The MVR-02 entered its first race at the 2011 Australian Grand Prix. The car was performing poorly due to the condition of the track and speculation rose up that Virgin was not going to be able to race. However, both Timo Glock and Jérôme d'Ambrosio made it through qualifying, taking the penultimate row on the grid. Once the race went under way Glock was forced to make a lengthy stop in the garage, due to a mechanical failure. As a result, Glock completed less than 90% of the race distance and although the car was running at the end of the race he was not classified in the standings. D'Ambrosio finished sixteenth on the track, but the disqualification of both Sauber cars bumped him up to fourteenth.