2011 Marussia Virgin Racing

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Drivers:

24.         T. Glock



25.            J. d`Ambrosio






Team Virgin-Cosworth 2010 Season Stats

RACE   DATE   RACE PTS   TOTAL PTS

Bahrain GP   14 Mar 2010   0   0
Australian GP   28 Mar 2010   0   0
Malaysian GP   4 Apr 2010   0   0
Chinese GP   18 Apr 2010   0   0
Spanish GP   9 May 2010   0   0
Monaco GP   16 May 2010   0   0
Turkish GP   30 May 2010   0   0
Canadian Grand Prix   13 Jun 2010   0   0
European GP   27 Jun 2010   0   0
British GP   11 Jul 2010   0   0
German GP   25 Jul 2010   0   0
Hungarian GP   1 Aug 2010   0   0
Belgian GP   29 Aug 2010   0   0
Italian GP   12 Sep 2010   0   0
Singapore GP   26 Sep 2010   0   0
Japanese GP   10 Oct 2010   0   0
Korean Grand Prix   24 Oct 2010   0   0
Brazilian GP   7 Nov 2010   0   0
Abu Dhabi GP   14 Nov 2010   0   0

Virgin unveils MVR-02 in London
7 February 2011

Marussia Virgin Racing has revealed the first shots of its 2011 contender, the MVR-02, as a Monday morning launch ceremony continues at the BBC television centre in London. For 2011, Germany’s Timo Glock remains on-board as new team-mate Jérôme d’Ambrosio of Belgium replaces the departed Lucas di Grassi.


Following a difficult opening season in Formula 1, finishing 12th in the championship without registering a point’s finish, Virgin is hoping to challenge the sport’s more established teams this year. As well as competing with its all new design in 2011, the Dinnington-based squad will be racing under a Russian licence during the upcoming F1 campaign.

“We had a tough but incredibly rewarding baptism into Formula 1 last season and I am extremely proud that we proved ourselves to be more than equal to the challenge,” Team Principal John Booth commented at the MVR-02 launch. “We are also very proud to be competing as Marussia Virgin Racing in 2011 and we look forward to rewarding the faith that Marussia demonstrated in the team when it made such a significant investment at the end of last year.

“2011 is all about moving forward and starting to achieve solid results. We have a very exciting driver line-up in Timo Glock and Jérôme d'Ambrosio. Timo did an exceptional job in difficult circumstances last season and contributed a great deal to the car’s development and that of our racing team."


The MVR-02 features some clear design changes from its 2010 predecessor, with the team adopting a more refined approach after the time-constraints it endured during the build up to last year’s season-opener in Bahrain. With more time to complete its new contender, the team has been able to introduce significant aerodynamic modifications.

Compared to last year’s chassis, Virgin has integrated a lower front wing, with refinements made to the endplates and surrounding nose area. Added to this, the team has a much more sophisticated rear-end package, with substantial modifications made towards the back of the team’s new challenger.

“We have addressed every single issue that troubled us last year, but in our own unique digital way,” Technical Director Nick Wirth explained. “For example, the hydraulics and gearbox oil problems of last year have resulted in us doing more CFD in these areas alone than we used in the entire aero design program our first digital race-winning sportscar in 2008.


The new MVR-02 on show at the BBC television centre in London

"I am confident that we have made real progress with the MVR-02, producing a car with considerably more aerodynamic efficiency than the VR-01 despite the regulation changes, and having made significant gains in terms of overall quality. It provides a good basis for development over the course of the season, and I'm very sure we'll be able to keep up the impressive rate of aero development that we've had since the beginning of the MVR-02 project.”

Virgin will be running with its new chassis for the first time at the next pre-season test at Jerez, which takes place between Thursday and Sunday. Timo Glock and Jérôme d’Ambrosio will be present at the venue in Southern Spain, with the pair getting a chance to drive the MVR-02 across the four-days of testing.

_{Courtesy of: gpupdate.net}

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Virgin to race under Russian licence from 2011
4 February 2011

The Virgin Racing Formula 1 team will be racing under the Russian flag in 2011, Marussia Motors President Nikolai Fomenko has revealed. In November, Marussia Motors acquired a significant stake in the British-based team, and has expressed its desire to turn Virgin into a fully-fledged Russian outfit.

