Manwaring leaves Minardi for Lola Cars

FAENZA, ITALY, December 2, 2002 -- The KL Minardi team announces today that its Commercial Director of the past two years, Rupert Manwaring, has left the team to take up the position of Managing Director with Lola Cars International. The highly experienced, 46-year Englishman joined Minardi in January 2001, when current Team Principal, Paul Stoddart, purchased the Faenza-based squad. Prior to joining Minardi, Manwaring's career had included senior roles with a number of Formula One teams, as well as a brief spell in the CART Indycar series.

During his time with Minardi, Manwaring oversaw the launch of many successful commercial initiatives, the most visible being the "Go KL" title sponsorship of the team in 2002. These have assisted the company financially and helped to establish a solid foundation on which the improved competitiveness of Minardi can be built in the future.

"I am obviously sad to see Rupert go, because he is not only a strong member of the Minardi senior management team, but also a good personal friend," says Paul Stoddart. "He has contributed greatly to Minardi over the last two years and has put in some extremely long hours doing so. It is that, plus the heavy travel schedule, that have been contributing factors in his decision to move to a new position, outside Formula One. All of us at Minardi thank him sincerely for his efforts on behalf of the team and wish him success in the future."

-minardi-

More on Manwaring:
Rupert Manwaring appointed Lola Managing Director