News: Marussia Virgin Racing reveal car for second season in Formula One

Marussia Virgin Racing, the Formula One team with headquarters in Rotherham, has revealed their new car, the MVR-02, at the BBC's Television Centre in London.

As with last year's car, the aerodynamics of the MVR-02 have been designed entirely using CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) now using the most powerful supercomputer allowed by current agreements.

The car is the first to bear the MVR chassis designation, following Russian performance car manufacturer Marussia's acquisition of a significant stake in the team at the end of last season.

Nick Wirth, Technical Director said: "I am confident that we have made real progress with the MVR-02, producing a car with considerably more aerodynamic efficiency than the VR-01 despite the regulation changes, and having made significant gains in terms of overall quality.

"It provides a good basis for development over the course of the season, and I'm very sure we'll be able to keep up the impressive rate of aero development that we've had since the beginning of the MVR-02 project."

Marussia Virgin Racing Team Principal John Booth, said: "We had a tough but incredibly rewarding baptism into Formula One last season and I am extremely proud that we proved ourselves to be more than equal to the challenge.

"We are also very proud to be competing as Marussia Virgin Racing in 2011 and we look forward to rewarding the faith that Marussia demonstrated in the team when it made such a significant investment at the end of last year."

The team was formed when Rotherham's Manor Grand Prix in Dinnington teamed up with Sir Richard Branson's Virgin brand. LDC, a subsidiary of the Lloyds Banking Group added Manor to their investment portfolio in 2009. Russia's Marussia Motors announced that it has acquired a significant shareholding in November 2010.

The team's headquarters on Outgang Lane have been extended and the team are looking to invest in a research and development facility.

Driver Timo Glock will be the first to get behind the wheel of the new car during the first two days of four days of testing in Jerez. New driver Jerome D'Ambrosio will get his first run in the new MVR-02 for the final two days of testing in the south of Spain.

The 2011 Formula One season begins in Bahrain in March.

Marussia Virgin Racing website

Images: Marussia Virgin Racing