The Marussia Thread

[AdrianSutil]

And give the son of a former champion a few starts?

Nicolas Prost perhaps?

I will if it's Josh Hill.

[mario]

Marussia have a female test driver !!! Maria de Villota has (kinda) made it into F1 !!!

Okay, this has to be a rejectful PR boost for Maurssia! Next step, get her some friday practice sessions!

That is an interesting question - is de Villota actually eligible for a super license at the moment? I know that she took part in a test session last year with Renault, but that particular test was more than 90 days ago and I'm not sure that she reached the 300km minimum threshold for mileage anyway.
The fact that the team are talking about de Villota taking part in the Young Driver test in Abu Dhabi - post season testing in other words - but have not mentioned Friday practise sessions suggests that the team might not have been able to obtain a license for her. If they can't sort out her license we won't be seeing her in the car any time soon...

[dr-baker]

Marussia have a female test driver !!! Maria de Villota has (kinda) made it into F1 !!!

Okay, this has to be a rejectful PR boost for Maurssia! Next step, get her some friday practice sessions!

That is an interesting question - is de Villota actually eligible for a super license at the moment? I know that she took part in a test session last year with Renault, but that particular test was more than 90 days ago and I'm not sure that she reached the 300km minimum threshold for mileage anyway.
The fact that the team are talking about de Villota taking part in the Young Driver test in Abu Dhabi - post season testing in other words - but have not mentioned Friday practise sessions suggests that the team might not have been able to obtain a license for her. If they can't sort out her license we won't be seeing her in the car any time soon...

In which case, won't she have to take part in the test between the early-season flyaways and European season? After all, a filming day allows a maximum of 100 km per day and she'll need a minimum of 300 km as you said mario.

Won't her (rejectful) appearances in Superleague count towards her Superlicence?

[mario]

In which case, won't she have to take part in the test between the early-season flyaways and European season? After all, a filming day allows a maximum of 100 km per day and she'll need a minimum of 300 km as you said mario.

Won't her (rejectful) appearances in Superleague count towards her Superlicence?

If de Villota were to take part in the mid season test session she could in principle rack up enough mileage to become eligible for a super licence, and I do not rule out the possibility that she may be given time in the car for just that purpose. There is no guarantee that she will definitely be in the car for that test though, because the team might prefer to use their regular drivers instead (the FIA are allowing the teams to use their main drivers for that test).

As for her Superleague results, the FIA would probably take those into consideration as proof she can drive a powerful single seater without presenting a risk to her fellow competitors, but only in addition to carrying out a test in an F1 car. The reason for that is that Superleague is not one of the series that the FIA would normally consider as a conventional entry method into the sport - the exact wording of the clauses are as follows:

5.1.1 The driver must be the holder of a current FIA International Grade A licence.

5.1.2 The driver must also satisfy at least one of the following requirements:

a) have made at least 5 starts in races counting for the FIA Formula One World Championship for Drivers the previous year, or at least 15 starts within the previous 3 years.

b) have previously held the Super Licence and have been the regular test driver with an F1 World Championship team for the previous year.

c) have been classified, within the previous 2 years, in the first 3 of the final classification of: the F2 Championship, or the International F3 Trophy, or the GP2 Series, or the GP2 Asia Series or the Japanese F/Nippon Championship,

d) have been classified in the first 4 of the final classification of the Indycar IRL series within the previous 2 years,

e) be the current champion of one of the following: Formula 3 Euro Series, the principal national F3 championships of: Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Spain, World Series F/Renault V6
N.B.: the title of Champion is considered valid for 12 months from the last race of the relevant series or championship season.

f) be judged by the FIA to have consistently demonstrated outstanding ability in single-seater formula cars, but with no opportunity to qualify under any of c) to e) above. In this case the F1 team concerned must show that the applicant has driven at least 300 km in a current Formula One car consistently at racing speeds, over a maximum period of 2 days, completed not more than 90 days prior to the application and certified by the ASN of the country in which the test took place.

