February 2011: BBC Studios and Post Production (BBC S&PP) hosted the launch of Marussia Virgin Racing’s MVR-02 Formula One car this week, which will be used during the forthcoming Formula One Season. Around 320 guests, including VIPS, partners, fans and media attended the launch held in Studio One at BBC Television Centre.

The MVR-02 was designed entirely using CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) and will be driven by Germany’s Timo Glock and Belgium’s Jerome d’Ambrosio. Glock and d’Ambrosio attended the launch event alongside the Marussia Virgin Racing management team John Booth, Nick Wirth, Andy Webb, Graeme Lowdon and Nikolay Fomenko.

Before the MVR-02 was revealed, the Marussia Virgin Racing management team and drivers took part in an hour long recorded TV production, recorded by BBC S&PP called ‘An Audience with Marussia Virgin Racing’, which was hosted by BBC Radio 5 Formula One commentator David Croft.

A dedicated BBC S&PP team worked with event producers MCM Productions to plan and deliver the event in just three weeks, helping with everything from event production and technical and logistical support to audience handling. As well as supplying full studio facilities, assisting a range of broadcasters filming requirements, BBC S&PP also provided a press room in its adjacent Studio Two, with high speed, high quality wired and wireless internet access to enable 100 journalists to upload and distribute their content fast across the globe.

BBC S&PP also provided hospitality areas, including a VIP bar area for buffet lunch and space for catering, which was delivered throughout the day by Blue Strawberry.

One of the reasons BBC S&PP’s Television Centre Studios were chosen was because of the venue’s iconic status, which the event producers felt helped encourage press and fans to attend the event and act as a secondary pull to the obvious main attraction.

Tracy Novak, PR & Communications Director, Marussia Virgin Racing says:
“To celebrate the start of what promises to be a positive second season of Formula One competition for Marussia Virgin Racing, we wanted to do something different for our car launch event – to buck the trend of a typical pit lane roll-out. We also wanted to make the event as inclusive as possible for the media, our team partners and our fans. Very few people have been fortunate enough to experience the energy of a television studio environment, which to this day I continue to find fascinating. Having devised the recorded television concept – which was designed to sit somewhere between Top Gear and a chat show format – there was only one studio environment that completely fitted the bill and that was Television Centre. As an event space it ticked all the right boxes and it goes without saying that such hallowed television turf made the experience even more special for our guests.”

She continues: “The BBC Studios and Post Production team made everything very easy for us and were exceptionally accommodating of our copious requests. Consequently, the event was a great success and our thanks to all at BBC Studios and Post Production for their contribution to that.”

BBC S&PP’s Commercial Manager Charlotte Forde says: “Our Television Centre studios are ideal for high-end product launches which want to reach a global audience. We can easily meet any space or access requirements. We have supported a number of events here now and enjoy working with events producers to deliver slick, memorable, impactful events, often within very tight time scales. There is a real buzz about Television Centre which you simply don’t get anywhere else.”

For further information, please contact:
Georgie Hollett, Head of Communications, BBC Studios and Post Production
Tel: +44 (0)20 8624 9495
Mobile : +44 (0) 783484 5612
Email : georgie.hollett@bbc.co.uk

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