Ex-Manor boss Booth joins Toro Rosso as director of racing

Toro Rosso has announced that former Manor F1 team boss John Booth has been named as director of racing and joined the Italian squad on a consultancy basis.

The 61-year-old will take up his new position as early as this weekend’s Russian Grand Prix, with Toro Rosso team principal Franz Tost hoping that Booth’s wide motorsport experience will help the Faenza outfit extend its strong start to the 2016 season.

Having created Manor in 1990, the Englishman nurtured young talents such as Kimi Raikkonen and Lewis Hamilton before the outfit stepped up to F1 with the backing of Virgin in 2010.

Booth eventually left the team at the end of 2015 and brought the Manor Motorport moniker to the World Endurance Championship with an LMP2 programme headlined by former F1 drivers Will Stevens and Roberto Merhi.

"It is a great honour to join such a well-established and competitive team as Toro Rosso; it is a team that has achieved so much in a relatively short space of time," Booth said.

"I am looking forward to getting started and working with Franz [Tost] and the team in Sochi."

Speaking about Booth's appointment, Tost added: ”I have known John for many years and I am delighted to welcome him to the team.

“Formula 1 is becoming ever more complex, with recent changes on the tyre front, car set-up, radio communications and so forth.

“Therefore, having a competitive car and talented drivers, both of which we have, on its own is not enough.

“With his vast experience I am sure John will help the team raise its game and become a more effective force over a race weekend.”

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