[S951]

her sponsors cough up money the team put her in the 10 car run it for 300km job done as long as she doesn't bin it? faster than pic and to score a fluke point you heard it here first

[inchworm]

f) be judged by the FIA to have consistently demonstrated outstanding ability in single-seater formula cars, but with no opportunity to qualify under any of c) to e) above. In this case the F1 team concerned must show that the applicant has driven at least 300 km in a current Formula One car consistently at racing speeds, over a maximum period of 2 days, completed not more than 90 days prior to the application and certified by the ASN of the country in which the test took place.

[/quote]

Do 2010 cars count as current?

[dr-baker]

her sponsors cough up money, the team put her in the 10 car, run it for 300km, job done, as long as she doesn't bin it? faster than pic and to score a fluke point - you heard it here first

I hope you're right (although that would at least triple the number of points scored by womankind! )

[S951]

not only that dr-baker! the point she scores will be 1 of 3 she scores! means marussia will finish ahead of hrt & caterham yes hrt will score a point by pedro scoring an emotional 10th in spain

[dr-baker]

not only that dr-baker! the point she scores will be 1 of 3 she scores! means marussia will finish ahead of hrt & caterham yes hrt will score a point by pedro scoring an emotional 10th in spain

She'll score 3 points? She'll finish 10th THREE times? (or a 9th and a tenth...)

Bring it on!!!

[S951]

to make it interesting in the spirit of fun that this forum is I will say 10th 3 times in a row of which once she will be having a battle with a more established named driver *insert driver of choice here*

[mario]

f) be judged by the FIA to have consistently demonstrated outstanding ability in single-seater formula cars, but with no opportunity to qualify under any of c) to e) above. In this case the F1 team concerned must show that the applicant has driven at least 300 km in a current Formula One car consistently at racing speeds, over a maximum period of 2 days, completed not more than 90 days prior to the application and certified by the ASN of the country in which the test took place.

Do 2010 cars count as current?

It's not entirely clear if they do - the FIA have not defined what exactly counts as a "current" F1 car (i.e. whether it applies only to the cars entered for this season or whether it is extended back to cover cars that are two or more years old and can be used for promotional and testing purposes).

[AndreaModa]

I find it quite amusing that the team are sponsored by 'learndirect', which I believed was a government-owned organisation, until I discovered it was sold to the Lloyds Banking Group last year. Lloyds itself is part-nationalised after the GFC, and owns a small stake in the F1 team, which was purchased at the outset back in 2010. That explains why the LDC logos have been on the car since it raced as Virgin Racing, and now explains why learndirect has found it's way onto the rear wing endplates!

So technically, the Marussia F1 Team are part-owned by the British government! Any chances of full nationalisation on the horizon?

[dr-baker]

So technically, the Marussia F1 Team are part-owned by the British government! Any chances of full nationalisation on the horizon?

Now that would just be totally rejectful.

[Waris]

So technically, the Marussia F1 Team are part-owned by the British government! Any chances of full nationalisation on the horizon?

Now that would just be totally rejectful.

BRM comeback much??

[dr-baker]

So technically, the Marussia F1 Team are part-owned by the British government! Any chances of full nationalisation on the horizon?

Now that would just be totally rejectful.

BRM comeback much??

Really? The government? Learn something new every day...

[AndreaModa]

Glock's giving the usual pre-season talk of 'building the team' etc, etc!

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/97982

I think he deserves a lot of credit for holding out this long with the team. He could have quit at the end of 2010 and gone racing sportscars or whatever and been quite successful, but instead he's holding out with Marussia. Nice to see a bit of commitment for a change in my opinion.

[Nuppiz]

Glock's giving the usual pre-season talk of 'building the team' etc, etc!

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/97982

I think he deserves a lot of credit for holding out this long with the team. He could have quit at the end of 2010 and gone racing sportscars or whatever and been quite successful, but instead he's holding out with Marussia. Nice to see a bit of commitment for a change in my opinion.

He's quite much like what Kovalainen is for Lotus/Caterham, but without the occasional flashes of unexpectedly good performance.

