Marco Sorensen brought the Czech Lotus team its debut win in the World Series by Renault Formula 3.5 at Spa-Francorchamps on Saturday. But the team’s joy was tempered by Richie Stanaway’s heavy crash in Sunday’s race.

Marco Soresen managed to avoid any trouble at the start of Saturday’s race and the Dane was running third when a safety car period interrupted things. The Lotus driver capitalized on a tussle between leader Kevin Magnussen and Sam Bird on the approach to La Source, and snuck into the lead. He was able to pull away and scored his first win in the World Series by Renault with a solid two second gap over the rest of the field.

By contrast, Richie Stanaway went through disappointment at Spa-Francorchamps. Not only did his qualifying go badly but during the warm-up lap he found the car’s pneumatic system was losing pressure. The Kiwi lost a lot of time in the pits and returned to the track only at the end of the race to collect some data and mileage.

Marco Sorensen: “The team had prepared a great car and I was able to follow the leaders easily without pushing hard. I saw Bird’s attack on Magnussen and thought that both would go wide. I took my chance and got to the lead. I am very happy. The team did a great job and I am looking forward to tomorrow.”

Richie Stanaway: “Four races, four technical problems. We are really unlucky this season. It had started already in the qualifying – I was coming to Les Combes where was lot of dirt on my second approach and I spun as if it was on ice. I did not set a time and during the warm-up lap I experienced a technical problem and had to pit immediately.”

Rain hit Spa again before the start of the second race and the race director decided to start behind the Safety Car to avoid possible multiple crashes at the first corner. Both Lotus drivers kept their position when the real race started. There were many crashes and trips across the gravel. One of them occured on lap 9 when Stanaway crashed into the car in front of him and was launched up into the air. He landed heavily and unfortunately sustained fractures to his fourth and fifth vertebrae. The New Zealander is now seeing medical specialists in Paris.

The race was stopped after Stanaway’s crash. Sorensen held 10th place after the restart and was ninth at the flag. However, Jake Rosenzweig and Lewis Williamson were penalised after the race as they had not done the mandatory pitstop and Sorensen moved up to seventh.

Marco Sorensen now lies fourth in the driver championship while Richie Stanaway is 17th. Team Lotus is fifth among the teams.

The whole Lotus family wishes Richie speedy recovery.

Round four of the Brazilian sports car series, at the Autodromo Internacional de Curatiba, saw the first victory of the year for the Lotus Evora GT4.

Leonardo Burti’s Evora led the early stages of first qualifying on Saturday, before experiencing problems with the fly-by-wire throttle. Dragao Lotus Motorsport was relegated to third in class by the end of the session, and were unable to fix the issue in time for the second session. They would therefore start Race 2 at the back of the grid.

Burti, starting third on Saturday for the first race, seized the lead at the start. He and Alan Hellmeister’s Aston Martin fought hard, the Vantage edging ahead but the Evora GT4 staying firmly on its tale. However, just before Burti was due to handover to co-driver Valter Pinheiro, the Lotus suffered a broken driveshaft and that was the end of their race.

So, starting last for Sunday’s Race 2, the weekend looked like it might be points-free. However, Pinheiro soldiered on and moved up the field, finishing his stint in an impressive third place in the GT4 class. Burti picked up the baton and pushed on, passing the Ferrari of William Freire and then hunted down the lead car, the BMW M3 GT4 of Leonardo Cordeiro. The Evora was catching fast before the M3 pulled over with a punctured tyre. The Lotus had moved from the back of the grid to P1, and Burti maintained the lead he had over the Ferrari Challenge until the chequered flag.

Leonardo Burti: “We knew we had good pace and could win, so in Race 2 I was just desperate we wouldn’t have any further mechanical issues. The car handles very well, it has more power than the Ginettas and it’s really easy to work. We’re now fifth in the championship, but I think we’ve got our rivals worried now. I’d like to congratulate the whole team on our first win of the season, and also the guys at Lotus in England who worked around the clock to prepare the car for us pre-season.”

