Virgin Racing reveal VR-01
The VR-01 makes its on-track debut at next week's test in Jerez
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By Matt Hallam. |  |
Thursday, 04, Feb 2010 11:14
By Adam Leveridge
Formula one debutants Virgin Racing have launched their inaugural challenger for 2010, the VR-01.
The team, which was formerly known as Manor grand prix, was rebranded as Virgin Racing at a launch event in London last December, becoming the first team to launch an F1 car designed solely using CFD (Computational Fluid Dyanmics).
The VR-01 is the creation of the team's technical director Nick Wirth, whose research company is world renowned for pioneering the use of CFD in car design.
In a statement released on the launch date, Wirth praised the engineers and designers who have worked on the Virgin Racing project since the beginning ten months ago and claimed it marks a new dawn for F1 car design.
"Putting together an F1 team, assembling an engineering group and designing a new car from scratch is an epic task in the timeframe we have been working to," said Wirth.
"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."
It was originally planned that the VR-01 would make its on-track debut in a two-day shakedown at Silverstone on Thursday and Friday this week, before joining the other teams for the third test of the year in Jerez.
However, while the Silverstone shakedown will go ahead, Virgin will now make its group test debut one week earlier than scheduled.
"It is a testament to our methodical approach and the sheer hard work of the team that we are heading to Spain a week earlier than planned to take part in the first Jerez test next week," said Booth.
"We are delighted with our fantastic new livery which provides a fitting integration of our racing brand with our important commercial partnerships.
"All in all, we have a lot to look forward to as we progress towards our racing debut in Bahrain next month."
Sir Richard Branson, chairman of the Virgin group, also praised Wirth and his design team for their hard work over the past ten months, adding that he hopes the performance of the VR-01 during next week's test doesn't overshadow their achievements.
"Nick and his design team have done an incredible job so they deserve all of the spotlight," said Branson.
"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."