[Klon]

I think he deserves a lot of credit for holding out this long with the team. He could have quit at the end of 2010 and gone racing sportscars or whatever and been quite successful, but instead he's holding out with Marussia. Nice to see a bit of commitment for a change in my opinion.

Well, he has no other choice - if he were to quit Marussia before the end of his contract, he would admit failure both on a personal and on a driver's scale, which means he could kiss his F1 career goodbye. He is screwed either way if Marussia do not improve and do that fast, but if he would have quitted back then, his career would be forever tainted. So I'm afraid his motives are less idealistic as one could assume.

[JeremyMcClean]

I think he deserves a lot of credit for holding out this long with the team. He could have quit at the end of 2010 and gone racing sportscars or whatever and been quite successful, but instead he's holding out with Marussia. Nice to see a bit of commitment for a change in my opinion.

Being successful in a lower series is better than failing in a higher series IMO.

[AndreaModa]

Oh of course I agree with both of you, but no-one would be surprised if he did walk away, and whilst his options in F1 may be limited, he could easily go into sportscars, prototypes or the DTM and do well. Instead he's sat tight and I think now with stable ownership and everything under one roof in Banbury, the team will start to see some progress, particularly with the tie-up with McLaren. Thus Glock's patience will have paid off to a certain extent, and may even in the long run improve his options at getting a better drive should he choose to do so - much like Kovalainen may experience too, albeit sooner.

[nome66]

i applaud Marussia for designing one awesome looking car.....and one without a Stepped-Nose at that!

looked around this thread and noticed no one posted a pic so here you go

EDIT:: D'OH! sorry didn't look hard enough

[dr-baker]

i applaud Marussia for designing one awesome looking car.....and one without a Stepped-Nose at that!

looked around this thread and noticed no one posted a pic so here you go

EDIT:: D'OH! sorry didn't look hard enough

Don't worry, it is probably the smallest of all the steps out there, alongside HRT's. (I think that has a slight step too, doesn't it?)

[AndreaModa]

The HRT's is more of a ramp really rather than a step I think. I'd say the Marussia's is probably the thinnest nose of the field as well, I'm not sure whether I actually prefer it over the McLaren though, the chunkiness seems better, and less fragile than Marussia's.

Plus, it's not like they don't have history in the area of fragile noses! Anyone remember the 2010 pre-season tests and the front wing failures?

[nome66]

i feel that HRT's car is a GP2 chassis with a Cosworth v8 strapped to the back

[RealRacingRoots]

I wish the Marussia was Blue instead of Red.

[dinizintheoven]

I wish the Marussia was Blue instead of Red.

The genie of Paint Shop Pro grants your wish!

[AndreaModa]

Yeah, even I think that looks far better!

[Minardi Man]

Here's betting the car will be surprisingly slow, even given the expectations

[AndreaModa]

Okay so following on from an interview between Marussia chiefs John Booth and Graeme Lowdon on Autosport Plus, there's been a couple of articles released for viewing by the unwashed masses.

Firstly, as would be expected, they're acknowledging the fact that reliability will likely be a problem during the flyaway races, and they're hoping that the car's pace will confirm that its season is back on track (not mentioning of course that it's not even begun yet... )

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/98004

Secondly, in today's news roundup, Lowdon and Booth support Bernie's recent idea of budget caps, but not customer cars. The team entered F1 of course at a time when it was largely believed the budget cap would be in effect by 2010. Since that's never materialised, all three new teams have struggled, so it's no surprise that a team with one of the smallest budgets on the grid backs the budget cap ideas.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/98005

[DanielPT]

Secondly, in today's news roundup, Lowdon and Booth support Bernie's recent idea of budget caps, but not customer cars. The team entered F1 of course at a time when it was largely believed the budget cap would be in effect by 2010. Since that's never materialised, all three new teams have struggled, so it's no surprise that a team with one of the smallest budgets on the grid backs the budget cap ideas.

The customer cars position from Marussia is what it is expected to. They did a major investment in personnel, not to mention the need to have a state of the art factory for car manufacture. Well, they have made it and can build a car, albeit a slow one, for now. Giving up on that now it really not the best interest and it would be all too easy for a new team to come, buy a last year Red Bull and then blow Marussia to pieces...

