Underperforming Overachiever

Jarno Trulli holds off the competition during the Bahrain Grand Prix this weekend. The team are more than happy with their double finish, which is all they had aimed to do. Technical chief Mike Gascoyne is positive they will go onwards and upwards from here, saying: “This is the worst we will do.”

Credit: Lotus Racing

15-Mar-10: Whitmarsh Believes McLaren Can Close the Gap

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It’s the 15th March 2010 and this is F1 Minute.

The immediate reaction following the season opener is… not good. Several drivers, including Webber and Kovalainen, have been tweeting about the race in Bahrain, both particularly worried about the lack of overtaking. Martin Whitmarsh has discussed the possibility of introducing a two mandatory pit stop rule.
Whitmarsh has also been talking about his team’s performance, though, and said: “We had two great pitstops and at both of them we overtook somebody, which was good for the team, and good for team morale. You want to be the best at that and we certainly proved that today. Then following the stop Lewis had good race pace. So after the shattering time difference on Saturday, to be there or thereabouts was good.”

More reaction came from Mike Gascoyne at Lotus who said: “This is the worst we will do. We know we have a reliable car now, we know we need to put bits on it to make it quicker.”

That’s all for today, I’ll be back tomorrow with another F1 Minute.

Tweets of the Week – 14th March 2010

The first race of 2010 has been and gone, and given the volume of information coming out of Twitter, I’m narrowing this week’s Tweets of the Week down to solely drivers and teams. It was an amazing race, watching the teams be so open, and I hope they can keep it up all year.

• Great to get back to some sunshine, +25C 9am in bahrain! Gonna rush to the track after breakfast to check out the new circuit layout… Heikki Kovalainen
• Heikki off playing golf again. Don’t know where the course is but there are plenty of bunkers around Mike Gascoyne
• It’s like the first day of term here. But without anyone trying to steal your lunch money. Or at least not trying very hard… Red Bull F1 Spy
• This usually is the longest night of the race weekend: engineers and mechanics are working hard to prepare the cars for tomorrow and Sunday. Inside Ferrari
• Yesterday went pretty well, tried different fuel loads and compared the two compounds of tyres we have here.. It’s good to be back racing!! Jenson Button
• I’ve only just clocked the lack of firesuits for the crew in qualy. No wonder the boys don’t look so hot! Renault F1
• Objective was to get points in the first race of the season. Would have been nice if both our drivers made it to the top 10 though. Force India
• yiha!! we’ve done it!! Lotus Racing
• end of a crazy weekend…. need a couple days of peace and quiet to recover from the stress ! shame a bump in T12 just bounced me off track Karun Chandhok
• NEED TO SAVE BETTER THE REAR TYRES…A LOT¡¡ Jaime Alguersuari

A Dream Start for Lotus Racing

Six months of very hard work finally came to as successful a conclusion as the team could have hoped for on Sunday afternoon in Bahrain, with both Lotus Racing cars finishing the race, Heikki in 15th and Jarno in 17th (provisional positions) in the opening round of the 2010 Formula One™ World Championship.

Jarno Trulli (Lotus Racing chassis T127/3) “I made a good start and avoided the accident at the second corner but found myself in the gravel so at this stage I was nearly last, but then I started picking up pace and catching the people in front. The car was understeering quite a lot and I couldn’t really predict the balance so at the pitstop the team, who did a really good job, changed the front wing setting and I started pushing again and putting in some good laps. At the end of the race I had a hydraulic problem so I just had to get it to the end of the race. I’m really happy and proud for the team because in six months every single target we have fixed we have met so it’s really good, and, as Tony said, one day Lotus will win and I hope to be here when we do.”

Heikki Kovalainen (Lotus Racing chassis T127/1) “It was a good race for our team – to get both cars to the finish is a great achievement. My car didn’t have a single problem, I know Jarno did and managed to nurse his car to the end, but the primary goal was to get both cars to the end and we achieved that. So far the team has reached every goal we set ourselves so that is fantastic. In terms of my race, I had a good start and was battling with a lot of guys we didn’t think we’d be fighting with. My tyres were fine, and the pitstop was good, but I lost a bit of time whilst letting cars past, and we’ll look at the strategy for Australia to work around that better. I really enjoyed driving the car, it felt really good and it was good to push. Everybody in the team should be really happy but now the honeymoon is over and we need to start working on better results.”

