Clock ticking for Marussia after failing F1 crash test

The Banbury-based team has confirmed its new car, the MR01, has failed the last of 18 FIA crash tests, and so has pulled out of this week’s final pre-season test at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya.

Marussia were involved in the second test last week at the same circuit, albeit in last year’s car as they evaluated the latest sets of Pirelli tyres for this campaign.

The team, who were known as Virgin Racing last season and based at Dinnington in South Yorkshire before their close-season move, had hoped to be lining up in Barcelona again from Thursday, but one of the FIA’s new regulations for this season is that no team can take part in pre-season testing unless its car has passed all of the crash tests.