Virgin Racing VR-01 Cosworth

[FLC]

What's up with that front suspension? Is that the steering rack between the wishbones?

[myurr]

What's up with that front suspension? Is that the steering rack between the wishbones?

Yup. The whole thing's been mounted in a funny way as well, without much height between the upper and lower wishbones and with the whole lot mounted fairly low on the nose, which is making it look weird from some angles. Confused the bejesus out of me to begin with.

[ISLAMATRON]

Those air inlets are even smaller then in the first pics... seems like the cossie is going for maximum straight line speed... since they know none of the new teams will have superior aero just bump up the power and minimise the aero drag load with small sidepod openings and voila fastest cars on the straights.

Williams dont seem to be fast around that tight valencia circuit either

[Pandamasque]

http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/2046/62723420.jpg

What's up with that front suspension? Is that the steering rack between the wishbones?

I heard the game of darts is very popular in pubs over there.

[CMSMJ1]

It is most definitely real though! A decent car, am sure it will do just fine.

The 4 new teams will take us back to 2003 when we had Minardi on the back row. Should be some good battles.

Am really glad to see this car has been built and looks decent enough!

[raymondu999]

Those air inlets are even smaller then in the first pics... seems like the cossie is going for maximum straight line speed... since they know none of the new teams will have superior aero just bump up the power and minimise the aero drag load with small sidepod openings and voila fastest cars on the straights.

Williams dont seem to be fast around that tight valencia circuit either

Wouldn't that impact the Cossie powertrain itself though if it's got so much power and so little cooling? It might be fast with little drag, but still... some of that power's probably going to bleed off into heat... right?

[Giblet]

It is most definitely real though! A decent car, am sure it will do just fine.

The 4 new teams will take us back to 2003 when we had Minardi on the back row. Should be some good battles.

Am really glad to see this car has been built and looks decent enough!

Minardi up until now still have been on the back row. Just that they are now called STR.

[WhiteBlue]

It is most definitely real though! A decent car, am sure it will do just fine.

The 4 new teams will take us back to 2003 when we had Minardi on the back row. Should be some good battles.

Am really glad to see this car has been built and looks decent enough!

Minardi up until now still have been on the back row. Just that they are now called STR.

Disregarding the short Vettel/Berger intermezzo which saw them winning Monza in 2008.

[PlatinumZealot]

It's like Nick Wirth went for minimal air disturbance in regards to the front suspension.

[Carbon]

It's like Nick Wirth went for minimal air disturbance in regards to the front suspension.

If memory serves, believe Nick was involved in the Simtek project of the mid-90s, which also featured an innovative front suspension design, very much in line with the VR-01 compact layout.



But then again....I may be wrong.

[ESPImperium]

The cars the VR-01 reminds me most of is the Spyker F8-VII and the Midland MF1, altho not ground breaking cars, good enough for a good first year baseline if the VR-01 is anything like those cars.

I must admit to having a major soft spot for those cars tho.

[dumrick]

It's like Nick Wirth went for minimal air disturbance in regards to the front suspension.

If memory serves, believe Nick was involved in the Simtek project of the mid-90s, which also featured an innovative front suspension design, very much in line with the VR-01 compact layout.



But then again....I may be wrong.

It has been Nick's obsession for many years to save height between the front wishbones, to free the airflow going to the sidepod intakes.

I believe you recall a study presented by Wirth in a Simtek of a single wishbone suspension - retaining only the lower wishbone. I recall seeing a photo of it back then (16/17 years ago) but I was unable since to find it again.

[ISLAMATRON]

Those air inlets are even smaller then in the first pics... seems like the cossie is going for maximum straight line speed... since they know none of the new teams will have superior aero just bump up the power and minimise the aero drag load with small sidepod openings and voila fastest cars on the straights.

Williams dont seem to be fast around that tight valencia circuit either

Wouldn't that impact the Cossie powertrain itself though if it's got so much power and so little cooling? It might be fast with little drag, but still... some of that power's probably going to bleed off into heat... right?

They could be running richer to help cool the engine, that would allow for smaller intake openings(less drag) but would require them to carry more fuel(didnt someone mention a 200KG fuel tank)... but if they want fast down the straights the fuel weight is not a big deal.

What they would need to do is hold off any cars in the corners and pass down the straights, and then hold them off in the corners again.

[ackzsel]

When I looked at the geometry of the front suspension and the distance (or lack of it) between the chassis mountings of the control arms in particular I got worried. I'm not an expert on the subject but doesn't such a tight "triangle" put HUGE load on the suspension during braking? Maybe CF is far more stronger than I think but it looks a bit fragile to me.

[Pandamasque]

In Russian press this guy (the funny one, Nikolay Fomenko, the man behind Marussia) claimed to have designed the suspension. "...we designed the suspension for them [virgin racing]"