only see them at the start, and when they're being lapped.

Oh nonsense!

...you also see them when they crash, catch fire or stall on the starting grid...

 

[Rods]

Great looking car! I specially enjoy the white belt going through the entire car, just lovely.

At the same time, I kinda wish it followed the exact same design of their suits, trucks, etc. White, with the blue and orange stripes. That looks incredible

 

[FoRiZon]

Finally! A colorful livery for once!

 

[GTPorsche]

The M on the engine cover could have used some white instead of it being hidden among the red.

 

[DK]

Manor ended up 9th at the end of the day, 3.3 seconds off Vettel.

 

[Ridox2JZGTE]

Some more pics from the test day ( taken from MRT twitter account )

 

[TheElbows]

Man, I love the retro poster! (sadly far more fantastic than the livery which is...worse in that real-life picture unfortunately).

 

[VXR]

They might be far from front runners this season, but style wise they're knocking it out of the park.

 

[Dennisch]

View attachment 517699

They should receive championship points for that poster alone.

 

[aarror]

Manor ended up 9th at the end of the day, 3.3 seconds off Vettel.

They're also 3 seconds faster than they were in qualifying last year, for the first day of testing that's very impressive.

Spanish GP Qualifying 2015:
WILL STEVENS MARUSSIA 1:31.200

Barcelona Test 2016 Day 1:
Pascal Wehrlein Manor 1:28.292

For comparison Sauber was 1 tenth faster today than qualifying last year, using the same car.

 

[GTracer38]

They're also 3 seconds faster than they were in qualifying last year, for the first day of testing that's very impressive.

Spanish GP Qualifying 2015:
WILL STEVENS MARUSSIA 1:31.200

Barcelona Test 2016 Day 1:
Pascal Wehrlein Manor 1:28.292

For comparison Sauber was 1 tenth faster today than qualifying last year, using the same car.

Sauber are using the same car and tire compound as last year, whereas Manor have their new car and were using the soft compound which wasn't available at last year's Spanish GP.

Still and impressive improvement. Hopefully they will at least be with the pack this season, picking up occasionally points (like Sauber last season).

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Curiously, the Pertamina logos have been removed from the rear wing (but have since been added to the racing overalls):

 

[dopedog]

Don't under estimate the Merc engine in any car.
Did you know that Williams can't use certain engine modes due to Merc, so if say a Williams is behind a Merc they can't use a certain engine mode to over take.
How the hell now they have a Merc engine in it there aren't people knocking down the door to get their name on the car for cheap cheap, this will be the 'surprise' package of 2016 IMO..

 

[TenEightyOne]

Did you know that Williams can't use certain engine modes due to Merc, .

Yes, it's been discussed quite often. To whit; the rules say that the same engine (per year spec) has to be provided to the customer team. That doesn't include the software version.

 

[dopedog]

Yes, it's been discussed quite often. To whit; the rules say that the same engine (per year spec) has to be provided to the customer team. That doesn't include the software version.

Which is why when Merc were 'racing' Williams, they weren't really, the only real race we shall get is if Ferrari are getting close to Merc.
When Lewis first sat down with Merc they must of just said to him "look we are 100% sure that we will have the best package by a country mile for the next few years, there's pretty much no way you wont be champion at least 3 times over the next 3 seasons..."
Stick a Merc engine in that McLaren and we'd see it up the front.