Categories: F1 News, Reports and Race ResultsManor

Booth defends Manor test selection

Manor team principal John Booth says Jordan King and Rio Haryanto have plenty of relevant experience to carry out Pirelli's tyre testing next week.

The GP2 pair have been selected to drive for Manor during the one day of tyre testing at the Yas Marina Circuit after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with all teams attending the test to allow Pirelli to work on its 2016 tyres. While the tyre manufacturer requested teams run their race or reserve drivers to enhance feedback, Manor has opted for two drivers who have not driven this year's car before.

However, Booth says the amount of running both drivers have done at the Yas Marina Circuit, coupled with Pirelli being the tyre supplier in GP2, means both King and Haryanto will still be able to deliver what is required.

“We look forward to providing Rio and Jordan with the opportunity to drive the MR03B in Abu Dhabi next week," Booth said. "For Jordan, this is a planned part of his 2015 role as Development Driver, following a season spent with the team in an educational capacity.

"Rio has of course driven two of our cars in previous tests. In 2010, he was considered to be at the very tender age of 17 years old, but we knew he had an exciting future ahead of him.

"Both drivers have extensive experience of running Pirelli tyres in GP2, and specifically the many GP2 tests that have been held in Abu Dhabi, so this leaves them well placed to help us play our part in Pirelli’s evaluation programme next week.”

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Andrew Lewin

Andrew first became a fan of Formula 1 during the time when Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill were stepping into the limelight after the era of Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Aryton Senna. He's been addicted ever since, and has been writing about the sport now for nearly a quarter of a century for a number of online news sites. He's also written professionally about GP2 (now Formula 2), GP3, IndyCar, World Rally Championship, MotoGP and NASCAR. In his other professional life, Andrew is a freelance writer, social media consultant, web developer/programmer, and digital specialist in the fields of accessibility, usability, IA, online communities and public sector procurement. He worked for many years in magazine production at Bauer Media, and for over a decade he was part of the digital media team at the UK government's communications department. Born and raised in Essex, Andrew currently lives and works in south-west London.