According to Fomenko, Virgin's Engineering Director, the license has been granted that gives the team the right to race with the Russian flag to its name. Therefore, if the squad were to make it to the top step of the rostrum from 2011 onwards, race officials would play the Russian national anthem to mark its victory.

“On Monday, February 7, we will officially announce that Marussia Virgin Racing is not just the first Russian team, but the first team with a Russian licence. This means that for a victory the Russian anthem will be played,” Fomenko explained.

_{Courtesy of:   gpupdate.net}

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Glock has surgery to remove appendix
1 March 2011

Timo Glock has undergone surgery for the removal of his appendix this week, the Marussia Virgin Racing team has confirmed to GPUpdate.net. However, whether the German will be forced to miss next week’s final pre-season test session in Barcelona as a result remains to be seen.


A decision will be made regarding Glock and the final test early next week

Glock had been scheduled to drive at the Circuit de Catalunya on Wednesday and Thursday, with team-mate Jérôme d’Ambrosio beginning and ending the test on Tuesday and Friday respectively.

However, the Sheffield-based team’s plans may now have to be modified following the German’s operation.

“At the moment it's too early to say if he will miss the test or not,” a Virgin Racing spokesperson explained to GPUpdate.net on Tuesday afternoon. “The team will make a final decision early next week.”


_{Courtesy of:   gpupdate.net}

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D'Ambrosio enjoys more mileage on Thursday
10 March 2011

Jérôme d'Ambrosio was in an upbeat mood following the conclusion of on-track action on Thursday, with the Formula 1 rookie enjoying a 'much more positive' time behind the wheel of his MVR-02 compared to 24 hours ago. The young Belgian was able to complete 96 laps of the Spanish circuit, setting a time of 1:27.336, enough for 11th place on the timing screens.

"Today we have had a much more positive day and it was great to get so many laps in and complete our programme," d’Ambrosio stated. "This is the second full race simulation I have completed now and having this opportunity to do four full days before the start of the season is very important.

The GP2 graduate will be in the cockpit for a third consecutive day on Friday, and was pleased to see his team-mate Timo Glock back in the paddock following an appendix operation last week: "Tomorrow will be another exciting day for me and then we will have a good picture of where we are. It was also great to see Timo back today."

_{Courtesy of:   gpupdate.net}

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Team Marussia Virgin

Pace fears for Glock after practice
25 March 2011

Virgin Racing drivers Timo Glock and Jérôme d’Ambrosio had varying stories to tell following Friday’s first three hours of practice time at Albert Park. Although fuel levels and car setups are unknown, the two best lap times in question would not have been sufficient to survive the returning 107 percent qualifying rule.

“Not an easy first day,” Glock began. “I had a bit of trouble this morning in terms of the setup and the behaviour of the car was not right, quite difficult.


Virgin’s quickest lap time was 6.3 seconds off the leading pace demonstrated by McLaren's Jenson Button

“In the second session we made some improvements but the gap to the top guys is quite big and that's a bit disappointing. We have to make the best out of it, get on top of it and make the car quicker.”

His rookie Belgian team-mate then expressed his view of events:

“Today has been something very special for me, for sure. I have been racing since I was eight years old so today is a dream come true. It was very exciting to drive out of the garage this morning and also to drive here in Albert Park for the first time; it’s a fantastic track and I like it very much, so a lot of great things to be happy with.

“We have some work to do to improve, that is clear, but this is only the beginning. We showed that we could make progress through both sessions so we have to get the best out of the package we have here and then keep pushing to improve.”

_{Courtesy of:   gpupdate.net}

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Glock: It has been a tough test for us
26 March 2011
2011 Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix: Saturday qualifying results

Timo Glock has admitted that it has been a ‘tough test’ for his Marussia Virgin Racing squad in Melbourne this weekend, with the German driver finishing Saturday’s qualifying session in 21st place. However, despite concerns that the team would fall foul of the 107 percent rule, both drivers set times fast enough to qualify for the race.

"The first weekend of the new season has been a tough test for us and today we got the chance to see where we stand and how we need to move forward," Glock said. "I had a new engineer and a new performance engineer over the winter and together with my car crew they have done a fantastic job in testing and this weekend.

"At the end of the day though, fighting for a time within 107 percent of the leaders is not what we’re here for and we can see now where we are and what we need to do to progress.

"We are a really strong team and now we have to bring the car up to where we need it to be. As for tomorrow, the opening race of the season, we will be focusing on staying reliable and bringing both cars to the finish as the reward for everyone’s hard work."

