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Posts Tagged Lotus F1 Team

Lotus Gets Renault Engine Soon?

Aug 7

Posted by Insider in F1, Lotus

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Lotus F1 Team seems committed to make all the necessary steps to become a well established team of Formula One, and not just another squad struggling to cross the finish line of each grand prix two or three laps down. And the first move might be switching the engine supplier for the 2011 season.

According to a report appeared in Italia Racing, the representatives of the Malaysian backed organization are currently in talks with Renault for the supply of F1 powerplants next year. Lotus F1 Team is currently using Cosworth units, but their deal with the British engine manufacturer has not yet been extended.

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Fauzy Driving Lotus T127?

Jul 5

Posted by Insider in F1, Lotus

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It’s yet unclear what Fairuz Fauzy’s future in the Lotus F1 Team will be – at least in terms of the 2011 Formula One season – considering that the Malaysian backed team currently employs two of the most experienced grand prix winners on the grid. What is certain, however, is the fact that he was now gifted with the opportunity to drive the Lotus T127 on four more practice sessions this season.

A media statement from Lotus confirmed it, revealing that Fauzy will take the wheel of the 2010 challenger in the maiden practice sessions of the British Grand Prix (Silverstone), Hungary (Hungaroring), Singapore (Marina Bay) and season finale Abu Dhabi. That will add up to the mileage he had in the Malaysian Grand Prix, in front of his home crowd. Read the rest of this entry »

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Lotus F1 Under Legal Actions

Jun 2

Posted by Insider in F1, Lotus, News

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Force India Mercedes today confirmed, via an official statement, that they have proceeded to launching legal actions against Lotus F1 Team and their technical chief Mike Gascoyne. The Silverstone based team is practically accusing their former technical director for disclosing confidential information about their development.

Additionally, Force India also announced it is suing Italian wind tunnel Aerolab, claiming that the wind tunnel used by the Indian team for the development of their 2009 car - and that was forgotten in the Aerolab facility - was used by the Italian company’s next partner, Lotus F1 Team, for the building of their 2010 single-seater, the T127.

“The Force India F1 Team confirms it has instigated UK civil proceedings against 1Malaysia Racing Team SDN BHD (a Malaysian company), 1Malaysia Racing Team (UK) Limited (Lotus Racing’s parent companies), Michael Gascoyne and Aerolab SRL,” reads the statement.

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Trulli Struggle at Lotus

Apr 27

Posted by Insider in F1, Lotus

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Jarno Trulli admitted his frustration over the poor season he had with Lotus F1 Team so far, as the Italian is far away from teammate Heikki Kovalainen in race classifications. Although the Malaysian backed team is yet to challenge for a Q2 entry or a decent race position at the chequered flag, what’s obvious for the time being is that the Fin is consistently faster than the F1 veteran.

Obviously, after spending his entire racing career driving for solid teams and becoming well-known for his incredible qualifying pace, coming to a small, rookie team was no easy pick for Trulli. And, although he expected some struggling time in the early stages of the season, what he has experienced with Lotus after 4 rounds is far less than what he would have imagined.

“Obviously I knew that it wouldn’t be easy, that everything would be new and we would need time. However, I had expected at least to drive. Instead, after four races I did not start once and when I got to the finish, it was because it was decided I should take the chequered flag but in far from ideal conditions,” said Trulli in a recent interview with Italian magazine Sprint.

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AirAsia Fly Lotus F1 Team

Apr 23

Posted by Insider in F1, Lotus

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Several teams have had a hard time reaching their European bases in recent days, as the cloud of volcanic ash that travels above the old continent influenced the air traffic worldwide. However, one team that found it particularly easy to leave China by air was Lotus F1 Team, whose team principal owns an airline company.

Tony Fernandes, the boss of AirAsia, made sure all the members of his team would reach their homes safe and quickly. Additionally, he also eased the team’s freight travel back to the Norfolk factory, as Lotus are preparing a major update for the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix.

