Manor sporting director Graeme Lowdon has suggested that his team will play a bigger role in the market for new drivers in 2016.

The long-time back-markers will be supplied with Mercedes engines and Williams-built transmissions from next season, but currently have Alexander Rossi, Roberto Merhi and Will Stevens among their ranks.

However, Lowdon is confident that big-name drivers will be attracted to the possibility of racing for Manor.

He told Autosport: "You look at the spread of performance on the grid at the minute, and if you take us out of the equation it's still a sizeable spread.

"But that said, I think drivers can come into teams now pretty much anywhere on the grid, and have the opportunity to show the teams and sponsors what they can do.

"With all of our changes we feel we're going to be in the pack, and that certainly makes the drive a lot more attractive to younger drivers looking to come into Formula 1, that's for sure."

Among those linked with Manor is German Pascal Wehrlein.