F1: Manor unsure when it will hit track

The Manor Formula 1 team is unsure of when its cars will be ready to run for the first time after missing the first day of practice for the Australian Grand Prix.

Software problems caused by the team's hard drives being wiped in anticipation of a sale of its assets, which was subsequently canceled, are the main reason for the team's lack of running with drivers Roberto Merhi and Will Stevens. This means that not only must the necessary software be set up to operate individual parts of the car, but they must be made to "talk" to each other.

While he was unable to confirm when the cars will hit the track, Manor CEO Graeme Lowdon remained confident that it's only a matter of time before it can run.

"I honestly don't know," said Lowdon when asked when the cars will be ready. But what I can guarantee you is that, in terms of commitment and rate of problem-solving, we will be absolutely flat out," he said. "It's not simply a software issue – there are a lot of issues, none of which are a big surprise when you consider the amount of work that has been required to get the team here in a very short space of time.

"The problems that we are dealing with at present are not unusual for the task that we are doing, which is effectively setting up both trackside and on-track infrastructure for both of these cars to run. We just have to deal with the problems one at a time.

"I think as we steadily get through them we will be able to put a little more accuracy on any kind of prediction. At the moment, it's very difficult to predict because they are binary problems – things either work or they don't work."

Lowdon added that the team has everything it needs in order to race, while Ferrari team principal Maurizio Arrivabene stressed his commitment to the team. This is despite Ferrari having been one of the main creditors to the team in its previous guise as Marussia.

"Last year, we dealt with one company and we are still working to get back our money as everybody knows," said Arrivabene. "Now we are dealing with a new company so it is a completely different story.

"We are doing our job now to support them also, because they show to us that they stick to what is agreed in the contract and they are serious.

"I said to Graeme in a very simple way, 'We are more than open to help you but no money, no honey.'"

Originally on Autosport.com