Tom Hartley

Tom Hartley is a former Formula 1 driver and is the longest serving manager in RLB history, having participated in each of the nineteen seasons of the series' history. He currently manages the Scuderia Toro Rosso team.

Pre-RLB
Hartley had had moderate success as a driver in the single-seater lower formulae in the late 1980s, before earning a surprise call-up to race for Fondmetal at the British Grand Prix. With the team struggling for finance, Hartley would also make an appearance at the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, but could not retain a full-time drive after finishing in a best position of eleventh. With his Formula 1 dream over Hartley switched to the BTCC, winning the title at his second attempt. Soon after Hartley retired from racing, in 2000 becoming chief mechanic and strategist at the Minardi Formula 1 team. Later in his autobiography he revealed he had been inspired to work in racing management after meeting Ron Dennis at Silverstone in 1986.

Scuderia Toro Rosso
By 2006 Hartley had become second-in-command at Minardi. When Paul Stoddart announced his intention to sell the team to Red Bull, Hartley was chosen to lead the renamed Scuderia Toro Rosso outfit. Following the team's youth policy, Hartley hired two relative unknowns in the team's first season; Danny Chao and Neil Pickup. In a disappointing year, the team finished last in the standings, despite an incentive that the team would re-hire whoever scored the most points for a second season.

The second season offered signs of improvement, as Chao was joined by another rookie, Jef Beyens. While Chao would complete his swansong year at the team, Beyens went on to achieve great success, beginning at Magny Cours. In a race noted for its torrential rain, Beyens showed great skill to take his, Toro Rosso's and Hartley's first victory.

Scuderia Ferrari
Despite the victory, Toro Rosso were not progressing as well as many had expected, and Hartley's reputation had outgrown the team. As Scuderia Ferrari searched for a full-time manager, Hartley came up in direct competition with Callum Lea, who had won the first two titles with BMW Sauber. In the first ever vote for a management position, Hartley won and joined Ferrari.

After initial optimism, Hartley's tenure at Ferrari would be brief and ridden with controversy. Having successfully poached Simon Sheasby from Sauber to partner Martin Miles, things started well with a 1-2 at the Australian Grand Prix. But that was one of few high points in a disappointing season, which saw Sheasby leave before the final round at Interlagos. The team brought back former driver Ally Nicholson for the final round, as they again took a 1-2, but the title went to Travy D'Souza.

Still, no-one could have guessed that the following year would be Hartley's last at Ferrari, especially after the signing of Mike Aurilio. However the season started even worse than the previous one, and when Aurilio and Hartley fell out mid-season, the Canadian was sacked. Shortly after Hartley was in turn sacked by Luca Di Montezemelo, before Aurilio's replacement Duane McAndrew could win in France.