Timo Glock (20th, 21st)

“A difficult day for me. We had a few problems in the first session with a fuel leak, which cost us pretty much the whole session – I only got two runs at the end. In the second session we had to change the set-up quite a lot, which took up nearly half of the practice. I completed two productive tests but unfortunately the front wing broke over the kerb, so I had to go back to the old one and run the soft tyre towards the end of the session which cost us a lot of performance compared to our new spec. It hasn’t been the smooth day we hoped for but I’m confident that tomorrow will bring better things.”

Lucas di Grassi (21st, 20th)

“We’ve had a very productive day today. We’ve done a lot of work with the new upgrades and the car was behaving as expected throughout the sessions. I’m very happy that we are getting closer to Lotus and we are ready to go for tomorrow. I am confident we can make another step forward for qualifying.”

Nick Wirth, Technical Director, Virgin Racing

“A fascinating and encouraging day. We did a series of aero tests today that have proved conclusively that we’ve made the expected step forwards in downforce which is consistent with our digital aero process. In fact the step is so significant that it caused a number of set-up issues that we’re trying to address. Lucas had a steady and productive day, with the set-up direction evolving as he’d found on the simulators this week, which is great news. Timo had a tricky Friday, starting with a fuel leak caused by a pinched O-ring delaying his start, and a lengthy set-up change taking up some valuable track time later on. Unfortunately he had an off prior to trying the option tyres which broke his new front wing and our spare wing hadn’t quite made it to the track in time for him to use. Nevertheless we have the spare now and we’ll look to improve the set-up again overnight.”

McLaren

McLaren have been talking up their changes for Barcelona, and are optimistic that the front row in qualifying is a possibility. There are major aerodynamic tweaks on the MP4-25, including on the front and rear wings. The team’s chief engineer Tim Goss said:

“We have certainly closed the gap. After the Barcelona test at the end of February, we were quite confident that we were there or thereabouts. So we were a little bit taken aback in [the opening race in] Bahrain. We were some way off, especially off the Red Bulls.

“In China, bar the slip-up Lewis had in qualifying, we proved that we had closed the gap in qualifying. We were probably only 0.2-0.3 seconds off Red Bull in qualifying trim.

“Barcelona depends very much on the technical changes and the results of the upgrades. We’ve made a big step forward, but the other teams like Red Bull and Mercedes are making some significant changes, Ferrari have announced that they are going to bring their own drag reduction rear wing, so I think it’s very difficult to make predictions for Barcelona. Although I’d like to think that we can put a car on the front row.”

Ferrari

Ferrari will head into the European leg of the season with their engine woes solved after the FIA gave the Scuderia permission to tweak the V8 which caused them problems at previous races. A glitch with the pneumatic valves in the engines was to blame for the failures.

That’s not the only change for Ferrari – they head to the Circuit de Catalunya with an F-duct! Whether they will use it or not at this early stage in its development is unclear. Red Bull say that an F-duct is on the way, but it shouldn’t be introduced for a while yet.

Mercedes GP

Mercedes are bringing a significantly revised W01 to Spain. In addition to a major aerodynamic and bodywork package, the length of the car is to be increased in order to improve its weight distribution and use its tyres more effectively.

They have also created an innovative air intake, with the regular single intake replaced with two separate holes on either side of the car.

Renault

Renault are making minor changes for Barcelona with a new front wing and other aerodynamic features, and the Enstone-based team are concerned that the longer wheelbase of the Mercedes may mean that the gap between the two widens. Alan Permane, the team’s chief race engineer explained:

“Mercedes may move away from us a little bit but we’ve got a new front wing and some other new aerodynamic parts that should help us make another step forward. It’s not the biggest update we’ve had this year, but it continues our approach of adding new parts at each race.

“It will be very interesting to see how the situation shakes out between the different teams.”

Force India

Force India have some aerodynamic improvements all over the car, with refinements to the front wing and bargeboard area, plus some mechanical changes aimed at improving lower speed corner performance, meaning that the Silverstone team are not concerned about losing pace to faster-developing rivals.

