Lotus F1 racer undergoing wind-tunnel testing
Litespeed’s F3 race car
Some very interesting details on the progress of the Lotus F1 team was revealed on ESPN Star’s Race Day TV show by team principal Tony Fernandes. According to Tony, the Malaysian team has started developing its Formula 1 racer, and that the single seater is in its wind tunnel testing stage. When the team was first announced, they said aerodynamics would be supplied by FondTech, so that’s where the car must be now.
So yes, a racecar exists, and I will bet it will look nothing like the rainbow-coloured car that we saw the Prime Minister hold up when he made the announcement about the 1Malaysia F1 Team. It’s too sponsor-unfriendly – the logos would be lost in the sea of colours.
The car will be ready for circuit testing sometime in February 2010. Testing will be conducted at the SIC. The car will use the “default” engine supplied by Cosworth. Litespeed will work on the chassis.
September 29, 2009 @ 1:19 am
its great idea the 1Malaysia F1 team, but we need a decent test driver who can develop the F1 car during the testing ban by the FIA. This year Force India team excel during their 2nd half season due to their in house development and also due to Fisicella experience in their car. Off go Fisicella to Ferrari..
September 29, 2009 @ 1:29 am
read The Star today..vacancies(yes..a lot) at lotus f1 team. from engineering dept to HR.
September 29, 2009 @ 2:13 am
hey..thanks!..theanswer..come on all malaysian get involvement in F1..haha
September 29, 2009 @ 3:34 am
guys i think the malaysian citizen should be supporting this new idea, of our country being heavily involved in formula 1. This is a step forward for our nation. We dream of being the developed nation, and complain about our government etc. But maybe if we unite as one, and lift our country up high, it isn’t impossible for us to b one of the leading nations, in the world. Who here agrees with me?
September 29, 2009 @ 7:39 am
correct me if im wrong…..f1 driver need a f1 driving license….even alex yoong oso dun have it now…i think so la(last few years sure got)….fairuz fauzi got f1 license ar?so, then who will ride the car….
September 29, 2009 @ 7:56 am
To apexg2 :
Just need “D” only.
September 29, 2009 @ 8:32 am
what…?? rainbomw coloured..?? err…no comment =S
September 29, 2009 @ 10:38 am
apexg2, the drive may get the spot then can apply the super-license as well.
like last time, when Minardi wanna get Alex, Alex straight away went to do the super-license. it’s useless to do the super-license without getting any spot to race, am i right?
September 29, 2009 @ 10:41 am
correct me if im wrong…..f1 driver need a f1 driving license….even alex yoong oso dun have it now…i think so la(last few years sure got)….fairuz fauzi got f1 license ar?so, then who will ride the car….
Read more: http://paultan.org/2009/09/29/lotus-f1-racer-undergoing-wind-tunnel-testing/#comments#ixzz0SSXt4Qpl
If you want to become F1 driver, you must have FIA Super License issued by the FIA upon request. The requesting driver must already be the holder of a Grade A competition licence, and additionally meet the requirements of the FIA International Sporting Code.
September 29, 2009 @ 10:45 am
The Malaysia’s F1 Rainbow colour theme was inspired by Paddle Pop rainbow ice cream?
September 29, 2009 @ 11:23 am
apexg2 said,
September 29, 2009 @ 7:39 am
correct me if im wrong…..f1 driver need a f1 driving license….even alex yoong oso dun have it now…i think so la(last few years sure got)….fairuz fauzi got f1 license ar?so, then who will ride the car
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Fairuz Fauzy was test/reserve driver for Spyker before it became Force India. Plus he’s racing in GP2, and in A1 so superlicence won’t be tough to get.
September 29, 2009 @ 11:23 am
“Default” Cosworth engine.. remember those F1 cars who use Cosworth engine few years ago…? They are at the back… unless Lotus tuning do some magic, if not, 1Malaysia Team will see a lot of Blue Flag next year… (usually they did, hope so… most Lotus production car use Toyota “normal” engine)
@ Zain
Bang..!!! You got it..!!! I try to recall where i saw that kind of colour skim… so familiar but can’t get it out of my head..!!!
A million thanks man… to help clearing my mind….
(no wonder i was drooling when staring at the car’s picture… brain reminds me Paddle Pop….. “super-duper yummy”)
September 29, 2009 @ 12:31 pm
default engine huh? and default colour for malaysian team would be yellow… or maybe Tony Fernandes want to use red-white theme same as his Air-Asia fleet colour… but i would prefer the colour of Lotus team back then in the 80s…
nice..
September 29, 2009 @ 12:49 pm
Kimi Raikonnen started racing with Sauber without a super license.
September 29, 2009 @ 1:10 pm
Reader in F1 Fanatic [www.f1fanatic.co.uk] had call Lotus F1 a “Fake Lotus”.. and they consistently predict Fairuz Fauzy will team with Jacques Villeneuve or Christian Klien… how you all think?
I think if Nico Rosberg really get the place in Brawn, Barrichello might got no where to go but join our “Fake Lotus”..??
