Manor chasing performance with test upgrades

Manor is running a number of new parts during the Silverstone in-season test as it looks to improve its performance ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Pascal Wehrlein scored Manor’s first point of 2016 at the Austrian Grand Prix, with the team’s second top ten finish in its history leaving it ahead of Sauber in the constructors’ championship. However, the British Grand Prix saw both cars retire early on and highlighted a lack of pace on high-downforce circuits which Manor is hoping to address during this week’s test.

“We’ve got quite a few things to try and all of them on paper should be quite a bit better,” Manor racing director Dave Ryan said ahead of the test. “They should be positive improvements to the car so we’re looking forward to that.”

And Ryan said the testing schedule includes more than just major set-up changes, with a number of updates set to be introduced.

“No it’s some new parts, quite a few new parts coming through. They’re all aimed at improving the performance, so we’ll see. You know what it’s like, all good in theory but let’s get it on the car and see how it works out.”

Manor is aiming to bounce back quickly from Sunday’s disappointment, but Ryan acknowledges it may also struggle in Hungary and Germany.

“It was a tough day at the office I think is the best way to put it … We clearly weren’t quick enough. Simple as that.

“Last Sunday was great to get a point but we all knew it was going to be tough this weekend and we’ve got tough races coming up. It’s all about doing the best you can and we did, it just didn’t work out [at Silverstone].”

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