Toro Rosso

Toro Rosso’s STR5 will feature a new engine cover and the car will also carry new brake ducts this weekend, and team boss Franz Tost is targeting a Q3 session at Barcelona:

“In the last couple of races we already saw an improvement in our package, so in Barcelona, I would hope that if we do everything perfectly, we could get at least one driver through into Qualifying 3 for the first time this season, or if not, then at least very close to tenth on the grid, so that more points has to be a realistic target for us this weekend.”

Lotus

As you would expect at a team with Mike Gascoyne at the helm, Lotus are bringing substantial updates to Barcelona. The T127 will have an aero package with revised sidepods, front wings and brake ducts, and a number of mechanical changes.

Sauber

Sauber are bringing a package of updates to the Spanish Grand Prix, with particular focus on the front end and diffuser. The team are also trying to push their own version F-duct system.

Virgin Racing

Only Timo Glock will have a VR-01 with a big enough fuel tank after the fallout from ‘the Volcano’ meant that Virgin only had time to make 1 new chassis. Glock will also get an aerodynamic upgrade for this weekend’s race, while di Grassi will only have some new parts on his car and not the whole package.

Virgin Racing have completed their two-day shakedown today, with Timo Glock kicking things up a notch from yesterday’s exploratory laps, completing 42 laps of the 1.8km Stowe circuit during the morning.

Lucas di Grassi then took over in the afternoon recording his first 36 laps as an F1 driver, before saying:

“It feels good. It feels like home! I’m really happy and our first impressions of the car are very positive. It’s amazing what the team has achieved in such a short space of time. I think we have a strong car and a great team to get things started in Jerez. It was important for me to learn as much as possible here so I can start to put some real mileage on the car next week.”

Lucas di Grassi

Nick Wirth, Virgin Racing’s Technical Director, said:

“I am delighted that we have successfully shaken down the VR-01. To achieve 100km of running out of the box is a great achievement with only a few minor issues along the way. We have acquired some good information to feed straight back into design for the development of new parts, which we may even be testing next week. All in all this is a very pleasing conclusion to a memorable week for Virgin Racing.”

Nick Wirth

Team Principal John Booth paid due credit to his brand new race team:

“Our shakedown provided our very first opportunity to work together as a trackside operation and it couldn’t have gone any better. The way the team has come together to achieve such a successful shakedown has been commendable. I’m very proud of what we have achieved and we’re looking forward to taking our place alongside the other F1 teams in the pitlane next week.”

John Booth

Virgin Racing will join up with the other teams at the Jerez test which starts on Wednesday.

Gallery

Images (C) Virgin Racing

The shakedown will continue tomorrow before the team fly to Spain for the second pre-season test in Jerez on Wednesday.

The livery sure does look as good on track as it does in the studio shots!

Gallery

Images (C) Virgin Racing

Virgin Racing have today launched their first ever F1 car – the VR-01 in an all-online launch.

The VR-01 is the first of a new breed of race car designed entirely in the digital domain using CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics). It is the brainchild of Virgin Racing’s Technical Director, Nick Wirth, who has gained an international reputation for pioneering a purely CFD approach to car development, wholly designing, building and testing race cars in computer simulation without the need for expensive, resource-heavy scale-model wind tunnel testing.

Nick Wirth said:

“When you see what the existing teams have achieved using the conventional but proven design approach, it is unsurprising that there is a great deal of scepticism about our all-CFD approach. But we are competing in a sport that is undergoing significant change having come face to face with today’s harsh economic realities. Under resource restriction, convention will become too costly and necessity really will be the mother of invention. I have absolute belief in the digital design process and the opportunity to put the all-CFD approach to the test at the highest level – to demonstrate that this could be the way for the future of F1 – is very, very exciting.”

