Merhi Completes Manor WEC Lineup

Photo: Manor F1 Team

Another one of Manor’s ex-Formula One drivers will be part of its new FIA World Endurance Championship effort, with Roberto Merhi having been confirmed Wednesday as the sixth and final driver for its two-car LMP2 effort.

The 25-year-old Spaniard, a podium-finisher for Manor in Formula 3, will make his sports car racing debut in the team’s second entry alongside Richard Bradley and Matthew Rao.

Merhi took part in 13 Grand Prix weekends last year with the Manor F1 team, as a teammate to Will Stevens, who has also joined the British squad’s WEC program this year.

“I’m really excited to be part of this new exciting chapter with Manor,” Merhi said. “It is a great opportunity to work with Graeme [Lowdon], John [Booth] and the team again.

“This is my first time at endurance racing. LMP2 is a very strong championship and I am looking forward to getting into the Oreca 05 LMP2 and seeing what we can all achieve together.”

Stevens, Tor Graves and James Jakes will pilot Manor’s other Oreca 05 Nissan in the full nine-round championship, which kicks off at Silverstone next month.

The team is coming off an encouraging first test with the LMP2 package at Paul Ricard last weekend, which saw four of its six drivers take the wheel of a single Oreca-Nissan.

“It has been a very exciting week with the debut of our Oreca 05 LMP2 and also completing our driver lineup,” team principal John Booth said. “It is great to welcome Roberto back to Manor.

“Roberto is a talented driver with plenty of speed and experience. I know that he will fit in straight away having worked with many of the team before and also been a teammate to Will Stevens last year.”

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John