Wirth Research to pay for its major blunder
Wirth, 44, is the new British team's technical director, engaged through his separate Oxfordshire-based engineering group Wirth Research.
After it emerged that the current VR-01 design will not accommodate enough fuel to reach the end of races, media reports have estimated the cost of the necessary redesign at 1 million pounds.
Reports on Wednesday said Wirth had admitted that his company will pay the bill.
"The chassis supplier is us — nothing to do with engine supplier or fuel supplier," Wirth is quoted as saying by the Telegraph. "What that means is that we are fixing it for the team. We are not charging the team.
"It's our responsibility to provide cars that can finish a grand prix. It's down to us," he said.
An ironic twist to the fuel tank story is the fact that, due to a separate fuel pick-up issue, drivers Timo Glock and Lucas di Grassi are having to qualify with too much fuel aboard their VR-01s.
"We've got problem after problem," Wirth is quoted as saying by the Times.
03/31/10 Nick Wirth has revealed that his company, Wirth Research, will pay for all redesign work on the Virgin Racing car as it is modified in order to incorporate a large enough fuel tank. The new model is expected to break cover at the Spanish Grand Prix, the first race of the European season, in May. Having been the first designer in Formula 1 history to entirely produce a car by using computer technology (Computational Fluid Dynamic, CFD) only, Wirth's design currently suffers the defect of a fuel tank which is not large enough to house enough fuel for the duration of a race – something his own company will literally pay for.
"The chassis supplier is us," he said to Autosport. "Nothing to do with engine supplier or fuel supplier. What that means is that we are fixing it for the team.
"We are not charging the team; it's our responsibility to provide cars that can finish a Grand Prix. It's down to us."