Connect with us

FIA WEC

Manor Ends LMP1 Involvement; Ginetta “Happy to Support” TRSM

Ginetta happy to support TRSM with Manor ending involvement with LMP1 program…

Photo: MPS Agency

Manor has confirmed that it is no longer involved in the CEFC TRSM Racing LMP1 program while Ginetta chairman Lawrence Tomlinson says the manufacturer is “happy to support” the entrant. 

A single Ginetta G60-LT-P1 AER will compete in the Six Hours of Fuji next month after the CEFC TRSM outfit started the 2018-19 season with a pair of cars.

Manor, which runs TRSM’s entry, has ended its involvement with the operation, according to team principal John Booth.

“Manor provided equipment, expertise and experienced people into the LMP1 project, managing the team and trackside operations starting from the car build through to after Le Mans but for commercial reasons we are not involved now,” stated Booth after Sportscar365 approached for comment.

While Tomlinson wouldn’t confirm that Ginetta has taken over running the TRSM entry, he said that it would be willing to support the entrant going forward.

“We’re a manufacturer and we’re happy to support TRSM,” he said.

“TRSM have the license to run two cars in WEC. They’re the people with the entry. We are very supportive of them and have been very supportive of them in the past.

“We’ve subsidized the program and we hope that they’re going to race the cars.”

Oliver Rowland, Alex Brundle and Mike Simpson will share driving duties in Japan for the program’s first appearance since the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Both Ginettas missed the last FIA World Endurance Championship round at Silverstone after the manufacturer requested an engine switch from Mecachrome to AER.

It later emerged that the entrant, CEFC TRSM Racing, did not inform the FIA selection committee of the change in advance of a 30-day deadline set before the event.

WEC entrant TRSM China Motorsport Ltd. is a different company to Manor – which trades as Manor Endurance Racing – although Graeme Lowdon is a director of both.

Tomlinson added that TRSM “has a responsibility” to field the cars and that he hopes both Ginettas can race together again “at the soonest possibility”.

“The cars are ready to go,” he said. “We actually have three cars. If there was another team that wanted a car for the 2019-20 season, [it’s] available.

“From my point of view, we’ve always looked at it as a long-term proposition, and that’s why we’ve invested in it.

“It would be great if TRSM come good. We hope they do. It would be a very positive thing for us. We’re also looking to the future.”

Ginetta Impressed by AER Performance

Tomlinson believes the G60-LT-P1 package will be a more competitive proposition at Fuji, following Ginetta’s engine supplier switch.

The manufacturer first ran the twin-turbo V6 AER unit in its Yorkshire factory last month and has since undergone testing at a UK airfield and Silverstone.

Tomlinson has hailed the AER engine as “so much better” than the Mecachrome V6 based on those runs and expects the No. 6 Ginetta to be involved in on-track battles when it returns to action.

“We want to see where [it is] relative to the Toyota and the Rebellion,” he said.

“We ran it around Silverstone to do a systems check. It was brilliant. The car’s absolutely amazing, just nailed to the floor and the systems were great on the AER.

“We’ve seen a huge power increase with the AER engine and we believe the chassis has always been competitive if you looked at it through the data at Le Mans. It was just down on power.

“As a manufacturer, we’re really excited for a team or teams to come and run the car and do their job We’ve got a super competitive car and a nice package with the AER. We’ve done all we can do.”

Daniel Lloyd is a UK-based reporter for Sportscar365, covering the FIA World Endurance Championship, Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, among other series.

20 Comments
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

More in FIA WEC