Virgin Racing Team’s Timo Glock likely to miss Barcelona test – Formula 1 news
Virgin’s senior driver Timo Glock underwent an operation to remove his appendix, after being taken to the hospital in Switzerland on Monday morning.
The Virgin team boss John Booth told the media that Glock is in stable condition and the final decision about who will drive in the Barcelona test, will be taken next week.
However, it is likely that Glock will miss the final pre-session test in Barcelona. The doctors said that the procedure performed was normal and Glock will be fit within a couple of weeks.
However, Booth mentioned that Glock will surely drive in the season opener which is on March 27, 2011 in Melbourne.
“Timo had an operation yesterday to remove his appendix after a sudden case of appendicitis. The procedure was routine and Timo is recovering well in hospital in Switzerland, where he is likely to remain for a further 24 hours,” Booth told the media.
Meanwhile the driving duties will be given to the new Rookie from Belgian, Jerome d’Ambrosio, who will drive the new MVR-02 on all four days of the final Barcelona test.
Virgin are one of the nine teams who will be appearing in the Barcelona test from March 8 to 11. The only three teams who will take the test from 9 – 12 are McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes.
Glock is one of the few drivers who have a record of having a point scoring finish in their first-ever grand prix. He finished seventh and scored two points in the 2004 Canadian Grand Prix.
He joined the debutant Virgin team in 2010 and finished on 25th position without securing a point. Glock was in the first three tests and put some good mileage on the new Marussia Virgin car MVR-02 over the new Pirelli rubber.
He will have almost a month to recover from his operation as the Bahrain Grand Prix has been cancelled and now the next in line, the Australian Grand Prix, is on March 27.
Booth told that to ensure a swift and full recovery of Glock, the Virgin team will keep him out of the car for at least a week. Virgin team will also get a chance to try out for a new test driver in the Barcelona test.
Booth said, “We will make a final decision early next week. We look forward to having Timo back with us very soon.”
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