Lotus Giudici Racing scored their first points of the season with their Evora GTE in Germany.

Works driver Johnny Mowlem started the 70 minute-long first race from 13th and fought up to sixth place in the Super GT class, the team’s best finish in an international field. For Race 2 he started 14th, but was hit at the first corner and suffered a broken diffuser. The team lost a lap as they made hurried repairs. Then they were handed a drive-thru penalty for being two seconds under the minimum time that teams can spend in the pits. With that, the chance of points vanished and the team chose to retire from the race.

Johnny Mowlem: “Sixth place was a super result for us, given this was the Evora GTE’s best ever finish in an international field with such a high number of entries – 26 cars. It was especially encouraging given this was a short race, and therefore more reliant on out-and-out performance than reliability. I actually drove the whole of the first race on my own as the team wanted to give us the best opportunity to get a good result, so I had a lot of fun.” The pace of the car is improving all the time and we have genuine reasons to be positive.”

SØRENSEN: P6, STANAWAY: DNF

WORLD SERIES BY RENAULT – MONACO

Denmark’s Marco Sørensen claimed an impressive sixth place finish for Lotus on the streets of Monte Carlo on Sunday afternoon when he climbed from ninth on the grid to score eight valuable champion points. The 21-year-old gained two places on the first lap before inheriting sixth place on lap 9 when Fortec’s Robin Frijns retired at the Nouvelle Chicane.

Lotus was heading for a double points finish until the closing stages of the race when New Zealander Richie Stanaway crashed at the Swimming Pool complex, ploughing head-on into the tecpro barrier after an apparent mechanical failure. He had been running tenth at the time, in the final points-scoring position.

The result boosts Sørensen’s points tally to 14, putting him ninth in the championship, while Stanaway slips to 14^th place on 8 points. Lotus has scord 22 points so far this season and lies seventh in the teams’ championship.

At this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix, the first Lotus Originals franchise store has opened near the Principality’s famous Monte Carlo Casino Square.

Lotus Originals is the fashion arm of the legendary sports car and racing marque, and the collection is inspired by the British sense of style, heritage, innovation and rebellious spirit that goes into every on-road Lotus design.

Lotus is hailed for its engineering and thirst for competition. It is also known for style. Heroes of reality and fiction, from Jim Clark to James Bond, have outgunned their rivals from behind the wheel of a Lotus, and they looked good doing it. Partner Forza Rossa Holding, official Lotus cars dealer since 2011, recognise this and joins the Lotus family with the opening of the Monte Carlo store which carries the brand new Lotus Originals retail concept.

It’s fitting that this first franchise store be in Monaco, the scene of the first grand prix victory for a Lotus, in 1960 at the hands of Stirling Moss. His Serene Highness Prince Albert II, Monaco’s Mayor Georges Marsan and State Minister Michel Roger were joined by Lotus F1 Team’s Gerard Lopez, Eric Boullier and Romain Grosjean, Lotus Sales and Marketing Director Maurizio Parlato and Forza Rossa Holding’s President Ion Bazac at the opening of the store.

Here you will find apparel, accessories, gifts, toys, bikes and collectables that will thrill Lotus fans, and bring others into our Lotus world.

Speaking of which, we took the opportunity in Monaco to launch a special car designed for the next generation of Lotus drivers: a slightly smaller-than-usual Lotus Elan, one of Lotus’ most-beloved classics which this year celebrates its 50th anniversary. What’s more, the car is eligible for racing. The Little Big Le Mans, which forms part of the Le Mans Classic race weekend, is designed for lucky young drivers aged 6-14, and this Elan is eligible for this event.

Also, 20 years after we helped win gold in Barcelona in 1992 with the revolutionary Lotus Type 108 Superbike, we are showing for the first time, a stunning hand made carbon fibre black and gold bespoke bicycle from our new collaboration with Condor Cycles Ltd.