Chief Technical Officer Mike Gascoyne said “I’m very very proud of the whole team. Everyone here, and back in Hingham. Firstly I have to say thank you to both drivers. They drove great races – Jarno struggling early on but when he changed to the soft tyre he was much more competitive. Apologies to Heikki because he may have suffered from the strategy, and apologies to Jarno because he had a hydraulics problem and he had to slow down to get the car to the finish, but overall a great result.”

Happiest man of all was Team Principal Tony Fernandes who said “I’m completely over the moon! I cannot describe the feeling. Six months of work and to have both cars finish is just unbelievable. We’re thrilled, we’re happy and the spirit in the team is fantastic. I’m really proud of Jarno and of Heikki  and everyone here. It’s a great start and better than I could have dreamt of. We wanted to finish the race and to do so ahead of established teams is fantastic.

“From here we keep going. Before the race Clive Chapman gave me Colin Chapman’s old Lotus cap and said ‘when you win the first race you’ll be the man to throw this up in the air like my Dad used to.’ That meant a lot to me, it was a wonderful gesture and it’s like handing over the mantle of one of motor racing’s great dynasties”

Visitors to the Lotus Racing garage before the race included FIA President Jean Todt and Michelle Yeoh, but the day began with Tony Fernandes giving the team a stirring speech to thank everyone for the hard work so far, and lay out the challenge ahead, saying “The last six months have shown that if you dream you can achieve, but now it’s not about being the best of the new teams, it’s about making a serious challenge for the very top.” With a start like this, who could blame him for pushing for something truly amazing.

An Historic Day For Lotus Racing

Friday at the Bahrain Grand Prix marked an historic day for Lotus Racing, exactly six months to the day since the team’s entry into the 2010 Formula One^TM World Championship was confirmed. Jarno Trulli was first car on track as the pit lane lights turned green, followed closely by Heikki Kovalainen, as the team saw their incredible efforts since September 12^th 2009 come to fruition in the desert heat.

The morning session saw the team complete 36 laps in total, with both Heikki (21 laps) and Jarno (15 laps) completing their planned programs and stepping out of their respective cars satisfied with their morning’s work. As track temperatures climbed to nearly 50° after lunch they both returned to work, Jarno notching up another 14 laps and Heikki 23 more and testing aero upgrades that had been fitted over the lunch break. Heikki’s best time of the afternoon session was 2.00.873 and Jarno 2.00.990.

Chief Technical Officer Mike Gascoyne gave his thoughts on the team’s first outing of the race season, saying “A good day for the team after a very long night preparing the cars for today. Everyone worked very hard and it was satisfying to see us first out on track and then put in a solid performance throughout the day. We tried an aero upgrade this afternoon and we’ll look at the results of that in this afternoon’s debrief, but now we’re looking forward to putting in another professional performance tomorrow in qualifying.”

Thoughts now turn to tomorrow’s qualifying session and the forthcoming race, with Team Principal Tony Fernandes arriving in Bahrain to add his support to the Lotus Racing team’s efforts on track.

Lotus Racing Barcelona Test Day 4 Report

Hot weather in Barcelona provided the backdrop for the final day of testing on track for the Lotus Racing team before the 2010 Formula 1^TM season kicks off in earnest. Heikki Kovalainen took the Lotus Cosworth T127 for its final session as the test season drew to a close and completed a total of 65 laps in the five month old challenger. After some developmental mechanical and weight balance changes, the team were happy to see yet more improvement in the car’s reliability and pace.

Chief Technical Officer, Mike Gascoyne remarked “It was a game of two halves as they say; we had a good morning where we were able to complete all our plans but a problem with the programme change on the gearbox delayed us in the afternoon, which meant we weren’t able to do as much running as we wanted. Overall, however, the test has been extremely productive - in general we’ve had very good reliability, and the team is in very good shape going to the first race.

“Considering the length of time we’ve had to work on the project it’s a fantastic effort from the whole team. Everyone has worked exceptionally hard over the two tests and we now have to work on the pace of the car and improve that, but it’s been a tremendous effort from the whole team and I’m very proud of them.”

The test has confirmed Lotus Racing’s belief that they have a reliable car, ready for its debut in Bahrain. Consistency and completion of races are the key goals for the first few Grand Prix, until further aero developments – scheduled for the Barcelona GP – allow the team to begin to flex their muscles and really utilise their experience and talents in the season ahead.

