Lotus F1 racer undergoing wind-tunnel testing

litespeed-f3
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.

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Paul Tan

After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

Comments

  • flubet on Sep 29, 2009 at 9:19 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..

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  • theanswer on Sep 29, 2009 at 9:29 am

    read The Star today..vacancies(yes..a lot) at lotus f1 team. from engineering dept to HR.

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  • automotive jury on Sep 29, 2009 at 10:13 am

    hey..thanks!..theanswer..come on all malaysian get involvement in F1..haha

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  • lewis on Sep 29, 2009 at 11:34 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?

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  • apexg2 on Sep 29, 2009 at 3:39 pm

    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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  • Kambing Laut on Sep 29, 2009 at 3:56 pm

    To apexg2 :

    Just need "D" only.

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  • CatmaN on Sep 29, 2009 at 4:32 pm

    what…?? rainbomw coloured..?? err…no comment =S

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  • henry on Sep 29, 2009 at 6:38 pm

    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?

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  • Clone on Sep 29, 2009 at 6:41 pm

    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-unde…

    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.

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  • The Malaysia's F1 Rainbow colour theme was inspired by Paddle Pop rainbow ice cream?

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  • Tiadaid on Sep 29, 2009 at 7:23 pm

    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

    ——————————————

    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.

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  • oricon666 on Sep 29, 2009 at 7:23 pm

    “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")

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  • osh_kosh on Sep 29, 2009 at 8:31 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..

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  • Squawk on Sep 29, 2009 at 8:49 pm

    Kimi Raikonnen started racing with Sauber without a super license.

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  • oricon666 on Sep 29, 2009 at 9:10 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…

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  • osh_kosh on Sep 29, 2009 at 9:23 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… :)

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  • oricon666 on Sep 29, 2009 at 9:44 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..)

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  • Tiadaid on Sep 29, 2009 at 9:55 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.

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  • Squawk on Sep 29, 2009 at 10:05 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.

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  • osh_kosh on Sep 29, 2009 at 11:59 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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  • Tiadaid on Sep 30, 2009 at 12:33 am

    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…

    ——————————–

    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!

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  • osh_kosh on Sep 30, 2009 at 12:46 am

    @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…

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  • racerx111 on Sep 30, 2009 at 1:21 am

    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. :)

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  • let's find a Malaysian Stig. Sure can drive one….the F1 car

    Nobody knows his identity. Sure cool eh?

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  • oricon666 on Sep 30, 2009 at 2:00 am

    @ 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….

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  • kentank91 on Sep 30, 2009 at 8:55 am

    stig…i love stig..hehehe

    terlalu terpengaruh dengan topgear

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  • apexg2 on Sep 30, 2009 at 5:22 pm

    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…

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  • Squawk on Sep 30, 2009 at 7:47 pm

    Kubica is rumored to go to Renault with Heikki. Maybe Lotus should hire Sebastien Loeb. :-)

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  • Ferruccio on Oct 01, 2009 at 2:14 am

    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….

    ——————————————————

    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.

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  • apexg2 on Oct 01, 2009 at 5:15 pm

    yellow is a must.maybe they will pyt tiger stripe oso to the car..hehe!!!

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