The MR03 was the first Marussia chassis to be powered by a Ferrari engine, specifically the Ferrari 059/3 — a 1.6-litre turbocharged V6 hybrid power unit introduced under the 2014 technical regulations. This represented a significant upgrade over Marussia's previous Cosworth supply and gave the team a more competitive power unit relative to the field. The car also became the first Formula One car since the Lotus 91 in 1982 to run on Valvoline lubricant, even though its fuel was supplied by Shell V-Power.
Both drivers from the 2013 campaign returned: Jules Bianchi and Max Chilton. The MR03 showed a general improvement in performance relative to the competition compared to its predecessors.
At the 2014 Monaco Grand Prix, Bianchi brought the MR03 home in ninth place, earning two championship points — the first points in Marussia's Formula One history. It was a landmark moment for the small team.
The season turned tragic at the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka. During wet conditions, Bianchi lost control of the car and struck a recovery vehicle that was removing Adrian Sutil's Sauber. Bianchi sustained severe head injuries. In the immediate aftermath, the team raced the subsequent and inaugural Russian Grand Prix with only Chilton after initially registering American reserve driver Alexander Rossi. The sidepods of the MR03 were marked with a "#JB17" livery — referencing Bianchi's initials and race number — as a sign of respect.
The team entered administration in late October 2014 and did not attend the United States Grand Prix. The team formally folded in November 2014, ending the MR03's competitive life mid-season. Bianchi died on 17 July 2015 from his injuries, nine months after the accident.
In early 2015 the team re-emerged as Manor Marussia F1 after new owners secured the assets. With no time to design a new car, the team sought and received special FIA permission in February 2015 to modify the MR03 to meet 2015 technical regulations, racing it as the MR03B. The most visible change was a revised nosecone to conform to updated regulations. The car's minimum weight increased from 691 kg to 702 kg under the new rules. The MR03B continued to carry the "#JB17" tribute logo.
Will Stevens and Roberto Merhi were contracted as drivers. The circumstances surrounding the team's return were fraught: the computers used by the previous team administration had been wiped clean of data in the days before the auction, and the oversight was not discovered until the car was being assembled in Australia for the opening round in Melbourne. As a result, the team failed to set a qualifying time and did not start the Australian Grand Prix. The FIA investigated and cleared the team of any malicious wrongdoing; software issues were resolved before the next event.
The team made the grid at subsequent races. During the Canadian Grand Prix the car appeared in a new livery thanks to accommodation rental sponsor Airbnb, and at the British Grand Prix a further revised livery was introduced courtesy of new sponsor Flex-Box, a shipping container manufacturer, which coincided with the first technical updates the MR03B received.
At the United States Grand Prix, a special stars-and-stripes livery was applied and new sponsor Coupons.com was introduced alongside Alexander Rossi, who replaced Merhi for five of the last seven races of the season — specifically those that did not clash with his GP2 Series commitments.
The MR03B competed through to the end of the 2015 season, the only Formula One car to span two seasons under two different team names, sustained largely by tribute liveries, a changed ownership structure, and the memory of Jules Bianchi.
The MR03 occupies a singular place in Formula One history. It delivered the only points Marussia — or its successor Manor — ever scored at the highest level, and it was central to one of the sport's most tragic accidents of the modern era. The "#JB17" markings carried on the MR03B through 2015 ensured the car remained a visible tribute to Bianchi long after the constructors' championship points had been posted.
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