Belgian Jerome D’Ambrosio will partner Timo Glock for Virgin Racing in the 2011 season, it was announced today.
The 25 year old, who cut his teeth in GP2, replaces Brazillian, Lucas di Grassi, who now has no drive for the 2011 season.
The move came following the Belgian impressing team bosses during an evaluation drive at Singapore, Japan, Korea and Brazil in 2010.
D’Ambrosio will first get into the team’s new VR-02 machine in the February pre-season testing at Valencia, Spain.
Speaking on his appointment, D’Ambrosio said:
“I’m thrilled to have achieved my goal of a Formula 1 race seat with Marussia Virgin Racing,”
“When I came to the team in September this year it was everything I could hope for.”
“I had a tough test to complete because there was a lot of competition for this seat but, at the same time, I got on well with the team and felt that I had found my home.”
“I feel very comfortable with them – they are extremely professional and ambitious people and it is exciting to think that I can be a part of shaping the team’s future.”
As with all motorsport, Formula 1 drivers are judged by their performance on the track, however, so the Belgian driver will be hoping his team is more competitive next season than in 2010, Virgin Racing’s debut season, when they failed to secure a point, and were regularly fighting for the final places, rather than Championship points.