Timo Glock believes Virgin Racing could register their first-ever point in Formula One when the 2011 season gets under way in Bahrain next month.
A busy close-season at the British-based team has seen Russian manufacturer Marussia move from partner to controlling stakeholder and Jerome d'Ambrosio hired to replace Lucas di Grassi as second driver to Glock.
Having finished their maiden season bottom of the constructors' standings, the design team, led by technical director Nick Wirth, have also been busy and unveiled the new MVR-02 on Monday.
Like its predecessor it has been designed entirely using computational fluid dynamics (CFD), a high-tech digital process that eschews the more traditional - but more expensive - wind-tunnel approach.
The MVR-02 gets its first run out in testing at Jerez on Wednesday, after the old model was used in Valencia last week, and former Toyota driver Glock believes the new car could yield Virgin's first top-10 finish.
"In Valencia we were still testing with the old car and I saw everyone else come in with their new toy, so I'm ready now," the German said.
"You never come in to Formula One and go into the top three straight away. If you do then the other people are not doing their jobs, but the challenge for me is to do my best.
"Our realistic start point is to be strong in the first race. The first one back there is often a lot of crashes and technical problems but we have to be strong, finish and maybe get that first point in the first race.
"If not we need to get a strong two-car finish.
"We became a lot stronger towards the end of last year and we need to get better for our second season. We have a much better baseline this year, we're much more solid.
"We were a good three or four seconds off the pace last year and, being realistic, you never catch up three or four seconds in the winter but we can be pushing up near the middle of the field."
D'Ambrosio, meanwhile, spoke of his pride at earning his first F1 drive - becoming the 18th Belgian to do so.
"This is something I've been working towards for many years," he said.
"Marussia Virgin gave me the chance to practise last year [he contested a number of Friday practice sessions towards the end of the season] and now they have given me the opportunity to race.
"I think it was about 17 years since a Belgian last had a full season in F1, so I'm no superstar but there is certainly a lot of interest back home."
Asked how he would cope in his first season, he added: "I'm not the only rookie in Formula One and every year they make new rule changes to make it harder or easier, but you can't worry about it."
Reflecting on the technical advancements made by the team in the close season, Wirth was upbeat.
He defended the team's reliance on CFD simulation as the only sustainable way forward, and explained the decision not to install a version of the KERS power-boost system which is back for 2011.
"We could fill 1000 of the biggest ipods every day with the data we produce and I'm very proud of our CFD digital process," said Wirth.
"I think those who don't believe in it are members of the flat-earth society; it is the future of motor racing.
"KERS is an interesting subject. It is a great and relevant technology but the fact is it is extremely expensive and extremely heavy.
"It is also worth about three tenths of a second...we need three seconds.
"I wouldn't like to promise we've found three seconds but I think we've found quite a bit."
Credit: PlanetF1.com (www.planetf1.com)
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