Set-up gamble fails (Virgin race review)

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Virgin gambled on an aggressive low-downforce set-up at Montreal but changing track conditions and continued unreliability meant a poor race for the team.

Timo GlockLucas di Grassi
Qualifying position2123
Qualifying time comparison (Q1)1’18.941 (-0.734)1’19.675
Race position19
Average race lap1’25.921 (-0.838)1’26.760
Laps50/7065/70
Pit stops43

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Timo Glock

The Lotuses draw ever further out of reach – Glock was seven-tenths of a second slower than the quickest of the T127s at Montreal in qualifying.

Technical director Nick Wirth explained Glock’s troubles during the race:

For us, the worse-case tyre degradation that we planned for occurred, and the team did an unprecedented eight pit stops, all very smoothly.

We came out of the first lap in reasonable shape but unfortunately Timo had been hit from behind which cost him over 10% of his downforce, mainly at the rear. With rear tyre degradation as the dominant factor, his possibility of being competitive was effectively over and he had to do a number of very short stints and cope with this issue.
Nick Wirth

A steering rack leak ended Glock’s race.

Compare Timo Glock’s form against his team mate in 2010

Lucas di Grassi

Was around 50 seconds behind Heikki Kovalainen when he lost hydraulic pressure and had to finish the race without changing gear.

Finished five laps down, but his low-downforce set-up meant he was fourth-quickest through the speed trap, hitting 323kph.

Compare Lucas di Grassi’s form against his team mate in 2010

2010 Canadian Grand Prix

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    Author information

    Keith Collantine
    Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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    4 comments on “Set-up gamble fails (Virgin race review)”

    1. Weasel Chops
      14th June 2010, 15:56

      Think you’ve attributed the quote wrong there Keith. Either that or Glock’s taken to refering to himself in 3rd person :D

      1. The article says the quote was from Technical director Nick Wirth.

        1. The name was wrong under the quote though. Changed it now.

    2. So it goes to show without the inferior aero from the new teams, the Cosworth engines do alright.

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