Belgian team-mate Jérôme D’Ambrosio added: "I'm very happy with the progress made this weekend and this has ensured we can look forward to the race tomorrow. On a personal level this was my first qualifying session and I was able to see exactly what was required and where I have to improve.

"I will use all the information, good and bad, to see what I need to work on so I can keep improving. But for now I am happy that things went our way today and I hope I can have a positive experience in my first Formula One race tomorrow."

_{Courtesy of:  gpupdate.net}

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D’Ambrosio pleased to complete first F1 race
27 March 2011
2011 Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix: Sunday race results

There were mixed fortunes for newly-named Marussia Virgin Racing on Sunday, with Jérôme d’Ambrosio managing to complete the distance on his Formula 1 debut in Australia as team-mate Timo Glock spent his race in and out of the pit lane.

“I’m really happy to have finished my first Formula 1 Grand Prix,” the Belgian rookie began. “I started really well and I felt comfortable in the car, even though I think that I could have gone a bit faster at the end of the race.

Glock's race began with a trip across the Turn 1 grass

“But the most important thing is that we completed the race and this will give me plenty of experience which will be useful for the next races. I would like to thank the team for a great job all weekend.”

“I think we had quite a good speed in the race,” Germany’s Glock added. “I was behind Jarno Trulli, then caught him and got past him in the pit-stop. Unfortunately, at the pit-stop the front left wheel was loose and I had to drive round for one lap very slowly then come into the pits.

“Unfortunately the drive pegs were damaged but we repaired it, and I at least was able to rejoin the race. For the first couple of laps it was okay but then the car had quite a lot of vibration, so I just tried to focus on finishing the race.

“In the end it was a little disappointing but at least we demonstrated good reliability and brought both cars to the finish.”

_{Courtesy of:  gpupdate.net}

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D’Ambrosio content despite retirement
10 April 2011
2011 Malaysian Formula 1 Grand Prix: Sunday race results

Jérôme d’Ambrosio failed to make the end of the Malaysian Grand Prix although the Belgian heads to China with positivity. After launching his Formula 1 career with 14th position in Australia, the GP2 graduate was forced to return to the Sepang paddock on foot.

“I'm quite happy with this weekend,” the Marussia Virgin Racing driver remarked. “I won't be remembering the fact that I stopped with less than 15 laps to go but my goal was to improve on Melbourne on both Saturday and Sunday. Saturday was definitely much better - and the race as well.

“I was able to keep up a good pace, especially in the second and third stints, so I must say I'm pretty happy about that. But this is just the beginning and I have to keep on working and improving all the time. I've made a step in the right direction so that's good.”

_{Courtesy of:   gpupdate.net}

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Virgin waiting on Turkey car upgrade
13 April 2011

Marussia Virgin Racing will be focusing on the finer details of its operation and race strategy management in China this weekend, with the squad currently working on an upgrade to its MVR-02 which is scheduled to be completed prior to the fourth round of the championship in Turkey. After struggling for pace so far in 2011, Team Principal John Booth has explained that moving up the grid at Shanghai will be a difficult task.

"After Malaysia, we move on to another Herman Tilke designed track, which always provide a bit of everything for the drivers," Booth commented ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix this weekend. "It’s the third and final long-haul race before the start of the European season in Turkey, where we are planning to upgrade the car.

"Whilst the hard work to move us forward takes place behind the scenes at our technical base in the UK, we’re in a bit of a holding pattern performance wise.The best job we can do right now is to keep pushing ourselves operationally and strategically, as we have done over the first two races, to ensure that when the car is improved we are in the strongest possible position to take advantage of every opportunity."

Virgin Racing driver Timo Glock added: "The demands for racing at this Chinese track are to have a car that is stable under braking as well as a lot of traction to exit the corners well. I was pleased with our weekend in Malaysia and while we’re waiting for these steps to move us forward, we must try to maintain the small signs of good progress we are showing at the races."


_{Courtesy of:  gpupdate.net}

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Glock first to receive ‘new direction’ updates
4 May 2011

Virgin Racing will introduce a number of upgrades for the Turkish Grand Prix this weekend but, like in 2010 when their fuel tank was too small, only Timo Glock will receive the parts initially. Team-mate Jérôme d’Ambrosio’s car will then be updated for the following event in Barcelona a fortnight later.