[mario]

Secondly, in today's news roundup, Lowdon and Booth support Bernie's recent idea of budget caps, but not customer cars. The team entered F1 of course at a time when it was largely believed the budget cap would be in effect by 2010. Since that's never materialised, all three new teams have struggled, so it's no surprise that a team with one of the smallest budgets on the grid backs the budget cap ideas.

The customer cars position from Marussia is what it is expected to. They did a major investment in personnel, not to mention the need to have a state of the art factory for car manufacture. Well, they have made it and can build a car, albeit a slow one, for now. Giving up on that now it really not the best interest and it would be all too easy for a new team to come, buy a last year Red Bull and then blow Marussia to pieces...

In the case of Red Bull I suspect that they'd be more interested in going back to the old business model they had with Toro Rosso, whereby that team were given a modified version of the chassis the parent team used. I don't blame them for being critical of Bernie's suggestion since (as was mentioned in another thread) it does carry connotations of being an indirect method of satisfying Ferrari's desire for seeing more of their cars on the grid...

As for the question of reliability, it is interesting - the team have been ostensibly focussing on a slightly conservative but technically solid car, and there is probably relatively little on that car which is all that new. Still, it is going to be a difficult process - it is hard enough to introduce updates during the opening long haul races, but trying to do that whilst you are still getting to grips with the car is going to complicate matters further.

[dr-baker]

Marussia have a female test driver !!! Maria de Villota has (kinda) made it into F1 !!!

I've only just realised - this is the team formerly known as Virgin... We have all recovered from our puerile sense of humour!

[Klon]

I've only just realised - this is the team formerly known as Virgin... We have all recovered from our puerile sense of humour!

There is no woman which doesn't qualify as insane in some way and is a virgin at the age of 32. There is no joke to be made here.

[dr-baker]

I've only just realised - this is the team formerly known as Virgin... We have all recovered from our puerile sense of humour!

There is no woman which doesn't qualify as insane in some way and is a virgin at the age of 32. There is no joke to be made here.

Erm, this?

[DanielPT]

I've only just realised - this is the team formerly known as Virgin... We have all recovered from our puerile sense of humour!

There is no woman which doesn't qualify as insane in some way and is a virgin at the age of 32. There is no joke to be made here.

Erm, this?

I agree that it can happen, although most chose that way of life instead of being imposed on them. While to women it is much easier to have free sex if they want, to men, well, they can always go and pay for it...

[Wizzie]

There is no woman which doesn't qualify as insane in some way and is a virgin at the age of 32. There is no joke to be made here.

Erm, this?

I agree that it can happen, although most chose that way of life instead of being imposed on them. While to women it is much easier to have free sex if they want, to men, well, they can always go and pay for it...

Dear god people. Think of the wmetcalfs of this world

[DanielPT]

I agree that it can happen, although most chose that way of life instead of being imposed on them. While to women it is much easier to have free sex if they want, to men, well, they can always go and pay for it...

Dear god people. Think of the wmetcalfs of this world

He is still too young. Give him time.

[Wizzie]

I agree that it can happen, although most chose that way of life instead of being imposed on them. While to women it is much easier to have free sex if they want, to men, well, they can always go and pay for it...

Dear god people. Think of the wmetcalfs of this world

He is still too young. Give him time.

Even so, corrupting him at such a young age could have dangerous and far-reaching consequences

Plus, it's only a matter of time before Phoenix sees fit to return and intervene in this

[DanielPT]

Dear god people. Think of the wmetcalfs of this world

He is still too young. Give him time.

Even so, corrupting him at such a young age could have dangerous and far-reaching consequences

Plus, it's only a matter of time before Phoenix sees fit to return and intervene in this

Can't agree that we are corrupting him. At least, we are educating him in the ways of a forumite life!

[dr-baker]

Probably my fault. I did start it after all. Sorry.

Although the lesson here is: There is more to life than relationships with members of the opposite sex. Sorry, I mean gender. Formula One, and the Rejects contained therein, is what it is all about. So there.