Depending on how the other guys are doing, seventh could be achievable," he added. "I doubt there'll be a lot between sixth, seventh and eighth. And it's the basis of our cars for the future."Ĭhief operating officer Keith Saunt hoped the team could score between 30 and 40 points this year and target at least eighth place overall.
It has a much more current feel about it. "It looks substantially different from last year's car. "There's been almost no carry-over of parts for the 2011 car, whereas normally you'd have a substantial carry-over and the chance to optimise last year's parts," said Gascoyne. Pictures of the T128 indicated a more aggressive styling than its predecessor which was designed primarily with reliability in mind. But with the package we have, that should be achievable." This year we'll be aiming to finish in the points. "Last year we were just aiming to finish the race. "Sitting on the grid in Bahrain this year will feel very different - a different tension," said Trulli. The drivers remain the same with Italian Jarno Trulli and Finland's Heikki Kovalainen, race winners with previous teams, due to test the new car for the first time in Valencia this week. "There has been so much focus off-track it's a thrill to be able to get back to talking about racing," said Team Lotus principal Tony Fernandes, putting his car in the spotlight first. Renault were due to launch their black and gold car, colours harking back to the 1970s and 1980s when Lotus were race and title winners with John Player Special tobacco sponsorship, at the Valencia circuit later on Monday. In the meantime, the season is scheduled to start in Bahrain on March 13 with two teams using the Lotus name and each powered by Renault engines. Group Lotus have become title sponsors and major stakeholders in the Renault team and both they and Team Lotus are due in the London High Court in late March in a case to determine who has the right to use the brand in F1.
Since the team reintroduced the iconic Lotus brand to the sport for the first time since the late Colin Chapman's creation departed in 1994, there has been a falling out with the Malaysian-owned sportscar company. The team competed as Lotus Racing last year but, despite being the best of the three newcomers, failed to score a point in their debut season.
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