[insert Virgin testing joke here]
February 4, 2010 by vmr
Filed under Prime & Option, Top Story
Thursday, after a disastrous online launch on Wednesday, the Virgin Racing car took to the track for a shakedown at Silverstone before it will join much of the rest of the 2010 field in Jerez on Wednesday. This is, according to team principal John Booth, as quoted on the ITV website, a step forward as, “early on we targeted the second Jerez test in two weeks’ time for our public testing debut…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.” It was also an excuse for as many F1 journalists as possible to make a bad (as in simply un-funny) Virgin joke in either a headline or tweet about the event.
The night before the launch (perhaps this is why it failed? they had no car to take pictures of?), the team, according to an Autosport article, passed the FIA’s rear impact structure test. Designer Nick Worth noted that they “are delighted to have sailed through the sign-off of the VR-01’s structural integrity in accordance with the FIA’s crash testing requirements.” Today began the first half of the team’s initial testing with Timo Glock driving. In an article about the event published by Reuters, Glock said, “It was a fantastic moment for myself and the whole team to see the VR-01 come alive. It’s great to be back in a racing car.” Wirth added that, “today was all about those tentative first few steps but the programme really gets underway tomorrow with a full day of on-track evaluation for both Timo and (Brazilian) Lucas (di Grassi).”
Also noted by Adam Cooper (a F1 journalist for SPEED, the American television network covering F1) on his Twitter account, is “that Virgin test driver Alvaro Parente has already lost his job because his sponsor – the Portugese Tourism Institute – backed out.” That means that only Luis Razia would remain as a reserve/test driver waiting behind race drivers Glock and rookie Lucas di Grassi.
When the team’s true testing with much of the rest of the 2010 grid begins Wednesday, they will join Williams as another Cosworth powered car in Spain. The other new teams (LotusF1, Campos, and USF1) will also run Cosworth engines, but neither USF1 nor Campos have confirmed when they will test. LotusF1 is expected to join the rest of the grid in testing during the third test in late February, making Virgin Racing the first of the new teams to test.
What does this all mean? Nothing, really, but after the excitement from early this week in Valencia, any notes of testing or cars actually running around on a track tends to get one excited. The ability to make a Virgin joke, or make a joke about a Virgin just makes the whole notion better.
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What do these cool cats look like? Sublime? Virgin on the ridiculous.
( I’m here all week.)
I think we have the POST ….. of the week
It’s most definitely a top candidate! However, there was a strong visual offering in the Forum – which I must remember to alert Todd to.
Not sure if it fits the front page’s PG13 standards, though, even if it’s only lego.
There’s an old saying that may apply to Virgin’s “1st day of testing” next week (or whenever they show up with the big boys in Valencia):
Frustration is the first time you discover you can’t do it the second time. Panic is the second time you discover you can’t do it the first time.
From that photo – Obviously Virgin just released there new boy-band. There name is “Fully Digital”.
to be fair to the boys at Virgin Racing, I didn’t anticipate the site cutting off their heads on the front page…but I did feel a bit cheeky with this story and liked the boy-band look of the picture to go with it :)
Virgin are certainly trying to sell an image with team, based not only on results. Very rock n’roll.
The joke is the picture. No car at the launch, so they show what they have? These bozos? And Michael Schumacher has died his hair? And Kevin Conway is sponsored by Extenze penis-enlarger? I want to see a racedriver like Stroker Ace.
(Come to think of it, he did have to wear a chicken suit.)
LOL. Stroker Ace…now that’s classic. Where’s Lonnie?
Where did they get the idea to use marketing money to join the “Members Only” jacket club?
They seriously look like the pre-race entertainment as Don Kirchner’s answer to The Spice Girls.
http://www.youtube.com/officialvirginracing
Check that video link for a slickly produced socalled first outing.
Maybe it’s me but I think Nick has designed a damn good looking car and I hope it turns out to be competitive and reliable. Virgin could give Red Bull a run for its money in branding but can it hang with the Bull on the track?