ENSTONE, England- Introducing their car at the team’s main office in front of a few honored guests and journalists, Lotus F1 launched their E20 challenger for 2012 Sunday evening on web site You Tube, with two brand new drivers and some hopes of improving on a previous season which saw the team finish fifth in the world constructor’s championship.
The car is named with its first letter for the site where the car is built, and the number 20 for the 20th car that was produced in this town in Oxfordshire.
For the new season, Lotus, who had to fight in court the previous year on having their name remain solo on one formula one team, hit the jackpot during the off season by hiring 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen to be the lead driver. Although the Finn, who has been on the world rally championship ever since he left F1, might find the everyday grind of the sport still needing to adjust to, but as far as the car and how an F1 car can work, Raikkonen found that it did not take long to get used to.
“It is something different than what I am used to in formula one”.Commented Raikkonen. “It is sometimes more difficult to get used to some people than to others, It also depends on the car, if you have a good car, it is a lot different than if you have an average car. I was very happy after the first test we had, I felt pretty normal already, but it will be the first race that will produce all the results, and I am very happy on things that have happened.
The people here know how to build a good car, and not even the best teams cannot build a winning car, they are very capable people and hopefully will get good results.”
Joining the Finn is Frenchman Romain Grosjean, who drove for the Enstone unit late in the 2009 season, when he replaced Nelson Piquet Jr. But Grosjean is given another chance for good results after he took the GP2 title last year.
” It is a very fantastic thing for myself; when I was driving GP2, I could always spend time on the track with the drivers, but I am very happy to be here as one of the drivers.” Said Grosjean. “We need to work hard so we can bring the team together as quick as possible. It is good for me to be next to Kimi (Raikkonen) and good for the team and could make something strong. I saw the car here from the beginning to the end and we are expecting to see what we can do with the car on track, and the first few days of testing will give us an idea on what we can during the season .”
Besides Belgian Jerome D’ Ambriosio, who drove for Virgin last season and now is the team’s test and reserve driver, Team manager Eric Boullier returns for his third year and considering the car has conventional designs, there are subtle innovations.
“It’s true that the team’s reputation is good in terms of innovation and we brought through the last years some nice ones, and let’s say some more delicate ones, but definitely we have some this year.” He said. “My biggest hope is obviously to bring this positivity back again and to make sure this team is again at the front of the grid and for many years and a long time.”
But for Chairman Gerard Lopez, it is a fresh start that hopefully will have improved results.
“I think the hopes are to be able to get one season together in a way that we were already expecting last year.” Said Lopez. “That is to have a strong car, strong drivers – one of which is an ex-world champion – and then to bring the car up to the front of the pack – probably trying to aim for fourth is a reasonable goal for this season.”