Virgin: No hurry to sign second driver

Although talks have been held with Jerome d'Ambrosio and Giedo van der Garde, while retaining Lucas di Grassi also remains an option, team principal John Booth says a decision may still be several weeks away.

"We are not in a hurry," Booth said. "The sooner it happens the better, as it will settle everyone down, but we are in no particular hurry. I would certainly think before Christmas we will have something to say."

Virgin's new partnership with Russian sportscar manufacturer Marussia has prompted speculation that the team could look to a Russian driver, but Booth thinks such a move is still some time away.

"There is nothing on the horizon for a Russian driver at the moment, but they have come on in leaps and bounds over the last five years," he said. "We have [Vitaly] Petrov in F1 and [Mikhail] Aleshin in World Series, so Russian drivers are going from strength to strength."