“By our own admission it’s been a difficult start to the year, but we actually started doing something about that when we realised back in testing that we had not met our targets,” explains Team Principal John Booth.

“We’ve been working hard behind the scenes since the middle of February and this weekend sees the culmination of all those efforts when we will be able to see just how much we can progress now.

"The extent of our upgrade package for the start of the European season is significant, to say the least. Aerodynamically, it’s a new direction for us and we’re hopeful that it will help us start to turn the corner, although with such a major step it may take us some time to tune it to the race track.

“Jérôme will not have the benefit of the full upgrade package until Spain but he will get a taste of some of the elements this weekend. We are of course mindful of the fact that everyone should have taken a step forward ready for Europe, so we will have to see how we’ve fared versus the rest of the field.”

_{Courtesy of:   gpupdate.net}

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‘D’Ambrosio’s Virgin seat under threat’
10 May 2011

Jérôme d’Ambrosio is under threat of losing his place at Marussia Virgin Racing, according to Belgian newspaper Nieuwsblad. It is being reported that several sponsors of the driver are not submitting relevant payments to the Sheffield-based team, prompting a trip to Belgium for Gravity Sport Management CEO Eric Boullier.

Up from GP2, d’Ambrosio is making his Formula 1 debut this year and replaced Brazil’s Lucas di Grassi at the John Booth-run outfit. However, Canadian Robert Wickens – Virgin F1 reserve driver and currently competing in Marussia colours in Formula Renault 3.5 - could be drafted in to race alongside Timo Glock.

“I will go to Belgium on Thursday,” explains Boullier, Team Principal of Renault and CEO of Gravity Sport Management, which manages d’Ambrosio. “This can’t go on any longer. Anything saying Jérôme’s sponsors have paid is not true. Everything is stuck.

“I recently spoke with the people at Virgin and they are starting to get impatient. They have clearly told me that, if there is no change in the situation, they will consider replacing Jérôme.”

The amount of credit due is believed to be in the region of five million euros (£4.4m).

Quaife-Hobbs to test Virgin F1 car on Sunday
11 May 2011

The Marussia Virgin Racing Formula 1 team has announced that Britain’s Adrian Quaife-Hobbs will be conducting a straight-line test in Spain on Sunday. The run will be held at the Idiada oval test facility, just over an hour’s drive from Barcelona.

In 2011, 20-year-old Quaife-Hobbs is competing in feeder series GP3 for Marussia Manor Racing and is part of the Marussia Virgin Young Driver Development programme. On Sunday, the Pembury driver will be evaluating the bodywork of the car raced by Timo Glock and Jérôme d’Ambrosio, racking up approximately 300 kilometres (just over 185 miles) in the process.

“I’m very much looking forward to driving an F1 car for the first time and must thank the Marussia Virgin Racing team for the faith they have shown in me, in allowing me to carry out aerodynamic testing in their new car,” he comments.

“It’s a great opportunity to get the chance to drive an F1 car as the team carries out computerised design testing. We’ll be testing lots of aero parts and I’m really proud to be playing a part in it. Doing aero testing there is no pressure to perform, but it will give me a great opportunity to see how the F1 team works.”

One weekend later, Quaife-Hobbs will be back in Spain for Rounds 3 and 4 of the GP3 season at the Circuit de Catalunya, located on the other side of Barcelona.

_{Courtesy of:  gpupdate.net}

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Virgin drivers excited about Budapest
27 July 2011

The Hungarian Grand Prix holds exciting memories for Timo Glock, who picked up his first F1 rostrum finish at the race for Toyota in 2008. However the Budapest venue is somewhat unknown territory to 2011 Virgin Racing team-mate Jérôme’ d’Ambrosio, who has never driven the track in a Formula 1 car.


2008: Glock's first F1 podium

“Hungary is always one of my favourite races of the season,” says German Glock, who on Sunday was announced as a Virgin driver until at least the end of 2014. “In 2008 I scored my first ever Formula 1 podium there, so the Hungaroring holds very special memories.”

“I’m really looking forward to racing in Hungary, where I will work hard to put all the pieces together across the weekend and put in a good performance,” adds his Belgian team-mate.

“I still have to work on improving my qualifying performance to make sure I have better chances during the race; if I can do this I think I can have a strong race because the pace of the car in Germany was good.”

_{Courtesy of:   gpupdate.net}