Lotus Originals can also be found at the company’s Hethel HQ and at Norwich City Football Club’s stadium, and we’re also opening our flagship store in the heart of London in six weeks time: 4,800 sq ft of retail space on Regents Street. It will be, as it is here in Monaco, an iconic location for an iconic brand.

Maurizio Parlato, Director of Sales & Marketing, Group Lotus: “It is our mission to grow the Lotus brand internationally, to become more of a global player, and to do that we need to produce great cars, but we also want Lotus to be a lifestyle brand of its own. Our founder, Colin Chapman, understood this. He was a trendsetter in every way. He also recognised the marketing potential of motorsport better than anyone else at that time, and had an eye for detail that pervaded every aspect of his company’s presentation. Therefore, I believe he would be very excited to see what we’re doing here today – opening this first Lotus Originals franchise.”

Ion Bazac, Forza Rossa Holding President: “It is a big honour and pleasure for us to inaugurate the first Lotus Originals franchise store in such a prestigious and exclusive place like Monte Carlo, famous worldwide for its fabulous Grand Prix. With the new Lotus originals collections and accessories you will find a unique link between the past, the present and the future of the Lotus brand and its very passionate history and heroes. Lotus Originals Monte Carlo is more than a store, it is a place of meeting and dialogue between fans and their favorite brand, so that the legend, the winning heritage and dreams of Colin Chapman be more alive than ever.”

As a result of a number of media inquiries, Group Lotus plc ("Lotus") can today confirm that, following an operational review, Chief Executive Dany Bahar has been temporarily suspended from his role to facilitate an investigation into a complaint about his conduct made by Lotus' penultimate parent company, DRB-HICOM Berhad.

In Mr Bahar's absence, Dato' Lukman Ibrahim, Mr Mohd Khalid Yusof and Mr Aslam Farikullah (representatives of Lotus' parent companies ) have been authorised by Group Lotus plc's board to handle and conduct the day to day management and affairs of the Lotus Group. They will be assisted by Mr Rusman Zaihan. They have been authorised to take up these duties during the suspension period.

A spokesman for DRB-HICOM Berhad said: "The penultimate holding company would like to stress it is business as usual at Lotus. We fully support the company and will continue to support Lotus in its business endeavours and development."

Dany Bahar, the CEO who brought Lotus Cars back to F1 as a sponsor of the Lotus F1 team, has been suspended by the new owner of the parent company DRB-Hicom, it was confirmed today.

The suspension relates to Bahar’s “conduct” but no further details have been forthcoming at this stage.

Bahar came to prominence as Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz’s right hand man, with responsibility for the racing programme and marketing. He then went to Ferrari as head of brand, before joining Lotus just after they had struck a licence deal with Tony Fernandes for the 1 Malaysia team to be called Lotus. This led to a battle which was only resolved last year, with Fernandes ceding the Lotus name and Bahar bringing it to F1 first as sponsor of the team and then in 2012 as the chassis name. However the relationship between Lotus Cars and the F1 team has been downscaled recently.

Bahar had an ambitious plan to build a range of Lotus sports cars in Norfolk, funded by Proton, but now the new owner of Proton, DRB-Hicom, has suspended him,

“Group Lotus plc (“Lotus”) can today confirm that, following an operational review, chief executive Dany Bahar has been temporarily suspended from his role to facilitate an investigation into a complaint about his conduct made by Lotus’ penultimate parent company, DRB-Hicom Berhad,” a DRB Hicom statement said.

“The penultimate holding company would like to stress it is business as usual at Lotus. We fully support the company and will continue to support Lotus in its business endeavours and development.”

There has been no reaction as yet from the Lotus F1 team.

