Graeme Lowdon confirms departure from Manor Formula 1 team

Manor sporting director Graeme Lowdon has confirmed that the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will be his last race with the Formula 1 team.

Autosport reported last month that Lowdon and team principal John Booth tendered their resignations, due to what is believed to be a difference of opinion with owner Stephen Fitzpatrick about the way forward for the team.

Booth and Lowdon were instrumental in helping resurrect the team after it fell into administration and though this season has been tough, Manor has been moving in the right direction, most notably securing Mercedes power for 2016.

Lowdon told reporters in Brazil: "Abu Dhabi is going to be my last race with the team.

"Rather than focus on the reasons why, I prefer to focus on the fact the most important task this year was to make sure that the team continued racing.

"That required a lot of hard work and a lot of commitment as well.

"My belief in the team at that stage never wavered once, and we worked very hard to make sure the team was in a position to continue."

Lowdon took the opportunity to thank people who he said were "instrumental in the team being able to continue".

"In that period - November, December, January - we received a lot of help from [F1 boss] Bernie Ecclestone in particular, also from Jean Todt," he said.

"I have to say everybody involved in the governance side and commercial rights side were constructive during the whole period and the team wouldn't have survived without that input.

"Also from Ferrari, who were really instrumental not just in the team being able to survive with the engine deal at short notice but also from very first race, the commitment from James Allison in particular.

"He had a very public task at Ferrari, to ensure the team was in a good position.

"From our point of view, as a customer team, we received some pivotal support from him.

"And of course the staff at the team. We had to get the team back together very quickly.

"That wouldn't have happened had we not been able to attract a lot of the same faces back who were with the team in previous years.

"That was extremely important as well. A lot of things had to come together.

"This has been a pretty difficult season but that is secondary to the fact the team continues and that is the most important thing."