Nick Wirth

Virgin Racing’s team principal John Booth commented:

“Today is the culmination of a very emotional journey which really began in June last year when we celebrated the fantastic news that our entry into Formula One had been accepted. The celebrations were necessarily brief however, because we were already in a race against time to design and develop a race car at the same time as building a new team of people and premises.

“I have always had the utmost confidence in Nick to design a good race car, just as he has the faith in the race team to make a good job of operating it. Having worked closely with the technical team over the past 10 months, I know that the VR-01 is the product of a very intensive and thorough design and development process and my excitement at seeing our first race car make its track debut later this week is shared by every single person involved with Virgin Racing.”

John Booth

Sir Richard Branson, Chairman of the Virgin group, added:

“What a car! Nick and his design team have done an incredible job and so today they deserve all of the spotlight. It’s been fantastic to be part of this journey almost from the very beginning and to see a great engineering mind at work. I’m sure we will be measured by how fast the car is on the track in Jerez next week, but I hope that doesn’t overshadow the far bigger achievement of pulling an entire racing team together and taking a brave step that defies convention. In many ways this is an exploration, but given the absolute self-belief we have seen, I can’t help but feel very excited about what we can go on to achieve in the years ahead. For now though I’m looking forward to seeing the VR-01 on–track in testing in the coming weeks as we prepare for Virgin Racing’s very first grand prix.”

Sir Richard Branson

Specification

Chassis

Construction – Virgin Racing carbon fibre construction monocoque and nosebox

Suspension

Wishbones – Virgin Racing carbon fibre construction with titanium flexure joints

Uprights – Virgin Racing aluminium alloy construction
Dampers – Penske

Wheels and Tyres

Wheels – BBS
Tyres – Bridgestone Potenza

Fuel System

Fuel cell – ‘FT5’ safety specification
Fuel capacity – In excess of 200 litres

Brakes

Calipers – AP Racing 6 pot calipers
Discs/pads – Hitco Carbon-Carbon

Steering

Steering wheel – Virgin Racing carbon fibre construction
Power steering – Virgin Racing hydraulic steering assist
Driver seat – Anatomically formed carbon composite
Seat belts – Six-point harness (75mm shoulder straps with HANS system)

Electronics

ECU and logging system – FIA standard ECU & FIA homologated electronic & electrical system

Transmission

Gearbox – Virgin Racing precision aluminium construction with 7-speed, longitudinally mounted Xtrac internals
Differential – Electronically controlled hydraulic differential
Gear Selection – Paddle operated hydraulic shift system with “seamless shift”
Clutch – AP Racing
Driveshafts – One–piece driveshafts with integral tripod joints

Dimensions
Overall Length Approx 5500 mm
Overall Height Approx 950 mm
Overall Width Approx 1800 mm
Wheelbase
Approx 3200 mm

ENGINE

Designation – Cosworth CA2010
Duty Cycle Type – 4 stroke reciprocating piston, normally aspirated
Configuration – 8 cylinders in banked V configuration with an angle of 90 degrees
Construction – Cast aluminium alloy cylinder block and head, forged aluminium pistons, steel crankshaft
Capacity – 2,400cc
Valves – 32 with pneumatic valve springs
Maximum Speed – Limited to 18,000rpm
Timing – Double overhead cams driven via compliant gear from crankshaft
Mass – In excess of 95kg
Cylinder Bore – Less than 98mm
Fuelling – 8 injectors supplied by a pressurized system at 100bar
Ignition – 8 ignition coils each driving single spark plug
Lubrication – Dry sump
Spark Plugs - Champion

Gallery

Personally I can’t decide whether I like the livery or not. I think I have to wait until I see it out on track for the first time before I make my mind up. What about you? Leave us a comment!

Images (C) Virgin Racing

The VR-01 will be unveiled online on the morning of Wednesday 3 February and is expected to make its official test debut at the year’s second pre-season session, which begins at the Spanish circuit of Jerez on 10 February.

Keep up will all the launch dates in An F1 Blog’s calendar.

