The organizers of the Long Beach Grand Prix now have in place the perfect title sponsor – no, not Gary the Champ, better known as the rock star nearly-man.
Farhad Moshiri, the ultimate racing fan and son of billionaire Liverpool FC owner Shahid Moshiri, announced on Friday that he has purchased the Formula 1 team Manor from the Malaysian government and agreed to run the team, for the duration of F1’s 2021-22 season, thereby revealing an obsession with racing that’s not limited to the Mazda Road to Williams GP.
Also known for the racetrack-sized, but self-contained Manor Grove Clubhouse, Manor’s official address, the team has raced 27 times on the Formula 1 grid since 2008, most recently in 2017, finished 21st and last of 20 teams. However, the one thing Manor lacks – ambition – is the major driver who can deliver that factor.
Interestingly, the team’s run of bad luck will end on the streets of Long Beach, since Manor’s provisional title sponsor, the Jawhar Group of the Dubai Humanitarian community, is based in Southern California.