Marussia Virgin Racing

- Published on Dec 1st, 2010 by The Badger

2010 debutants Virgin initially won the right to race in F1 as Manor Grand Prix, the John Booth-run squad who've enjoyed great success in numerous junior formulae. Booth and his Sheffield-based crew still run the team, but the addition of Virgin boss Richard Branson to the team's supporters brought about a change in name, though not philosophy.

Also on board is former Simtek and Benetton man Nick Wirth, complete with a radical CFD-only approach to designing the team's car. No windtunnels for Virgin, this is F1's first fully computer-generated car.

Their debut season was far from easy, despite a solid driver line-up of former Toyota racer Timo Glock and experienced GP2 front-runner Lucas di Grassi. The car was as quick as - and sometimes quicker than - fellow new team Lotus' machine. However frequent mechanical gremlins prevented the team from making the chequered flag as often as they wanted and ultimately saw them finish bottom of the constructors' standings in their maiden year.

For 2011 much more will be expected. Russian car manufacturer Marussia have bought a stake in the team, bolstering the coffers considerably, whilst the undoubtedly talented Glock remains on the driver line-up, joined by Belgian rookie Jerome d'Ambrosio.