Marrussia Virgin join forces with Mclaren

sportsman

Sidecar racers have the biggest cojones
Contributor
Very interesting development.Please click the link as there is more news.

http://www.virginracing.com/news/400/
The Marussia Virgin Racing team has signalled the seriousness of its intent to become a real contender in Formula One with two major announcements that represent an exciting new chapter in the team’s development.
Firstly, Marussia Virgin Racing has concluded a long-term Technical Partnership with McLaren Applied Technologies which will see the Anglo-Russian team benefit from access to McLaren facilities, knowledge and capabilities, for example their test rigs and driver-in-the-loop simulator, supply chain experience and CFD and CAE techniques including race strategy tools.
While Marussia Virgin Racing continues its commitment to CFD as a technology, in order to progress at the rate of development required to achieve its racing ambitions the team will use every means available to improve the aerodynamics of its Formula One racing cars, including access to the McLaren wind tunnel.
The Technical Partnership will also see McLaren management and production staff embedded within the team, working in roles permitted by the Concorde Agreement.
Marussia Virgin Racing’s existing agreement with its engine supplier Cosworth continues.
 
Wow, that's a pretty big bag of sweets that Mclaren have just handed to Virgin.

I guess in return they can give some of their (Mclaren) technical staff a bit more experience for future jobs, get a bit of theory testing done by using another team to try out a suggestion or two and pop a bit more cash in the bank as well no doubt.

Seems like a major win for Virgin.

I bet that will put the wind up HRT and Lotus Racing.
 
All I know is what is in the link.I don't know the full details of the Force India deal either.
Although I thought that the Force India deal was only engines and drivetrain.
I stand to corrected on that one though.
 
That's the one I was referring to.The Marrusia Virgin deal however seems to cover everything including wind tunnel, simulator use and technical design assistance, in fact at bit like a McLaren "B" team.
Martin Whitmarsh, Chief Executive Officer of McLaren Group:
“McLaren Applied Technologies is delighted to have entered into a Technical Partnership with Marussia Virgin Racing.
"Under the terms of this Technical Partnership, Marussia Virgin Racing will be able to access McLaren's wind tunnel, simulator, rigs, and fitness and wellbeing programmes.
"These properties are state-of-the-art, and we confidently therefore expect Marussia Virgin Racing to derive significant benefits from them.
"During the period in which we were agreeing this deal, our experience of dealing with Andy [Webb] and his team was extremely positive and we recognise that he and his colleagues are very serious about making developments that will lift the competitiveness of their cars over the coming months and years.
 
This is certainly a momentous announcement for Virgin, and a real boost to their credibility after pretty much abandoning the CFD-only concept. The notion of them becoming a McLaren B-team doesn't seem to far off the mark either - will we start to see McLaren protoges filling the spare seat next to Glock in future? (I'd expect Glock to be used as the benchmark for new talent in this scenario).

This also seems a much more comprehensive tie-in than the FI deal, which always seemed more of a "we'll help you install the Merc engine & give you a gearbox that'll work, but you'll have to use our suspension layout" sort of affair.
 
I met this guy a few times.Marrusia are opening a new showroom and dealership here and we were discussing using our local track for an open day.He is very likeable and decisive guy and has no doubts about acheiving any of his goals.And he and his partners are rich men, very rich men indeed.
Nikolay Fomenko


President of Russian company «Marussia Motors»

Nikolay Fomenko is a man of many talents: Qualified pilot, experienced racing driver, successful businessman and now founder of the first Russian sports car company. ‘Project Marussia’ is the culmination of Fomenko’s 15-year career in motor sport. After victories in rallycross and closed-road circuit races, his career progressed into FIA GT and Le Mans Endurance Series championships, including the 24 hours of Le Mans and Daytona and the 12 hours of Sebring. Marussia Motors is the embodiment of his passion for cars and his vision for what a state-of-art premium class sports car should be. It is also the realisation of a dream to create a Russian sports car that can compete with the best in the world.
 
I guess in part it may tie in with the fact that Mercedes, if not already, have almost completed their scaled withdraw from their interests in the Mclaren team.

This does look very much like Mclaren setting up their own outlet for a young driver program plus some other potentially useful technical support. I think Red Bull have pretty much led the way in this area with the un-official "B" team route so it makes perfect sense for other teams to follow suit.
 
This is excellent news for all parties. I'm looking forward to Virgin been the 1st points scorers of the new teams! McLaren get to train young drivers and engineers. Virgin finally get their car aerodynamic!

How is the luxury car market in Russia? The marussia tie-in could help sell some MP4-12C's!

So the current partnerships are:
Red Bull-Toro Rosso
McLaren-Virgin

Who next?

Ferrari-Sauber?
Renault-Lotus/Williams?
 
odds on Gary Paffett for a drive next year then.

I understand why all this makes sense for Virgin and everything but can't help but feel a little sour about it. I want 13(yes put it up to 26 cars please!) teams on the grid all attempting to be the best not 4 top teams and a load of B teams riding round behind them with 12 year old drivers just driving for the experience of driving and not actually racing.

With Toro Rosso being Red Bulls and now Virgin being Mclaren - and to lesser extents you have Force India for Merc and Sauber for Ferrari you might as well let the big teams run 4 cars.

Make them Toro Rosso's Minardi again and let every team fend for themselves. Neccesity is the mother of invention sometimes - let them rack their brains to try and keep up with the big teams not just beg parts off em.
 
Marussia have also bought the F1 car development part of Wirth research (from the BBC)

Virgin Racing also confirmed they have bought the Formula 1 wing of their former technical director Nick Wirth's company Wirth Research Technologies.
 
Lending tech insight and R&D is only useful if the benefactor can actually progress from that, Virgin don't really strike me as a team wanting to get that serious......to be very serious you need the dosh and a one man show ain't got the money to ever be put in the Ferrari, McLaren mould.
 
One man show Hmmm.Take a look.
http://www.marussiamotors.ru/en/

The same was said about Toyota, BAR Honda, BMW, Porsche and they have fallen by the wayside. Essentially they need the corporate clout and dedication that Ferrari and McLaren have given to F1 development to be successful or no matter what civil or super car group owns you nothing much will come from it.

Marussia Virgin by one man I meant was really a Branson brainchild most of the personal interest vests in him.
 
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