Virgin (Manor GP) to be Publicly Announced on Tuesday

[philipbain]

Manor GP will announce their intention to run as Virgin with Timo Glock and probably Lucas Di Grassi as thier drivers. Adam Carroll had been linked to the 2nd drive but for some unknown reason they went with Di Grassi, who failed to win the GP2 series despite running competitive equipment in no less than 4 attempts. For one I would favour Carroll, he took some sub-standard GP2 teams to places they didnt belong and won the final A1GP championship in style.

[eloyf1]

Di Grassi, who failed to win the GP2 series despite running competitive equipment in no less than 4 attempts.
2006 - Durango (Yes, "competitive equipment")
2007 - ART - 2nd
2008 - Campos GP - 3rd, whilst absent in first three meetings
2009 - Racing Engineering - 3rd, with a team clearly behind Barwa's and ART's pace

I understand that you would like to see Carroll in F1, but don't try to underrate other drivers...

[philipbain]

2006 - Durango (Yes, "competitive equipment")
2007 - ART - 2nd
2008 - Campos GP - 3rd, whilst absent in first three meetings
2009 - Racing Engineering - 3rd, with a team clearly behind Barwa's and ART's pace

I understand that you would like to see Carroll in F1, but don't try to underrate other drivers...

Fair comment, i'll give you Durango, they are not exactly a top draw team. I don't mean to under rate Di Grassi, it's just for me I have never really considered him to be a top draw talent, a driver with that something extra which is required for success in the sport at the highest level, and I feel Carroll has it but apart from A1GP hasn't had the chance to really show it, plus he has a spectacular charging style that is reminiscent of Mansell or perhaps an even more accurate comparison should be Ronnie Peterson, which is high praise indeed but no less deserved.

[harsha]

i actually felt that Di Grassi was the best driver in the 2008 season...

[VkmSpouge]

An investment arm of the Lloyds Banking Group has invested £10million in Virgin/Manor

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80571

[jens]

I don't think there is any evidence to claim that Carroll is superior to di Grassi. The main pro-argument for Carroll is that "he hasn't had a proper chance", which somehow is interpreted like "this automatically means he would shine given a proper chance," while there is no guarantee for that.


An investment arm of the Lloyds Banking Group has invested £10million in Virgin/Manor

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80571

That's certainly great news for Virgin and after Lotus they are establishing themselves as a serious new team. The main doubt is that how much of a hindrance is the lack of wind-tunnel in car development for them.

[Saint Devote]

That's certainly great news for Virgin and after Lotus they are establishing themselves as a serious new team. The main doubt is that how much of a hindrance is the lack of wind-tunnel in car development for them.

And it is exactly that which makes it the most interesting concept team on the grid. If the Acura LMP1 is anything to go by, then it could be the Brawn of the year.

[I am evil Homer]

Glad my taxpayer bail out of LloydsTSB is being spent on F1!!!!!

[Giuseppe F1]

Its now official

Autosport have the story - Glock and Di Grassi to drive and new logo below:

http://cdn.images.autosport.com/editorial/1260870400.jpg


http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80577

[Giuseppe F1]

Looks from this picture of the team launch today that Virgin Racing have signed FxPro as a sponsor from Sauber -

http://www.sutton-images.com/previews/djm0915de01.jpg

The team reminds me of when RBR first launched, with a very trendy looking feel with everyone in the matching 'T-Birds' jackets etc and guitars on the stage - the team looks kinda cool I guess which should appeal to various sponsors - kinda like the old RBR and Jordan approach to team presentation.

The matching jackets here look a bit more 'F1' than how Lotus presented Jarno and Heikki yesterday in smart-suit, ties.......and caps!! :)


I like how their new logo also seems to replicate the corners of a race-track too. Also seems Kappa have been signed up as another well-known brand associate and theyll probably provide teamwear for VR - BBC anchorman Jake Humphries facilitated the launch:

http://www.sutton-images.com/previews/djm0915de24.jpg

http://www.sutton-images.com/previews/dne0915de15.jpg

http://www.sutton-images.com/previews/djm0915de34.jpg

[Giuseppe F1]

http://www.sutton-images.com/previews/djm0915de36.jpg

[I am evil Homer]

It's suits Branson's marketing approach and presentation so good on them. Always nice to have some upstarts doing things differently I just hope they stick around for years to come.

[DazzlaF1]

Not just FxPro signed up by the looks of it also Kappa, Clear, CSC and some sort of Carbon Green initiative (fitting in well with Branson's ambition to get F1 cars running on cleaner fuels) on board too, that looks like a very healthy list of sponsors to go with the Virgin branding. Makes me think the car will be a sleek looking Black and Red like Manor's F3 cars which would look nice.

To me they're running Lotus close in terms of the title of "best prepared newcomer" And its a decent driver pairing too.

[VkmSpouge]

Good luck to Virgin. I think they have a pair of good drivers in Timo Glock and Lucas di Grassi. The big question will be whether designing the VR-01 without a windtunnel is going to give them a decent car for 2010?

[F1boat]

Decent team, although I think that their lineup is weaker, when compared to Lotus F1.

[DazzlaF1]

Decent team, although I think that their lineup is weaker, when compared to Lotus F1.

Really? I think its a better lineup

A solid points scoring driver getting his chance in a number 1 drivers role coupled with a hard charging GP2 race winner with good potential. Its a good mix of youth and experience and i think thats the way to go, Campos will probably do the same. Lotus have gone for experience and solid mid to front running drivers and good luck to them on that front.

They say that they both want to be the "best of the newbies" but i have a feeling that both Virgin and Lotus will not only do that, but beat Toro Rosso and maybe challenge Renault for a top 7 spot in the constructors as well.

[UltimateDanGTR]

They say that they both want to be the "best of the newbies" but i have a feeling that both Virgin and Lotus will not only do that, but beat Toro Rosso and maybe challenge Renault for a top 7 spot in the constructors as well.

beating renault for a top 7 spot? maybe, i doubt it but maybe. more to the point, i dont think any of us could expect to say that 4 years ago....

[AndyL]

According to James Allen, Branson has got the title sponsorship of the team without paying a penny for it :eek: the crafty blighter :D

http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2009/12/virgin-go-their-own-way-with-new-breed-f1-team/

[Saint Devote]

According to James Allen, Branson has got the title sponsorship of the team without paying a penny for it :eek: the crafty blighter :D

http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2009/12/virgin-go-their-own-way-with-new-breed-f1-team/

Perhaps it was conditional or maybe John Booth recognized the strength of the Virgin brand: Manor-Cosworth versus Virgin-Cosworth?

Either way both parties had to agree and the risk Branson is that the car could be slow.

I do not think it is a zero sum game.

[I am evil Homer]

Branson has connections...I bet his involvement helped get those other people to sign up too. He's a smart man - you don't make hundreds of millions from nothing in the space of 25 years with being a clever operator.

[CNR]

let Lotus F1 outscore Virgin

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8415008.stm

[Mark]

LOL. Always the publicity merchant!

[christophulus]

let Lotus F1 outscore Virgin

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8415008.stm

Lotus are up for the challenge..

http://www.lotusf1racing.my/article/items/Tony_Fernandes_Accepts_Richard_Bransons_Challenge. html

What if they both end up with 0 points?

[pino]

Lotus are up for the challenge..

http://www.lotusf1racing.my/article/items/Tony_Fernandes_Accepts_Richard_Bransons_Challenge. html

What if they both end up with 0 points?

Dunno about Virgin and it's drivers, but I am sure that Trulli will score many points for Lotus ;)

[V12]

The battle between Virgin (I've finally gotten used to that over Manor now) and Lotus will be interesting and I'm looking forward to it, I agree that at this stage they're looking like the two best bets of the new teams, and I wouldn't bet against them looking good against Toro Rosso now that they can't run rebadged Red Bulls anymore and are effectively Minardi again with RB sponsorship (except the Minardi of it's day had never gone four years without designing a car!)

[V12]

Lotus are up for the challenge..

http://www.lotusf1racing.my/article/items/Tony_Fernandes_Accepts_Richard_Bransons_Challenge. html

What if they both end up with 0 points?

Most ninth places, if that's equal then most tenths, elevenths etc. That's how it's done officially when determining CC standings anyway.

Think Bernie's "medals" system, but only for the non-points places.

EDIT: D'oh, top ten get points next year, so most 11ths, then 12ths etc. only

[jens]

Virgin Racing seems to have quite an interesting image, but I can't help but notice that they seem too idealistic and this is something that may well become fateful for them. Rhetorics like "we are trying to do things in our own way" (like also USF1 keeps repeating) and "we are trying to prove that it is possible to succeed with the smallest budget" don't really inspire confidence. They may try to be brave, but there is a clear possibility for a significant fail. Hopefully they can be at least remotely competitive though.