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Legion d’Honneur Title For Tony Fernandes

Apr 15

Posted by Insider in F1, Lotus

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Most Formula One fans know Tony Fernandes because of his position as team principal for Lotus F1 Team, as his figure was virtually unknown to them until a few months ago, when the Malaysia-backed team announced its return to the Great Circus. However, the 46-year old is mainly a businessman and runs a successful airline company named AirAsia.

Apparently, his AirAsia business got Fernandes “the highest rank of honor that the government of France can award to a non-French citizen,” thanks to his company’s great contribution to the aviation industry, as mentioned in a statement released by Lotus F1 Team on Thursday.

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Own Hydraulic System by Lotus In July

Mar 24

Posted by Insider in F1, Lotus

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It seems that a lot of the reliability problems experienced by the new teams of Formula One are linked with their transmission. As many of you know by now, Newbury based Xtrac company is currently supplying some of the new teams with the gearbox units for the 2010 F1 season, but their experience in the series is not that vast.

Xtrac hasn’t produced F1 transmissions since more than a decade - 1996 to be more exact - meaning their reliability is questionable to say the least. The teams that are now using Xtrac gearboxes are Lotus F1 Team and HRT F1, but it seems the former is planning to end that collaboration by mid-season.

Taking the Virgin Racing example (whose hydraulic system is also provided by Xtrac, but they build their own gearbox casing), the Malaysian backed team is considering switching to an own-developed hydraulic system by mid-July. The information was revealed by race driver Heikki Kovalainen, prior to this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix.

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Lotus fight for manufacturers’ standings.

Mar 20

Posted by Insider in F1, Lotus

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Though most of you are thinking that all the three newly entrant teams are fighting for nothing in 2010, as their plans for the ingoing season of Formula One is to create a functional, well-prepared organization in the series, it seems some millions of euros are actually involved in their fight for the 10th place in the manufacturers’ standings.

Since beating one of the established teams in the series seems improbable for the time being - grabbing a point is close to impossible - their sole aim for the 2010 season is to finish 10th overall, meaning the best of the new entrants. As revealed by Lotus’ technical director Mike Gascoyne, that position is equivalent to millions of euros from the FOM, as part of the financial benefits secured through the Concorde Agreement.

Needless to say, we now understand Lotus’ enthusiasm after the season opening Bahrain Grand Prix, when seeing both their cars cross the finish line. None of the other cars prepared by the new teams - Virgin Racing and HRT F1 - managed to get to the chequered flag.

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Lotus F1 Looking Forward To Bahrain

Mar 9

Posted by Insider in F1, Lotus

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A few weeks ago, the technical director of Lotus F1 Team, Mike Gascoyne, insisted that his aims for the upcoming season is to become the best of the newly entrant teams of F1 and, by mid-season, start seeing some points on the scoreboard from one of its two drivers, Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen.

As far as the first goal is concerned - out-bettering HRT F1 and Virgin Racing - we can all agree that it’s more realistic than the second. One proof is that the Malaysian backed team’s aim for the season opening Bahrain Grand Prix is simply to finish the race with both cars.

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CNN as long-time sponsors of the Malaysian

Mar 2

Posted by Insider in F1, Lotus

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They may not have bagged countrymen Petronas oil company as major sponsor of their Formula One operations, but Lotus F1 Team sure managed to hit the jackpot earlier this week, as they have confirmed world’s leading news network CNN as long-time sponsors of the Malaysian backed outfit.

Although not title sponsors, CNN agreed to a long-time partnership with Lotus, with its logos due to appear heavily on the surface of the T127, as well as the drivers’ overalls and all team clothing.

“We are very proud to welcome CNN into the Lotus Racing family. It is a sign of the positive impact we have already made in the global business market that such a prestigious brand, familiar to millions around the world as the definitive source of news and current affairs, has made the decision to partner with us,” said the team’s CEO Tony Fernandes.

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