The new Manor MRT05 has hit the track for the first time at the opening day of testing with Pascal Wherlein behind the wheel.
The new car is the first to be designed under the new Manor management, headed up by Dave Ryan, and also the first to feature a Mercedes engine and Williams gearbox. The car took to the Circuit de Catalunya track at 10:30 local time and completed an installation lap with new race driver Pascal Wherlein behind the wheel.
The car features a new nose design and, according to technical director John McQuilliam, is a complete redesign of last year's Ferrari-powered car.
"It's all new, as it should be of course, but we had to 'make do' last year and that's not what we're here for," he said. "We build fast race cars for a living and it's great to get back to doing what we love. We're also pretty good at it, when we have the right tools for the job. So that in itself is quite special. Better still, the MRT05 is a contender. We really believe that. The design team have focused almost exclusively on it since the middle of last season and it's just a whole different ball game to any of its predecessors. We haven't left any performance on the table and right now I can say there's not a single part of the car we'd have designed differently.
"Some 3393 different parts in fact and that's just our in-house components. We delayed the monocoque programme to wait for the new Power Unit, which was well worth waiting for of course. The Mercedes-Benz PU106C Hybrid Power Unit is a magnificent feat of engineering and we're proud and excited to be powered by championship-winning technology developed by Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains. We also have a very competitive transmission package thanks to our technical partner Williams Advanced Engineering, who supply our gearbox and other rear-end components. Together with the efforts of our accomplished aero and mechanical design teams, that's a pretty impressive package."
Asked what could be expected from Manor this year, Ryan said: "Respectability and competitiveness. We are done with just turning up just to make everyone else look good and every single person in this team is looking forward to the first race in Melbourne in a few weeks' time. We know we have to improve in every area and in no way do we underestimate the opposition, but we have assembled a great group of people, we have a fantastic technical partnership with Mercedes-Benz and Williams Advanced Engineering and now it's up to us to deliver."