Force India and Virgin Launch Thread

[Sonic]

I've no idea how much they are spending on CFD TBH but I do remember reading, around the time of Marussia's investment in the team, that they were building a state of the art facility - 3rd largest in the world if I remember correctly - and that ain't going to come cheap.

[ArrowsFA1]

I suspect Lotus will leave them behind, Wirth seems to be the only person that believes CFD can handle the exceptionally complex aero modelling without a windtunnel to corelate the data.

Well, in Valencia last week Timo Glock, in the 2010 Virgin, was a mere 0.2s slower than Massa's 2011 Ferrari

[DazzlaF1]

Well, in Valencia last week Timo Glock, in the 2010 Virgin, was a mere 0.2s slower than Massa's 2011 Ferrari

And that from what I heard had quite a few 2011 components on it

[steveaki13]

Well, in Valencia last week Timo Glock, in the 2010 Virgin, was a mere 0.2s slower than Massa's 2011 Ferrari

And that from what I heard had quite a few 2011 components on it

So with the complete 2011 car Virgin should be lapping the field

Seriously though it would be great to see Virgin and Team Lotus catch and hopefully mix it with the pack.

As for HRT I can't see them being much faster in comparison to other teams than last year. However I hope I am proved wrong.

[Sleeper]

In the automotive world perhaps. But I think I am right in saying that Scaled Composites (makers of spaceship one and now virgin galactic's spaceship two - VSS Enterprise) didn't once go within spitting distance of a wind tunnel, designed exclusively on computers. So there is a precedence for this technology allowing the little guys to take on the big cheese on equal footings.

And I bet they spent a hell of a lot more than £40million, Virgins total budget, on the facilities, the R&D and and the development of the simulation softwere, not to mentiopn they would have had a lead time of years, far longer than any F1 car ever gets. Chalk and cheese comparison.

[Sonic]

And I bet they spent a hell of a lot more than £40million, Virgins total budget, on the facilities, the R&D and and the development of the simulation softwere, not to mentiopn they would have had a lead time of years, far longer than any F1 car ever gets. Chalk and cheese comparison.

You may be right, certainly on the lead time and familiarity with the software, but a quick google search suggests a budget of around the $25 million mark. How accurate that is I've no idea, but my guess is it can't be far off the mark - the X prize was only $10 million so its already a pretty big budget shortfall for a small private company to find.

Chalk and cheese? Definitely. But there are no other automotive examples - and that's kind of the point.

[Azumanga Davo]

http://marussiavirginracing.com/car/...ide-the-mvr-02

It's quite simplistic at best, which might bode well for them. I'll say one thing though, it's a very tidy and elegant looking car, that's for sure.

[RS]

http://marussiavirginracing.com/car/...ide-the-mvr-02

I'll say one thing though, it's a very tidy and elegant looking car, that's for sure.

I agree, as was last years. Much prettier than the ugly gangster batmobile Red Bull thing, although I am not sure that will reflect in speed on the track!

[Sonic]

A logical progression from lasts years car incorporating many of the themes of the last 18 months. It's interesting that they alone have gone for a reasonably low nose - is that the computers talking or simply a simple difference of design philosophy?

[Sleeper]

I do like the look of the Virgin, but it is a very simple looking car compared to the Renault, Red Bull and especially the McLaren. I cant see this getting too much farther up the grid than the 01 did.