Virgin Racing VR-01 Cosworth

[horse]

Good pickup. So they're running slightly illegally, and might have cut the nose off to get some ballast in (the access panel they'd normally use in that section being bonded over).

I think, perhaps, that the pillars are completely new and therefore they had to cut the nose cone open to attach the top of the pillars to it.

[unique_yikes]

The front nose livery is a bit different - look at the white stickers on the side and one missing sponsor.

[horse]

The front nose livery is a bit different - look at the white stickers on the side and one missing sponsor.

Good point, there is now a Bridgestone sticker where previously there was Carbon (Something?). This must be a completely new nose-cone then, rather than a modified version of the original one. I suppose that makes sense, as I assume the nose cone and the pillars are one part. Therefore, SZ could well be right about the reasons for cutting the tip off.

[ESPImperium]

The front nose livery is a bit different - look at the white stickers on the side and one missing sponsor.

Good point, there is now a Bridgestone sticker where previously there was Carbon (Something?). This must be a completely new nose-cone then, rather than a modified version of the original one. I suppose that makes sense, as I assume the nose cone and the pillars are one part. Therefore, SZ could well be right about the reasons for cutting the tip off.

Yes, they have been forced to change it as theyre needs to be a number up front on the nose-cone or front of the monocoque. Some marshalls were a bit pissed off that there wasnt any number on the car nose last year, it happened particularly in countries where the marshall teams wernt really into the sport in the fly away races and had to have pics of drivers and helmets. I think the FIA were looking into a mandatory posistioning of numbers on cars for this year, but couldnt do it in time, but will be standard for 2011, with a standard font and size as well.

Back on topic; I expect Virgin to turn up to Barcelona with a new front wing, and next week id expect them to turn up with a new front nosecone and support system next week back in Jerez.

Nick Writh should be burning the digital hours now trying to get that problem propperly fixed and get a new wing and nosecone under the new "relyability and saftey issues" part of the new holomoginisation rules.

[xpensive]

The front nose livery is a bit different - look at the white stickers on the side and one missing sponsor.

Good point, there is now a Bridgestone sticker where previously there was Carbon (Something?). This must be a completely new nose-cone then, rather than a modified version of the original one. I suppose that makes sense, as I assume the nose cone and the pillars are one part. Therefore, SZ could well be right about the reasons for cutting the tip off.

I doubt it, think horse was right at first, pillars are all new, why you need to access the inside of the nose to fasten them.
If you look closely, stickers have been cut off and re-pasted. Why would you have ballast in the tip of the nose anyway?

[joseff]

The nose cone (sub)cone wasn't cut off and reattached. Look at the carbon weave orientation. It's a brand new tip.

IMO they shouldn't have painted the car black. Raw CF weave is tres bling.

[SZ]

Ballast in the front wing is common.

[Belatti]

The front wing yes, but I dont think someone would put ballast in the cone.

I think that with the new front tires and longer wheelbases in general, the need for front wing ballast will decrease.

[SZ]

Sure, though they've clearly got an access plate in the original wing assembly, and it's been bonded over... so where else would you put it?

That said, it's feasible that the repair was done on track, quickly, and they simply cut the cone to access other components.

[mx_tifoso]

...

That said, it's feasible that the repair was done on track, quickly, and they simply cut the cone to access other components.

No, the cause for their lack of running on Friday was because they were waiting for new parts to come in from the UK. The modifications were done at the factory overnight.

[SZ]

Whatever the press release says, I'm not convinced. A good part of that job is very obviously wet layup and the nosecone cut isn't precision work. That sort of stuff is usually handled by a trackside composites tech.

It's a sad omen for Wirth Engineering if they've got to wait to get parts from the factory for work of THAT quality.

Far more likely they were waiting for revised FEA estimates and some reinforcing parts (steel bracketry etc) from the factory, and these were bonded on overnight trackside.

[xpensive]

If the problem was underestimation of the irl loadcase, which seems likely, there would seem little use to try something else before revisiting and adjusting said case. An Ansys-run, or whatever, for a piece like that mid-section is done in a heartbeat, unless you end up going around in circles trying to optimize the darn piece again.

But I don't know, a peanut-team like Virgin might just go the good old trial-and-error route.

Still don't believe that anyone would put a ballast up in the tip of the nose after all that work with lowering CoG and minimizing the car's mass moment of inertia?

[czt]

Cars are often ballasted in the central section of the wing, so there would have likely been an access panel in this region which is now covered.

The nose tip would have always been a separate component so weave orientation isn't an indication of anything. It does look like it has been removed and replaced hastily though!

[marcush.]

you can see in the pictures of the original wing ,there is a cover plate closing the middle section of the wing between the pillars....

[Mr Alcatraz]

Lucas di Grassi said: "After three days of very little running, in the space of one day we have completed lots of mileage in the dry and we were able to work through lots of important items on our programme. The car was behaving much better after the work we did since yesterday and I think what we have achieved today is a very good start for our team. I would like to thank the guys for working some unbelievable hours this week. The way they have come together is fantastic and generally I am very happy with where we are."

http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=357471