Manning hopes to reignite career

Manning has been drafted in to join Team Great Britain for the season finale in Shanghai while regular driver Robbie Kerr is testing for his new World Series by Renault team KTR.

This weekend's race will be the first of any kind for the Yorkshireman since he was dropped by Chip Ganassi Racing's IRL squad midway through last season, and he is hoping that despite not knowing either the car or the circuit, a good result will help put him back in the minds of potential employers.

Following this weekend's race, Manning will fly to Long Beach, California in an attempt to seek out opportunities in the Champ Car World Series at next week's season opener.

"The Champ Car season starts next week and there are still a couple of rides available and I'm still really keen to do that. A good result here will help massively," Manning told autosport.com. "It will be something else to talk about and show people what I can do it again. It can only help.

"If I don't get anything out of this weekend I'm not in a worse position. One of the reasons why I got picked for this ride was to try and rekindle my career a little bit, reignite it or give it a little bit of a boost. My race experience was another reason.

"I'm going to go to Long Beach regardless. There are probably still deals to be done and I've got to work on next year now.

"Obviously people are wanting me to drive saloon cars and GT cars and this kind of thing but I've got a little bit of time to make commitments."

With the deadline for entries for this year's Indy 500 closing next week, Manning is also perusing the possibility of a one-off deal to race in IndyCar's most prestigious event.

"We are talking to people for the Indy 500 and that one race could spark of things for the rest of the season as well," he added. "There will probably be something like 50 cars entered by next week with TBA drives available, and they are going to need 10 to 15 drivers to fill the field. I'm sure I can be one of those drivers.

"I'm sure I am capable of winning too - you never know at Indy. Hopefully my last couple years of experience will help me to get a ride there."

Manning's performances in the opening free practice sessions for this weekend's race have been promising.

Despite having never driven the 550bhp A1 Grand Prix car before, Manning posted the seventh fastest time in the first free practice session and was an impressive second quickest in the second session.

"At the end of the day it is still a racing car and has four wheels on it," says Manning. "Every race you go into every time that is the way to get the best out of myself.

"The team have been a bit unlikely at times haven't they? The driver is good and the team is good but it just has not all come together. Whether I can produce that elusive first win will be seen at the end of this weekend."