first of the new teams breaks cover

[Craig.]

And talk about a mess, all this talk of a high tech online launch, and much like a Virgin train, it failed to show. 

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81228

First thought was they had just brought an indycar over here.

[expat]

"Wirth Research created the car entirely using computational fluid dynamics rather than using a wind tunnel."

Seem to remember that past efforts to do this was not too successful. The Williams "tusk" front wing as an example. Worked very well in the computer world, but on the track with "real" air flowing over it, it was a different matter :-?

Matt

[C]

First thought was they had just brought an indycar over here.

I think that's mainly due to in the influence of the colour scheme, particularly in the BBC shot and the way it induces an optical illusion as to the cross section of the nose. Looks rather tidy IMO.

As for CFD, it gets better and better. Wirth's on record as saying it was about 2006 - so well after the Williams Walrus -  that he thought it good enough that could he finally use it exclusively without a windtunnel. AFAIK his cars since have been quite successful too.

[Craig.]

To be fair the Williams Walrus design wasn't given much of a chance. I think had it been further developed it would have been a sucessful thing. However no one could imagine just how quick the F2004 was going to be, and I think Williams and a lot of other teams ended up with knee jerk reactions in an attempt to catch up. How many races did it last? 3 I think. And considering that the car won a race that year in the end it wasn't a bad car.
If you take a look at the Mclaren this year its not far off a simmilar design. Sweeping front pillars attatched to the front of the front wing.

The Virgin car is incredibly basic, I can only assume they have more bits to be added later.
The one thing I dont like is the Livery, it reminds me far to much of the Vauxhall VxR BTCC team, the logo especially.

[C]

The Virgin car is incredibly basic, I can only assume they have more bits to be added later.

I suspect they are keeping their cards close to their chest.

The one thing I dont like is the Livery, it reminds me far to much of the Vauxhall VxR BTCC team, the logo especially.

It made me think of Indycar!

[Craig.]

That too lol. But the shape of the car topped off by the colour scheme made it look indy like to me.

[C]

That too lol. But the shape of the car topped off by the colour scheme made it look indy like to me.

As I say, the layout of the nose colours made it look almost curved (semicircular), like the current Indycar chassis.

[Craig.]

Nick Wirth has said he is encouraged by the car and its pace after its first dry test.
Not sure why, it was 9 seconds off the pace, and its front wing fell off.
At least they are sorting it now, hopefully the other new teams dont show up at bahrain and find these things out in the race.

[The Ruptured Duck]

Nick Wirth has said he is encouraged by the car and its pace after its first dry test.
Not sure why, it was 9 seconds off the pace, and its front wing fell off.
At least they are sorting it now, hopefully the other new teams dont show up at bahrain and find these things out in the race.

Wouldn't his response to this be something along the lines of:  "it didn't fall off, it reduced drag"

[Craig.]

You should be their new PR man

[The Ruptured Duck]

You should be their new PR man

I would enjoy that.  F1 teams are in serious need of a sense of humor.

[Craig.]

And your chances just went down the drain.
There will be no entertainment of any kind coming from an F1 team. This is a serious business I'll have you know.     

[Craig.]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3n4ga35fSg
virgins wing falls off,