Mercedes AMG Petronas
Manor has confirmed that it has signed Mercedes youngster Pascal Wehrlein for the 2016 season.
Wehrlein, 21, has been affiliated with Mercedes for several years and participated in Formula 1 test days for the reigning champions and Force India in 2015, alongside his title-winning DTM campaign.
Manor has acquired Mercedes power units for 2016, having previously used 2014-spec Ferrari engines, and has also begun a technical partnership with Williams.
Manor has also undertaken management restructuring across the winter, with Dave Ryan, Nikolas Tombazis and Pat Fry all joining the team in senior roles, as it bids to move up the grid.
"Manor Racing is a great place for me to start my Formula One racing career - I’m very pleased to be here," said Wehrlein, who will sample the squad's new MRT05 machine in Barcelona.
"It’s a small and totally focused team and I soon hope to know everyone. Though it’s my first F1 season my aim is to help [owner] Stephen [Fitzpatrick] and the guys achieve their goals.
"It will be a tough challenge but I think we should be able to challenge for points along the way. It’s going to be good fun.
"A word for my racing family at Mercedes-Benz, and particularly for Toto [Wolff], who have guided my career this far and made this opportunity possible. Thanks for the incredible support to help me achieve my dream; now it’s down to me to grab the moment and perform on track."
Wehrlein became the youngest champion in DTM's history in 2015 during his third year in the category.
Wehrlein's most recent full-time single-seater campaign came in 2012, when he finished runner-up in the Formula 3 Euroseries.
Wehrlein made his Formula 1 test debut for Mercedes at the end of 2014, having been appointed as its official reserve driver, and completed six days of action in Formula 1 machinery last year.
The German youngster racked up substantial mileage for Mercedes and Force India during tests in Spain, Austria, and Abu Dhabi.
The identity of Wehrlein's team-mate at Manor has not yet been confirmed, with 2015 drivers Will Stevens and Alexander Rossi, along with GP2's Rio Haryanto, understood to be in contention.
