Stevens no longer in frame for second Manor F1 seat

Will Stevens is no longer in the running to secure Manor Racing’s second race seat alongside Pascal Wehrlein, per multiple reports in the British press.

The British outfit announced the 2015 DTM champion as its first driver last week but has yet to confirm the name of his future team-mate, with several pilots vying for the final available drive on this year’s grid.

Last season's driver Stevens and Alexander Rossi featured among them but The Telegraph reports that Manor is set to sign Rio Haryanto, who enjoys significant backing from the Indonesian government and state-owned oil company Pertamina.

Stevens made his F1 debut with the defunct Caterham team at the 2014 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix before finding refuge at Manor Marussia following the perennial backmarkers’ last-minute exit from administration in February 2015. His best result was a 13^th-place finish on home soil at Silverstone.

The Telegraph adds that the 24-year-old is now looking to compete in another series, maybe in the US like ex-Marussia F1 racer and fellow Briton Max Chilton.

Stevens’ former F1 bosses John Booth and Graeme Lowdon have announced they will field a Nissan-powered Oreca 05 LMP2 chassis in the World Endurance Champion, which includes an entry at the Le Mans 24 Hours.

Manor recently underwent a rebranding ahead of its first campaign using Mercedes power, with the Banbury-based outfit also adding ex-Ferrari men Pat Fry and Nikolas Tombazis to their organisation chart.

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