Virgin Racing has fired up the car with which it will contest the 2010 season, just three days ahead of its online unveiling and subsequent shakedown at Silverstone.

On Saturday evening the team's Bicester race shop reverberated to the sound of eight cylinders as it became the first of the sport's four new entrants to fire-up the all-new Cosworth CA2010 engine. The Wirth Research designed VR-01, Formula One's first all-digital race car, is due to be unveiled on Wednesday.

The fire-up indicates that the VR-01's drivetrain and associated systems are functioning well and the car is now ready for the on-track debut of chassis, engine and gearbox at Silverstone next week.

Following the online unveiling on Wednesday, the team will conduct the systematic testing and confidence-building of all car parts and on-car systems during a private shakedown from on Thursday and Friday.

Virgin Racing's Technical Director, Nick Wirth, said: "I'm really happy to have done the fire-up checks and to have reached this new milestone in our schedule as planned. I must say the VR-01 is looking quite a neat package. We all look forward to seeing the car on-track for the first time next Thursday."