Team Lotus set out to challenge the midfield teams and score points this season, but it has not materialised so far. While the T128 is comfortably ahead of Cosworth powered newcomers Virgin and HRT, they are yet to rival teams like Toro Rosso (Buemi scored points), Force India and the struggling Williams in pace.
However, Team Lotus is happy with this weekend’s results, where both Jarno Trulli (18th) and Heikki Kovalainen (19th) finished. Heikki’s best lap of 1:32.695 was slightly under three seconds slower than the fastest lap of the race done by Mark Webber. Branding the Turkish showing ‘Solid Progression’, the team is looking forward to the next race in Barcelona, where the car will receive a “big update”, according to tech chief Mike Gascoyne.
Trulli for one is confident that they will turn the corner in two weeks time. “The result today doesn’t really show how we have improved our performance so I think that when we get to Barcelona with the whole new package on the car we’ll really be able to fight with the midfield teams,” he said.
Team boss Tony Fernandes sounds contented in his post race statement. “The whole team is excited about the updates we have for Barcelona, but for now I am very pleased with this weekend. Here in Turkey last year neither car finished so this is another positive development in our growth. We keep making small steps and moving forward and that has always been the plan – grow in a measured, controlled way that gives us the best foundations for future success.”
© 2011 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.
This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Tue, 10 May 11 01:22:38 +0000.
Related posts:
- Jarno Trulli: Team Lotus has made a huge step forward
- Update on the Lotus F1 Team: Issues with Force India, Kobayashi’s interest in the team, Fauzy’s reserve driver role
- Lotus finishes 2nd test day in Barcelona ahead of Virgin Racing
- Lotus Racing at the Spanish GP – Moving forward?
Link to full article
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét