Having already delivered the welcomed news of a potential purchase of the team just before Christmas it is with great sadness that I have to report the news of Manor Racing's demise. My source who provided insight into the potential takeover by an Asian consortium contacted me last night with a heavy heart, letting me know that the deal had fallen through and that the current owners are no longer willing to bear the financial costs of operating the team.I'm told that the wheels have still been in motion over the last few months, with the crash tests completed and work on this years cars still ongoing. However, it would appear that production has been slowed and I'm informed that with several suppliers still to be green-lit the team would struggle to make the first race let alone testing, something that would put them at a huge disadvantage should a rescue package arrive.Personally I'm thoroughly dissapointed by the news, as it seemed that Manor were starting to get all of their ducks in a row and could be seen as a potential challenger in the midfield going forward if they continued on the same trajectory. However, I don't blame the current ownership for drawing a line under their time in the sport, having propped the team up with a lot of their own money fulfilling the age old adage - How do you make a small fortune from Formula One? Start with a large one...