Why did Virgin use a Super Aguri as their Showcar?
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I noticed that Virgin recently used what looked like a Virgin liveried Super Aguri SA05/06 from the 2006 season for a showcar event in Russia. You can see a video of it and some pictures on their website, but i’m puzzled as to why they use a Super Aguri for the showcar, rather than last years car, they don’t even look the same(infact the SA looks a lot nicer). I understand that those cars were for sale, and also that Virgin were interested in using the ex Super Aguri factory, but that deal fell through. Wierd
It probably has something to do with the regulations. I don’t think teams are allowed to do show events with their current cars, or the cars they used one year previously, because they could be used to illegally test new parts. If you look at the Renault Roadshow, they never use the current generation of cars.
Odd that they are permitted to use current cars for behind the scene ‘filming days’ but not for live promotional events where there are literally thousands of witnesses.
Well, I don’t know if it’s an actual rule so much as a gentlemen’s agreement. If you look at it, most of these public events are held on narrow stages and the drivers tend to be a little showier than on filming days. They obviously don’t want to damage anything.
Article 22.1 and 22.2 cover this:
So they had to use the SA chassis as they do not have their own chassis from pre. 2010 in order to comply with the regs and not have it count to their testing allowance.
But Lotus always use their T127 (2010 car) when they do showcar events. Renault sometimes use last years car, while Ferrari used the F10 in Russia and at Goodwood.
But Lotus always use their T127 (2010 car) when they do showcar events. Renault sometimes use last years car, while Ferrari used the F10 in Russia and at Goodwood.
It doesn’t mean they can’t use a more recent car it’s just that if they use a more recent one then it has to count as testing/filming and come out of their allowance for the season.
Unless it was designated as an exception under 22.1 and specific tyres were set according to that. This means that if this was the case (might not have been, depends on how it was classified by FIA and pirelli) then maybe virgin just didn’t read that exception. Or else their resources were stretched too far to be able to send a recent car for that test and that was a cheaper option for them on their budget for the season.
the car in question-
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