Bahar was due to be at a presentation of luxury apparel brand Lotus Originals in Monaco this evening, and was scheduled to make a speech at the event.

http://www.jamesalle...ahar-suspended/

LOTUS ROYALTY

First held in 1929, the Monaco Grand Prix is the most prestigious race on the calendar, and one of the most evocative. It was on these streets that Lotus made its grand prix debut in 1958, and tasted victory for the first time in 1960 with Stirling Moss at the wheel of a blue and white Rob Walker-entered Lotus 18. Later that decade, Graham Hill became the unofficial King of Monaco with five epic wins, including two at the wheel of the handsome Lotus 49B. His record was eventually beaten by Ayrton Senna, who still holds the all time record of six Monaco wins – the first of which came courtesy of the Camel yellow Lotus 99T in 1987. In total, Lotus F1 cars have won the Monaco Grand Prix seven times.

ON TRACK

Sunbathers watch from balconies and yachts as the cars race around the harbour; the deafening echo of the engines bouncing off the walls of high-rise apartment blocks. Landmarks such as the Garnier-designed Casino de Monte Carlo and the famous Hotel de Paris line the twisting streets that are barely wide enough to fit the cars through.

This renders overtaking almost impossible, and thus qualifying is all important.

Monaco also has the biggest elevations of any grand prix circuit – the cars power up the Beau Rivage up to Casino Square and then wind their way back down through the famous hairpin section.

There is very little grip, so the highest possible downforce setting are the order of the day. Most corners are taken in first or second gear, requiring teams to install low ratios. Traction and torque will play and important role here.

The most challenging corners are Turn 1, Sainte Devote, where drivers are greeted with an Armco barrier if they turn in just 1km/h too fast. It’s easy to miss the braking point as the entrance to the corner is so bumpy; Massenet, at the crest of the Beau Rivage, is blind on entry, and often the scene of pile-ups; The hairpin – the most famous turn in motor racing – is also the slowest and requires full lock and gentle throttle application; The tunnel - the only one in F1 - really is a shock to the eyes as drivers plunge in and out of darkness – the sound as the engine noise bounces off the walls is incredible; And the chicane at the Swimming Pool really does defy physics as the cars bounce across its kerbs.

This circuit requires 100 percent concentration from all the drivers, as the slightest mistake could ruin their weekend. After qualifying, the drivers’ eyes appear to be on stalks.

Because Monaco isn’t as aero-dependent as other tracks, this circuit is a great leveler. It’s less about the cars, more about the drivers and occasionally you’ll get a wild card winner. After all, there’s nothing predictable about 2012.

Romain won the GP2 feature race here in 2009, while Kimi won the Monaco Grand Prix with McLaren in 2005. His last result here, in 2009 with Ferrari, was third place.

RACE DETAILS:

Local start time: 14h00

Number of laps: 78

Circuit length: 3.340km

Race distance: 260.520km

Lap record: Michael Schumacher (Ferrari, 2004), 1:14.439

WHAT THE DRIVERS SAY:

Kimi Raikkonen: “To race in the streets of Monte Carlo is really different from everywhere else; a challenge I look forward to every year. It is very, very difficult, almost impossible, to have a clean weekend there. I’ve only managed to get it right once before. My win in 2005 ranks up there with my most memorable. So to win it again would be just as special. It’s such a twisty and narrow track. You have to be extra sharp and focussed in every single metre you go fast there. It gives such a good feeling a fast lap in Monaco. Overtaking has been almost impossible there in the past so to really enjoy racing there you have to be at the front.”

Romain Grosjean: “I think Monaco is going to be a fantastic event and it is a special race for me for sure. There are certain to be a lot of French fans, and I’m looking forward to their support. It’s also a very special event in its own right, and the atmosphere is quite crazy! As a driver you have to stay calm and relaxed and try to do your job. It’s a track that doesn’t allow any mistakes. You have to respect it and that is the key there I think. Hopefully we can have another good result.”

