Marussia targeting first pre-season test with 2013 car

Marussia are confident that their 2013 car will be unveiled at the first pre-season test next February, and that the development of the Marussia MVR-03 car is currently on schedule. The Anglo-Russian outfit were late in unveiling their car during pre-season testing at the start of the 2012 season, and were forced to initially use their 2011 car.

Whilst other teams unveiled their new 2012 cars either before or during pre-season testing, Marussia’s initial plans were scuppered as the MVR-02 car failed to pass several of the sport’s mandatory crash tests. Team principal Graeme Lowdon is confident history will not repeat itself next February, with the team planning to unveil their new car prior to the first pre-season test which starts on February 5th.

"It’s on target at the moment, and in fact some bits are ahead," Explained Graeme Lowdon to AutoSport. “We’ve got a high degree of confidence. We’ve got a totally different structure now. This will be our first car that’s truly our car in terms of the new people involved. The car we’ve just finished with was a full CFD car when we hit the first race."

Despite having 10th place in the Constructors’ Championship cruelly snatched away from them by rivals Caterham during the final race of the season at Sao Paulo, Graeme Lowdon still thinks Marussia is a worthy top ten team. The team currently has one vacancy remaining for the 2013 season alongside Timo Glock, with reserve driver and GP2 star Max Chilton strongly tipped to partner the German.

"I definitely think this is a top ten team.” Continued Graeme Lowdon, “We didn’t have a top ten car, and that’s something that takes time and money. Look at Brazil, Timo’s fastest stop was faster than all the stops McLaren did. People don’t notice that kind of thing, but we’ve now got a very, very good team. A really good structure, very tight-knit and a very low cost base. If we have a car that’s capable of quicker lap times, which is the other piece of the jigsaw - and everything I’ve seen is that next year’s car is going to be a really good car - then you can’t write this team off. I’m looking forward to Melbourne."

With HRT currently not on course to be on the grid come the Australian Grand Prix next March, Marussia and Caterham will remain as the two lowest teams on the grid. This will unquestionably make the battle for 10th in the Constructors’ Championship a much more intense affair, and one which Marussia will be eager to clinch ahead of their Leafield-based rivals.

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