MAN race power available in 2015 as well

23. September 2014After Zolder the MAN teams have some assurance about the future — or do they really?
At a meeting in the MAN Service tent at the recent round of the FIA European Truck Racing Championship in Belgium the teams were apprised of the new terms on which the manufacturer has decided to continue its engagement in the sport as an engine supplier. The apprehension that the leased engines could be withdrawn has proved to be unfounded — MAN race engines will continue to be available in 2015, in two performance variants instead of three as has been the case so far. Both variants will be made available to all teams that want them. The more powerful engine will not only cost more, but also be called in more frequently for upgrades.
The MAN Service team, however, is going to be withdrawn. MAN will no longer have its technicians at the circuits; trackside support will be taken over entirely by motorsport engineering service provider Piedrafita, which is also the entity the teams will have to enter into contract with. Piedrafita isn’t an unknown quantity; for years the Spanish company has been active at race circuits on MAN’s behalf.
The new technical regulations, however, allow the teams other options — with a free choice of engines, other manufacturers should be waiting to jump into the fray.