Virgin set to test again after shunt

The team had spare parts flown in to Spain overnight, and while the VR-01 was not quite ready as testing kicked off at 9am local time, it was reported to be almost ready.

"The guys did an amazing job overnight - the car looks ready to go," di Grassi, who hands driving duties over to Timo Glock for the second day, told AUTOSPORT.

"Independent of the crash itself, the biggest shame was that we lost half a day of mileage, which in a four day test in crucial."

The Brazilian added that there was nothing he could do to prevent the crash, as the car was so difficult to drive while Virgin ran some experimental settings.

"We were trying some different maps in the car, and it ended up being not as predictable as it should," he said. "I wasn't trying to push more, we were just trying something and it caught me out big time in corner nine.

"There was some very unpredictable oversteer which put me in the barriers. If I had exactly the same reaction from the car next time I drive it, there's nothing I can do."