Despite the team putting out a press release saying the change was planned, surely I am not the only one thinking that a team principal leaving a team ‘to accept new challenges in new ventures’ before the team has raced a single Grand Prix is a bit strange. When appointed, observers questioned his suitability for the role, given his total lack of experience in motorsports.

Etienne de Villiers, chairman of Virgin Racing, said:

“John’s impressive racing pedigree and reputation is beyond question in the critical role of team principal. John will be joined by Graeme Lowdon as CEO, who previously held the position of director of racing. He was one of the founders of the original Manor Grand Prix team and a key architect of its successful formation last year. Graeme has a proven track record with Manor Grand Prix and is a formidable operator with an excellent reputation in the sport. Their combined experience and expertise make them the ideal candidates to lead the Virgin Racing team as we head into an exciting first season.

“These appointments reflect our long-term commitment to fully addressing the complexity and challenges of the new business and to creating a team with the appropriate skills and experience to ensure its sustainable success.

“We knew this day was coming but we are still sorry to see Alex move on from his executive duties. He will continue in his role as director of special projects for Virgin and will retain a close relationship with the team. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Alex for his support, energy and commitment from the outset and we look forward to his continued contribution to the business.”

“Bring it on, the sexier the better.”

…was Fernandes’ response, with the Lotus team even posting a spoof image shown above of Branson dressed up as an air hostess. He continued:

“It’s quite fitting, don’t you think? Our passengers will be delighted to be served by a Knight of the Realm. But, knowing Richard, the real challenge will be to prevent him from asking our guests ‘coffee, tea or me?’ That would be scary.”

My Thoughts

Well, who do I want to be the winner of the challenge? It has to be Fernandes after his genius quip about the matchbox car and the Branson comment. Sorry, but Lotus are my team of choice over Virgin!

Virgin Racing today made its driver announcement in London, where it was confirmed that Manor have teamed up with Richard Branson’s Virgin brand, and that Lucas di Grassi will drive alongside Timo Glock at the team. di Grassi said:

“I could never imagine a F1 debut as perfect as this one. Entering F1 with John Booth and his crew, the same people with whom I won the 2005 Macau F3 race – one of the greatest successes in my career – is really beyond perfection I should say. And I believe I am ready for F1.

“I have worked a lot during these years to get here and I believe it happened just in time. I always had great expectations about the day I would enter F1, and I should thanks everyone who was with me all these years, and I shall say John and his team are among those very people I consider helped me to get there much before we signed the F1 contract.

“Being here with them makes more sense to me than to be with a veteran organisation. We will debut together, and that detail makes for a special bond too. I guess all that will make me stronger and more confident as I will be among old friends. I am ready to work twenty four seven and I am sure I will be able to contribute with the team efforts in every stage of our evolution in 2010.”

It was also revealed that Lucas di Grassi’s fellow GP2 graduates Alvaro Parente and Luis Razia will take on the role of test drivers with the team.

Virgin Racing driver Timo Glock is certain seven-times F1 World Champion Michael Schumacher will make a return to the sport.

The former Toyota driver, now partnered alongside Lucas Di Grassi at Virgin said:

“There’s still a lot of speculation, but in the end he is a crazy race driver, and he wants to come back to racing. It’s not enough for him to just do go-kart races, or go to the Race of Champions at the end of the year.

“The flame is still there, it’s still burning within him, and it will be great for Formula One if he comes back.
“For me, my personal feeling, it is quite obvious he is coming back.

“For Formula One and the fans it would be a big boost, a seven-time world champion coming back after three years out. It would be a mega highlight, and to drive for Mercedes, you would have a German driver in a German car.”

And Glock said he would relish the chance to race alongside his countryman, but realises it would be difficult.

“To beat Michael would be a good year for us, but we have to concentrate on ourselves, and not look at what others are doing.”

Virgin Racing have revealed Portuguese drive Alvaro Parente will be their reserve driver, and they have also made their new website live today.

To visit the the Virgin Racing website, click HERE