Lotus Racing Barcelona Test Day 3

The morning sunshine gave way to grey conditions and light rain in Barcelona as the Lotus Racing T127 completed a successful third day of testing. By lunchtime Jarno Trulli had already completed 60 laps, and went on consistently throughout the day to finish on a total of 102 laps. The team completed a full race distance and were satisfied with the timings and quality of the day’s activity.

Mike Gascoyne, Chief Technical Officer, commented on today’s test, saying; “Another productive day with Jarno; over a hundred laps completed with no real mechanical issues and Jarno was able to complete the full race distance in the mix of wet and dry weather.

“We successfully completed our whole programme with the changeable conditions and have had two very useful days with Jarno in the car, with a very clear set up direction from him. Now we’re looking forward to further refining the balance of the car with Heikki tomorrow.”

Heikki takes the hot seat for the final day’s testing before the season starts in earnest in Bahrain.

Lotus Racing Barcelona Test Day Two Report

A productive day for Lotus Racing as Jarno Trulli took the Lotus Cosworth T127 challenger onto the Barcelona track and completed another 70 laps. With strong sunshine and dry weather conditions, the Lotus Racing team were again first out on track and ready to begin testing, developing and improving the car.

Chief Technical Officer Mike Gascoyne gave his end of day round up; “It was a productive day in terms of set up direction with Jarno. We were able to identify some problems with the set up in the car and establish clear direction to improve it. We still have a long way to go, and a lot of time to come from the car.

” We had a couple of minor hydraulics issues which stopped the car on track, but nothing major, so all in all it was a productive day and we’re aiming to continue in the same vein tomorrow.”

Jarno Trulli again picks up the wheel for day three of testing, and the team are looking forward to developing and progressing the car. Heikki Kovalainen then takes over on Sunday, for the final day of testing.

Lotus Racing Barcelona Test Day One Report

76 more laps for Fairuz Fauzy on the first day of the Barcelona test marks another satisfactory day for Lotus Racing. In dry, sunny conditions the team completed all its objectives for the day and are now looking forward to seeing Jarno Trulli take over driving duties tomorrow and Saturday.

Chief Technical Officer Mike Gascoyne gave his thoughts on the day’s on track action, saying “It was a very productive day – 76 laps with no mechanical worries on the car. In the morning we conducted some engine LAMDA running which we completed successfully. We ran through a series of system set up checks, completed our first starts and evaluated a number of other control systems on the car, as well as monitoring temperatures and pressures throughout the car.

“All in all this was a successful day both on the track and we ticked off a lot of behind the scenes tasks ahead of the first race. Fairuz did a very good job today, with no mistakes, and we were able to complete our whole program.”

Jarno Trulli takes over tomorrow with more dry running ahead of the Lotus Racing team.

HRH The Duke of York Visits Lotus Racing Factory

Just one day after Lotus Racing’s Hingham factory was officially opened by former Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir, the team played host to HRH The Duke of York. Team Principal Tony Fernandes and Chief Technical Officer Mike Gascoyne gave the Duke an official tour of the team’s facility and presented him with a commemorative set of his own Lotus Racing overalls. Also present was Clive Chapman, son of the late Colin Chapman, the original founder of Lotus.

The Duke’s visit was a landmark occasion for Lotus Racing. It gave the team a chance to thank him personally for the pivotal role he played in the formation of the latest British team to join the Formula 1 grid, and provided His Royal Highness with an opportunity to see progress at the factory since the team’s formation in September 2009.

During his tour The Duke was introduced to a number of the team’s staff, including drivers Heikki Kovalainen, Jarno Trulli and Fairuz Fauzy, together with members of the technical and mechanical departments who were honoured that their workplace was visited by such an esteemed guest.

Speaking about a momentous week for Lotus Racing, Tony Fernandes said “I have been privileged to work with His Royal Highness over a number of years in his role as the UK’s Special Representative for International Trade and Investment. As is well known without HRH’s efforts Air Asia X’s partnership with Rolls Royce would not have become a reality. What is perhaps less well recognised is that the Duke was one of the primary catalysts behind our substantial capital investment here in Norfolk. Indeed it was thanks to the Duke’s advice in June of 2009 that we began another extraordinary partnership between Malaysia and the United Kingdom that has culminated in the successful entry and creation of the Lotus Racing T127 grand prix car. I am delighted that His Royal Highness was able to join us at Lotus Racing today.”

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