Team Lotus, the best rookie team of 2010, is bullish on its prospects for 2011. The Malaysian owned team, which is locked in a Lotus vs Lotus battle with Lotus Renault GP, is targeting between 40 and 50 points this year. No longer just fighting with Virgin and HRT, TL wants to challenge Toro Rosso, Sauber, Force India, and later Williams and Lotus Renault.
TL’s Heikki Kovalainen is happy with his Renault powered T128: “In terms of speed, the car looks a lot better than where we were a year ago. The balance is much better, it has more grip and it can be driven harder. The chassis is also much more modern and the engine, gearbox and hydraulic system have been completely upgraded – we are now at the level that a modern F1 car should be,” the ex-McLaren man told Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat.
While it’s not wise to read too much into testing times, Heikki was just 1.8 seconds slower than the leaders at Jerez pre-season testing and he finished the final day sixth on the timing charts, which is encouraging.
The 29-year old Finn isn’t just happy with the car. “When comparing the mood in the garage and the team’s progress from a year ago, it’s like night and day. I’m really happy with it. As a team we have definitely taken a step forward, which I expected. I am more convinced than ever that the move to Lotus was a good decision,” he beamed.
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Since engine is supplied by Renault, I’m not sure how is Team Lotus going to fight with Lotus Renault?
I don’t think that will be an issue. Red Bull is using Renault too.
can’t wait to see which lotus is better in the race
I personally prefer Team Lotus to win the lotus vs lotus court battle and in the track.
Don’t misunderstood, I like Proton (for their tremendous evolution lately, Persona BTCC Satris Neo s2000 and turbo charged Exora FTW!) but I totally do not agree with the Malaysian F1 civil war. It’s just somewhat pointless and is a waste of money. In 8 digit number.
Hahaha modern ( 2 years dated redbul gearbox) and want to challenge Lotus Renault, in your dream tony. Even Toro Rosso have a unique double floor sidepot . Team ‘fake’ Lotus nada… nomal ‘modern’ car heheh
Double floor sidepot? Really, a pot on F1 car? Can I have mine with a saucer please.
They used Red Bull 2009 RB5 gearbox designed for single diffuser meanwhile RB6 is for double diffuser which optimised for last year cars. This year double diffuser have been banned. Next time better do some research before bashing blindly.
It is still dated, even though its for sdd(single deck diffuser) not ddd well thay can ask for the current version/opted for different manufacturer or produce themselves. Did i say that i did not know about the ban of ddd please don’t the assume. Calling it a modern car!? What a lame thing to do when it is clearly not without their own wind tunnel how can they be competitive for fast developing new aero parts… furthermore challenging lotus renault with targeting 50 point? hahahah man this is hilarious
Please define ‘dated’. Their car is freshly designed by themselves. Is ‘dated’ defined by the location of their windtunnel? They don’t have an onsite windtunnel but they certainly designed the car themselves albeit using an external, rented windtunnel.
sidepot?? aiyoh…sidepod la…standard la gune gearbox version lama.. takkan redbull nak bagi gearbox yg same dengan rb7 pulak…
what’s even funnier is, someone who dont even drive something like F1 knows a lot better than the F1 driver himself…
Haha,they are ‘copying’ Mercedes last year engine cover which Mercedes themself didnt use it this year.
There are other teams that is doing the same thing. It suppose to channel air more evenly and efficiently. Apparently, It was banned last year because of the problem with the thickness of the wall and somehow, some teams found a way of tweaking it.
Its called Blade Roll Hoop not engine cover. Mercedes last year blade roll hoop was banned because of the set up was marginal on safety, primarily thought the narrow structure being likely to dig into soft surfaces such as gravel traps, reducing the effective height of the structure, with obvious consequences for the drivers head. This year the regulation mentions
15.2.4 “The principal roll structure must have a minimum enclosed structural cross section of 10000mm², in vertical projection, across a horizontal plane 50mm below its highest point. The area thus established must not exceed 200mm in length or width and may not be less than 10000mm2 below this point.”
Team Lotus find a ways around the regulation and legalised by FIA. The team said aerodynamics effects is marginal but in term of weight reduction improved significantly.
LRGP and Team Lotus engines are identical. Renault RS27 V8. Renault-Nissan is now purely a supplier to all 3 Renault powered teams – RBR, Team Lotus, LRGP. Team Lotus said to be using 2009 RB5 based gearbox because it fits their aero requirements. it was designed without DD diffuser in mind and 2011 DDD is banned. so naturally 2009 box makes sense. Also an article already reports that the 2009 box is lighter than 2010 box. So there you go.
Even though it is lighter but all F1 car have minimum weight… so no point for the decrease in weight they still need to ballast the car.
There is an advantage with lighter weight. Eventhough weight distribution is fixed this year, additional ballast due to lower base weight means Centre of Gravity is lowered further which definitely improves handling
haha words for the lonely soul in the midst of thousands!!
even Viva is a modern road car.. doesn’t mean it’s on par with The Mighty VIOS !! or to be fair compare it with Hyundai i10…
All the best anyway..
mighty vios????omg someone please tell this guy that vios is as dated as a viva!!!
Nah.. no need. He use helicopter. He does not know much about cars.
Toyota sales man!!! Pls Shut up!!
go LR go 1MRT ….acomplish your mission for this year & no more comment such as makan duit rakyat anymore…now that’s what i call modern & fwd thinking..well done guys …keep it that way.. hope for the best for the team
LRGP sponsor by proton+group lotus is the truly ‘makan duit rakyat’ team! yeah!!
1MRT or TL is under 1Malaysia name and its really ‘makan duit rakyat’ la… even though the proton sponsor for LRGP, its still 1/3 of the cost of what tony ask proton to provide for Team Lotus..
any proof that PROTON send some money to Tony to operate team lotus this year?
takpe le… dia tue xtau F1 tp nak comment pasal F1….
when everything settle
“1MRT could have easily remedied the breaches if it was due to some merchandise as suggested by Fernandes and then, continued to use the “Lotus Racing” name for the 2011 F1 season”
“Our proposed settlement sum was to settle only the purchase price, allegedly five million pounds for the “Team Lotus” name, subject to due diligence and confirmation from 1MRT and other related parties, including Team Lotus Ventures and David Hunt.
“Once the settlement was agreed to by both parties, the “Team Lotus” name would unequivocally be vested with Group Lotus,” said Proton.
PROTON willing to pay at least 5 million pound for just the Team Lotus name.. but Tony Fernandes ask about 37 million pound.. PROTON said Tony Fernandes can continue use Lotus Racing name when all the deal is done.
http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsbusiness.php?id=564464
1Malaysia vs 1Proton
who will gain more money?? FIGHT!!!
To qualify for the prize money, the team has to finish in top 10 in two years running.
…
if not gulung tikar la.
to get top 10 in first season is so hard now to get top 10 in 2 years in sequence is more hard.
Friend, Team Lotus finished 10th as constructor last season. Did you not follow Formula One? Based on this there is already an allocation of about £10m to the team. And they did it with a shitty car last season so why do you think it’s terribly difficult to finish in 10th again this season?? If they do this again the prize money increases. Even more if they keep it up in their 3rd season.
Tony Fernandes team lotus wannabe only do 18 laps today
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/89597
better to find out the reliability issues and fix it during testing season rather than happening in a race.that’s the purpose of having pre-season track testing.Unlike last season, TL didn’t even manage to have time for testing, that’s why they have no way to resolve all those hydraulics failure problems.