The Un-celebrated, Sport-Defining, Irreplaceable Value of the Manor F1 Team

(c Motorsport Mag)

Now before you head to that comment section to let me know I'm crazy, hear me out.

Long-time readers of the blog will know that I could go on for hours about the 6 years Virgin/Manor/Marussia spent in the top flight of motorsport. There are countless contributions of Manor's to recount and celebrate (and I don't just mean these incredible race posters), but today we're focusing on just one, Manor's dilligent development of F1's youth.

It's worth saying before we start, that the same can be said about Lotus/Caterham while it existed, but since Manor was ultimately more successful and lasted longer, they get to be the focus of the article. (yay!)

The story begins before the days of Haas, when the only team who had a younger brother on the grid was Red Bull. For the other giants with development programs, their choices were few and far between. Until, out of the ashes of the 2010 team injection, rose a team that a lot like Ferrari, but in fact, was not.

List of the young drivers who went through the Manor Driver's Academy™:

1. Bianchi
2. Ocon
3. Wehrlein
4. Pic
5. Rossi
6. Chilton
7. Stevens
8. D'Ambrosio
9. Harayanto
10. Merhi

Manor's grandparent car, the VR-01

(c VirginRacingF1Fan)

That list isn't all that impressive, I admit. But it's more about what the team could do for the drivers, and not for the sport. Despite not all succeeding in F1, most of the drivers on that list found their way into success in other forms of motorsport. Rossi clocks in his hours in IndyCar now as a respected name, Pic enjoyed a multi-year career in the sport.

What Manor provided is something F1 currently lacks, a proving ground for the sport's more unproven drivers. Not every prospect is gunna be a Verstappen who can immediately make the jump. There are drivers who deserve chances who will never get them because of Manor's absence.

Manor was the perfect environment for unproven drivers, because the team had nothing to lose. No pressure, and the only time you were mentioned is when you performed above expectations. It's a formula that worked for both Bianchi and Wehrlein.

Marrusia scores its first points at Monaco '14

 courtesy of Jules Bianchi (Rest in Peace)

(c PitPass)

Lance Stroll is the perfect example of why a team like Manor is necessary. Stroll isn't ready for a team with the expectations of Williams. Which shouldn't be looked at as a shameful thing, he's 18 for crying out loud. But he could have had the opportunity to shine outside of the oppressive pressure of a spotlight like Williams, and his career is worse for it.

Force India is now a front-running team and hand-in-hand with Mercedes' development program, Toro Rosso is only for Red Bull drivers, Haas and Renault have lofty aspirations, and despite McLaren/Sauber's poor form, they consider themselves above taking unproven youth.

At the end of the day, Formula 1 has a responsibility to its drivers. The sport's success rests on its ability to remain the premier destination for the young drivers of the day. While it remains the place to be today, it has to consider how it could lose its title in the future if it doesn't provide a platform for drivers to develop.