Fairuz…?? never see him race.. is he really that good? heard his name A LOT…
September 29, 2009 @ 1:23 pm
Fairuz a bit better than Alex… saw both of them in A1 GP racing in few races… sometime Alex look like someone who hesitate (or doesn’t want) to take risk in the race, he doesn’t look so eager to overtake the driver in front of him… while Fairuz sometimes made some silly mistake (hey..he’s still young) but in the end i enjoyed watching him racing… both of them are acceptional driver & far better than us but i would not rate them as a very telented driver… my opinion…
September 29, 2009 @ 1:44 pm
we dun have talented driver so far… Mat rempit a lot lah…
Because we dun have the proper racing culture in us…
can u imagine Mika Hakkinen ride his 1st go-kart in the age of 5?
not saying about street racing… i’m saying proper track racing culture…
actually i saw fairuz in A1 few time… not interested… He “not shining” for me…
i would prefer Alex to get a chance… at least let him prove himself for the lastime… he was conned to sit in a lousy Minardi with Alonso lastime… lol
Alex & Barrichello team? sound ok for me… hahaha….
All above are my personal opinion.. (have to be specific, a lot of pointless basher here..)
September 29, 2009 @ 1:55 pm
osh_kosh said,
September 29, 2009 @ 12:31 pm
default engine huh? and default colour for malaysian team would be yellow… or maybe Tony Fernandes want to use red-white theme same as his Air-Asia fleet colour… but i would prefer the colour of Lotus team back then in the 80s… nice..
————————–
Which one, the black John Player Special livery or the Ugly yellow Camel livery in 1987? I think the JPS livery looks nice.
September 29, 2009 @ 2:05 pm
They’ll need someone like Rubens to help develop the car but can they afford him? Jacques has been out for too long compared to Rubinho. Klien is most inexperienced among the 3.
September 29, 2009 @ 3:59 pm
@Tiadaid,
JPS of coz.. nice isn’t it?
anyway, Alex too old already-lah.. give Fairuz a chance instead (if they insist in giving a seat to Malaysian).. why on earth anyone want to use Jacque? he can’t do anything about BAR (& Honda) during his time there… & his payslip not cheap u know…
September 29, 2009 @ 4:33 pm
osh_kosh said,
September 29, 2009 @ 3:59 pm
@Tiadaid,
JPS of coz.. nice isn’t it?
anyway, Alex too old already-lah.. give Fairuz a chance instead (if they insist in giving a seat to Malaysian).. why on earth anyone want to use Jacque? he can’t do anything about BAR (& Honda) during his time there… & his payslip not cheap u know…
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Alex is going to be Deputy Team Principal, so don’t have to worry bout him wanting a drive. And drafting in Jacques is a mistake! He won his championship in a dominant car, haven’t proved himself to be able to develop a midfield car. Don’t sign Jacques!
September 29, 2009 @ 4:46 pm
@Tiadaid,
exactly bro… can’t agree more with u… if 1Malaysia F1 Team want someone with experience better get Nick, he’s been in F1 long enough & he’s quick too…
September 29, 2009 @ 5:21 pm
haha, Hopefully they wont use that paddlepop theme. Lotus jps black for the front combine with airasia’ red for the rear with petronas green for trims would be great. ok theopolis, we need a rendition please.
September 29, 2009 @ 5:49 pm
let’s find a Malaysian Stig. Sure can drive one….the F1 car
Nobody knows his identity. Sure cool eh?
September 29, 2009 @ 6:00 pm
@ zain
Stig? Some say, he sneak into an F1 garage, mated with a F1 race car, & their hybrid baby is Caparo T1..!!!
Dun u kidding me… He will be busy raping other F1 car… Cuz they are “so hot” for him…
hahahha….
I admire Juan Pablo Montoya.. too bad he hate F1 more den F1 hate him…. if not, Alex team with JPM also good choice….
September 30, 2009 @ 12:55 am
stig…i love stig..hehehe
terlalu terpengaruh dengan topgear
September 30, 2009 @ 9:22 am
erm, have read newspaper yesterday…..’Tune’ head told that the car will not the rainbow color….the sponsor will not be seen with that color….
i think fairuz and kubica…
September 30, 2009 @ 11:47 am
Kubica is rumored to go to Renault with Heikki. Maybe Lotus should hire Sebastien Loeb.
September 30, 2009 @ 6:14 pm
apexg2 said,
September 30, 2009 @ 9:22 am
erm, have read newspaper yesterday…..’Tune’ head told that the car will not the rainbow color….the sponsor will not be seen with that color….
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Yes, no commercial dept of any race team at that level of racing would allow a livery like the ‘rainbow’. It’s impossible because sponsor branding will be lost when seen on TV.
It will likely be the Lotus (green-yellow) traditional colours with some space for 1 malaysia branding on it.
October 1, 2009 @ 9:15 am
yellow is a must.maybe they will pyt tiger stripe oso to the car..hehe!!!