Virgin: Glock can’t keep Lotuses behind

2011 European GP team review

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The Virgins were able to overhaul the HRTs but didn’t have the pace to challenge the Lotuses.

Timo GlockJerome D’Ambrosio
Qualifying position2123
Qualifying time comparison (Q1)1’42.553 (-1.182)1’43.735
Race position2122
Laps55/5755/57
Pit stops22

Virgin drivers’ lap times throughout the race (in seconds):

https://www.racefans.net/charts/2011drivercolours.csv

123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354555657
Timo Glock122.674110.982111.002111.259110.916110.199110.439109.813109.882109.736109.386109.39109.717109.354109.917110.429124.783114.84108.396112.111109.823109.275107.726109.039107.787108.941107.616107.46107.317108.703107.578107.321107.677107.782107.729107.444107.389108.193109.379107.337108.75124.048115.369113.249107.381106.906106.759106.705106.628107.99106.842107.962109.066109.485108.109
Jerome dAmbrosio125.662111.354111.061111.021111.3110.329109.983109.876109.946109.718109.598109.84110.018110.797111.851111.083110.242126.628116.162109.143108.526108.858108.368109.331108.041108.797107.676108.379108.063108.649108.514108.538110.225108.718109.166109.697127.174114.477108.599107.277108.104108.45109107.584107.524109.121107.698108.585107.771108.568107.164107.443107.721107.433107.799
Timo Glock, Virgin, Valencia, 2011

Timo Glock

Opportunistic driving on the first lap allowed Glock to pass both Lotuses despite not getting ahead of them off the line – he squeezed past around the tight corners as they crossed the bridge for the first time. He even picked off Jaime Alguersuari around the outside of turn ten.

But his advantage was short-lived: “I had a very good opening lap and I overtook both the Lotus cars and a Toro Rosso, although he got right back past me straight away.

“Once the DRS was enabled I couldn’t keep Heikki [Kovalainen] and Jarno [Trulli] behind me and after that I just ran my own race.”

The DRS zone was enabled on lap three, he fell to 21st on lap four, and that’s where he finished, 16 seconds behind Jarno Trulli.

Timo Glock 2011 form guide

Jerome d’Ambrosio

Qualified behind Vitantonio Liuzzi but broke free of the HRT, which pitted once more than he did.

Struggled to the end of the race without a drinks bottle, losing three kilos of fluid according to the team.

Jerome d’Ambrosio 2011 form guide

2011 European Grand Prix

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    Image © Virgin Racing

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    11 comments on “Virgin: Glock can’t keep Lotuses behind”

    1. Poor D’Ambrosio. Must have felt like a replay of Dallas ’84 to him. Good job for holding on and finishing non the less.

      And I would really love to get my hands on the footage of that first lap by Glock. Shame the car is that far below par.

      1. And this is one of the toughest (physically) races of the year!

    2. I wonder if there’s anything they could at the pit stops to get him drinks. Maybe someone giving him a bottle in his lap and putting the straw in his helmet, with him throwing the bottle away at the end of the pitlane?

      Didn’t Alonso faint after the Bahrain GP two years ago, he had nothing to drink as well.

      1. Yeah, this strikes me as an area where F1 can be improved.

        1. It’s definitely a safety issue.

    3. Glock is having a great season. He’s driving the socks off that thing. I wish someone would give him a top drive – when I see Heidfeld and Petrov at Renault I do wonder why.

      1. agreed John, good point

    4. Gutted for D’Ambrosio, he did well to make it to the end.

    5. That’s mental – no drinks? Jeepers.

      Glock should be in a better car, I agree with that statement. Epic start.

    6. May Glock can replace Barrichello at Williams?

    7. One of Timo’s great drives and a fine example of why DRS is such a bad thing – even lower down the grid. There is no way one of these lower teams is going to score a point using the lost art of defensive driving anymore.

    Comments are closed.