MOSCOW, March 21 (RIA Novosti) - The Marussia Formula One team will face a “tough test” at the second race of the season in Malaysia as they struggle with a car they have barely driven, Marussia driver Timo Glock said Wednesday.
The Russian-owned team missed all the pre-season testing events because their car failed a mandatory crash test, meaning that Marussia ran the car for the first time in race trim during Friday practice for the season opener in Australia last week.
“It will be a tough test for all of us,” Glock said on the team’s website.
The third round in China follows three weeks later, and the German driver said that the team would scramble to improve the car in that time.
“From a development point of view it is very good that the second race follows so quickly because we can then head home with a mountain of data to work with during the three-week break before China.”
Glock finished 14th in Australia to record his joint-best result since joining Marussia, formerly Virgin Racing, in 2010.
His teammate Charles Pic was classified 15th in his first F1 race, but did not finish the race after the team retired his car because of problems with the oil pressure.
The team finished last in the constructors’ championship in both of its previous seasons, but has hopes to improve after agreeing a technical cooperation deal with front-runners McLaren ahead of the 2012 season.
