Virgin Racing has unveiled its debut Formula One car as it prepares to become one of four new entrants in the 2010 championship.
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Formula One drivers Timo Glock, of Germany, left, and Lucas Di Grassi, of Brazil, right, pose with Richard Branson.
© AP Images |
Richard Branson's Virgin, which has secured the title sponsorship of Manor GP, has now displayed its car ahead of the other new teams: Lotus, USF1, Campos and Sauber.
Virgin technical director Nick Wirth tested the red-and-white car in computer simulation without the need for expensive wind tunnels.
The digitally designed VR-01 missed the first all-team test this week in Valencia, Spain, but race drivers Timo Glock and Lucas di Grassi will participate in the second test later this month in Jerez.
Before its public testing debut, Virgin's on-track evaluation program will begin at Silverstone on Thursday and Friday.
Virgin aims to operate with a budget of only 40 million pounds ($64 million), which it claims to be the lowest on the 13-team grid.
"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 skepticism (about our approach)," Wirth said. "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."
Virgin is not setting high targets for its first season.
"We aren't going to try to run before we can walk," Wirth said. "The starting point is to try to run reliably, safely and efficiently and be the best of the new teams. Then we will start to bring performance to the car through a continuous development program in computer simulation.
"We fully expect to encounter issues along the way."