Virgin Racing 2011 Car Launched

GravyMonster · 7 Feb 2011 at 11:12

Seems someone at Virgin pressed the button on the site before the official launch at BBC TV Centre - oops!

More here

Weebull · 7 Feb 2011 at 11:21

For some reason the pic on the site comes out really stretched horizontally. Makes the nose look extra flat.

Looks good though. Whilst the Lotus seems to be most people's underdog choice, I really hope Virgin can get up into the fight too.

Duke · 7 Feb 2011 at 11:28

The rear looks tightly packed and front nose looks a bit better. Looks like last years side pods, engine cover and rear wing?

Flibster · 7 Feb 2011 at 11:30

Source images:

http://assets.virginracing.com/cdn/media/image/9dcaf017.jpeg
http://assets.virginracing.com/cdn/media/image/b3b04b09.jpeg
http://assets.virginracing.com/cdn/media/image/f57a46fe.jpeg
http://assets.virginracing.com/cdn/media/image/1a387b79.jpeg
http://assets.virginracing.com/cdn/media/image/419f69a2.jpeg

Oh, and they're now racing as a Russian team.

GravyMonster · 7 Feb 2011 at 11:32

Someone on Twitter just said they've changed their racing license to Russian? WTF?

Branson had enough already?

Flibster · 7 Feb 2011 at 11:34

Spunkey said:
Someone on Twitter just said they've changed their racing license to Russian? WTF?

Branson had enough already?

Knew about it last week. The Marussia guys seem to have insisted on it.

GravyMonster · 7 Feb 2011 at 11:37

Oh well. Gives Petrov somewhere to go next year after Renault give him the boot.

Back no topic, the actual launch is just pure LOL. 45 mins in and all they've done is talk about the team, become Russians, chat to Glock and show off the Marussia supercar. Still no revealing of the F1 car.

Weebull · 7 Feb 2011 at 12:37

Love the art deco-ish driver portrait backdrop. Very stylish.

The team can call themselves whatever nationality they like, they're still based in the UK. No different to Red Bull really.

Mr Jack · 7 Feb 2011 at 12:44

It's quite a nice looking but, sadly, not a fast looking car.

Janesy B · 7 Feb 2011 at 12:53

Mr Jack said:
It's quite a nice looking but, sadly, not a fast looking car.

You can tell? Impressive.

Firestar_3x · 7 Feb 2011 at 12:58

Funny comment is funny, that's up with Rypt levels of stupidity.

I_M_Weasel · 7 Feb 2011 at 13:03

Flibster said:
Oh, and they're now racing as a Russian team.

That must be because they want the Russian national anthem played when they win.

PinkFloyd · 7 Feb 2011 at 13:25

I like that, good looking car - possibly the best so far purely on aesthetics.

GravyMonster · 7 Feb 2011 at 14:14

Close up detail of the exhausts/diffuser:

Mr Jack · 7 Feb 2011 at 14:34

Janesy B said:
You can tell? Impressive.

Hey, I said "looking", it's just an impression.

We won't know until it hits the track, but if you compare it to the cars from the top teams I'm not seeing any particular signs of innovative design, or the kind of carefully worked aerodynamic elements you see on front running cars. In comparison, it has relatively simple lines to it which suggests that it won't generate the same levels of downforce, balance, etc. as the better cars.

Flibster · 7 Feb 2011 at 14:42

Middle section of the car looks almost unchanged from the VR-01 at first glance. Overlays the VR-01 almost exactly. Pushrod rear end. I hope it's more radical than just a few small changes, as they'll be in trouble if it isn't.

Can't say thats it's pretty either. Lots of empty space on the car, which has surprisingly little Virgin sponsorship on it.

Dutch Guy · 7 Feb 2011 at 14:53

Some fat guy sat on the nose just before the pic :eek:

Firestar_3x · 7 Feb 2011 at 15:28

Mr Jack said:
Hey, I said "looking", it's just an impression.

We won't know until it hits the track, but if you compare it to the cars from the top teams I'm not seeing any particular signs of innovative design, or the kind of carefully worked aerodynamic elements you see on front running cars. In comparison, it has relatively simple lines to it which suggests that it won't generate the same levels of downforce, balance, etc. as the better cars.

I'm going to remember this corker for other threads.

Dare i ask what you think fast looks like?

SoliD · 7 Feb 2011 at 15:43

Much lower nose than every other teams car it seems, doesnt look like a great step forward from last years unfortunately, and those sidepods look tiny now we have seen McLarens!

Mr Jack · 7 Feb 2011 at 15:53

Firestar_3x said:
I'm going to remember this corker for other threads.

If you think speculation on seeing new cars should be limited to commenting on the colour scheme, why do you bother with these threads?

Dare i ask what you think fast looks like?

This or this, for example.