Formula One news
Lotus releases first photos of F1 car
15 October 2009The new-for-2010 Lotus F1 team has uncovered the first shots of its Formula One car as the name prepares to return to the sport for the first time since 1994. The Norfolk-located outfit has already designed a full-scale model of its contender as windtunnel testing begins.
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| Lotus is one of four new teams joining the grid next year |
The return of the Lotus name to Formula One also marks the return of Mike Gascoyne, as the Englishman makes his comeback as Chief Technical Officer. "The start of any windtunnel testing is an important step in the development of a new Formula One car but it is particularly exciting for us as we continue preparations for our first season," he explained.
"It has been a very busy time since our entry was confirmed by the FIA. We had been working on the entry for several months so we already had aspects of the team infrastructure in place; the finances, the factory and the top management. Once our entry was confirmed in mid-September, we were able to accelerate our recruitment and car development process and this is really where we are at now."
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| Team owner Tony Fernandes with technical head Mike Gascoyne |
The Malaysian team, funded by AirAsia tycoon Tony Fernandes, is currently based in the UK but plans to set up a factory at Malaysia's Sepang circuit in the near future. "The longer-term vision is to create a centre of technical excellence at the Sepang circuit, which we have already started planning together with Tony Fernandes and his associates," Gascoyne continued.
"Naturally, this takes time, so we have opted initially for a UK base at the RTN facility in Hingham from where we will run the F1 operations while we establish our Malaysian facilities. Ultimately, the team will be headquartered in Malaysia but we will keep a small UK base which will give us a logistical advantage when we are racing within Europe."
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| Jarno Trulli is believed to be a likely contender for a Lotus seat |
No driver has yet been signed for although, due to his past working relationships with Gascoyne at Renault and Toyota, Jarno Trulli is tipped as favourite to lead the new team. "We have been looking closely at the driver market to determine our best options for next year - including Malaysian drivers - but no decisions have been made yet," Gascoyne confirmed. "We need versatile drivers; we need reliable and technically minded drivers who can help us develop the car during the season, but at the same time we need drivers who are hungry for results and who can extract every little bit of performance from the car at all times."
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