I just got back from Proton’s Centre of Excellence (COE) in Shah Alam, where newly named Lotus F1 drivers Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen paid a short visit to. They came, had a closed door meeting with Proton management, posed for a few pictures and left. I had hoped to squeeze in a short interview with the drivers but no such luck, as they had a plane to catch!
Heikki, being a Finn, looked really interested in the Proton Satria Neo S2000 rally car that just came from finishing second in the Rally of Scotland – he took a seat inside and asked plenty of questions. Perhaps he’ll have the itch to try it out someday and join fellow countryman Kimi Raikkonen in rallying! On the topic of the Neo S2000, we recently had the chance to ride in the car with Alister McRae as chauffeur in a real rally stage; look out for a post on the amazing experience!
Meanwhile, check out photos of the Lotus F1 drivers after the jump.
[zenphotopress number=999 album=679]
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.
MALAYAdesign
on 
albagmane
on 
Man
on 
nyawere
on 
arc
on 
pakcik
on 
Sam Winchester
on 
mantois (Member)
on 
mancunian
on 
volks2
on 
Leonardo
on 
ayam@lotus
on 
redwings
on 
keane
on 
paxter
on 
squawk
on 
nmfairus
on 
cmc80
on 
osh_kosh
on 
Akmal Fikri
on 
Eyesore
on 
alpha0201
on 
carneo
on 
Mysticmind
on 
dzulx
on 
frossonice
on 
carsenthusiastdotblo
on 
bga jd ank m`sia!
on 
Mohd Nazri
on 
waklanproton
on 
badaveil
on 
Crasher
on 
Mazda 3 MPS
on 
RH PumpkinKing
on 
planet
on 
Sentul Cowboy
on 
waste_bucket
on 
raixa
on 
nigel de vries
on 
budzer
on 
SY0H (Member)
on 
yeahaa
on 
Mufasa
on 
tengkurex
on 
MADBOY
on 
ericfoong81exe
on 
zenzan (Member)
on 
Bil
on 
Jumbsuck
on 
chiewwl
on 
mohgui (Member)
on 
Wen
on 
Ferruccio
on 
bashbash
on 
Nakal
on 
AI-generated Summary ✨
Comments on the blog post reflect strong interest in the Lotus F1 team's involvement and the potential benefits for Malaysia, with support for drivers Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen, though some express skepticism about their performance. Many highlight the importance of technology transfer from F1 to road cars, criticizing the effectiveness of F1 tech benefits for Proton, with some believing F1's relevance to consumer vehicle improvements is overstated. Others discuss Proton's market strategy, government protection, and local industry issues, often emphasizing the need for open competition and innovation. Overall, sentiments are a mix of excitement and cautious hope, with admiration for Lotus’s design team and optimism about future races, tempered by skepticism about the true technological gains and their impact on Malaysian consumers.