OFF TRACK:

Beaux-arts landmark the Casino de Monte Carlo was designed by Charles Garnier and carries many of its architectural hallmarks from his Paris opera house. Games include roulette in various forms, baccarat, craps and blackjack. You can use the atrium slots for free, but entry into the main rooms is 10 Euros and 20 Euros for the Salons Privés. There is a dress code – jackets are recommended after 8pm, but you don’t have to go the full 007. Of course, you should. And have a crib-sheet of pithy one-liners up your impeccably pressed sleeve.

The Café de Paris is considered one of the world’s finest venues for people watching. It sits outdoors on the Place du Casino, so you can watch all the exotic cars drive by. However, given the tariff for beverages you should probably just stick to one. The tables are crammed close together, which is ideal because you can listen in on people’s conversations.

Jimmy’z is the world’s most notorious nightspot. While places like the Viper Room and Studio 54 claim their place in pop culture thanks to the various overdoses that have occurred on their carpet, Jimmy’z claim to fame is its prices. If you have to ask, you can’t afford it. Bottles are P.O.A. Are you sitting down while you’re reading this? A Coke is 80 Euros! Every single A-lister has passed through its rock-lined corridors. Paris Hilton got engaged here, at least once. Inside, it’s pure Eurotrash so best bring a sense of irony as well as your AmEx.

If that all sounds a bit over-the-top, head to La Rascasse cafe. As you’re shoving people aside at the bar, fighting for a Fosters, you might think ‘what’s so special about this place?’ But just remember, you’re stood (not) drinking in what is one of F1’s most famous turns. This bar has been an obstacle for Fangio, Senna and Schumacher who, at one point, looked like he’d stopped in front for a beer himself. Chances are you’ll bump into his pit crew, as the Rascasse is teaming with paddock folk every night of the GP week – and if they’ve had a few, they’ll probably offer you a pint. You might only come here once a year, but you can consider this your local.

There are seven Michelin-stared restaurants in Monaco, but if you fancy something simple visit the legendary Tip Top bar. Right next to the circuit on the run down to Mirabeau, this Italian is a Monaco mainstay thanks to its inexpensive, unpretentious food and 24 hour service. Yes, when you’re staggering back from the Amber Lounge salvation can be found right here, with a delicious pepperoni pizza. A meal and a beer should leave you with change from 15 Euros – otherwise unheard of in the Principality! The walls are plastered with signed driver photos. Many are regulars and even Prince Albert has been known to rock up at 5am with the munchies.

DANY BAHAR TALKS ABOUT THE SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP

What’s the strategy behind the Goodwood partnership?

Goodwood has become the most important car culture event in the world. It’s set in such a beautiful environment, complimenting these wonderful automobiles, and attracts hundreds of thousands of enthusiasts. The similarities between what Goodwood is trying to do and what we would like to communicate are clear. It’s about showcasing the past, present and future of sports cars and motor racing. We’ll be in Goodwood to show what we’ve done over the last three years, as well as the last 60 years.

What makes this year special for Lotus?

The last six months have been very tough, due to the sale of our parent company Proton, speculation about our future, and uncertainty over our funding. But Lotus has true fighting spirit; we’re not down on the canvas, not by a long shot. At Goodwood we will show we’ve still got more punch and more relevance than any other British car firm.

Despite what’s going on in Malaysia and decisions over our future ownership, we are still not only building cars, but unleashing new ones – which is something unusual for a company of our size and in our position. Goodwood will be the launch pad for two new and very exciting model variants.

Can you tell us more about these variants?

Not now, you have to wait a bit.

Goodwood is a very English event. Lotus has ambitions to be an international player, but at its core it’s an eccentric and traditional British company isn’t it?

The principals of innovation, hand-built craftsmanship and style are at the heart of Lotus, and those values are never going to change. This is why the Goodwood Festival of Speed is a perfect fit for us, because it’s a celebration of four-wheeled excellence, tradition and perseverance. As you say, we want Lotus to play on the international scene more than we’re doing today. The scale of our ambition has been well documented. But we’ll never forget where we’ve come from, so Goodwood is the perfect opportunity to show where we’ve been and where we’re going.

How important is heritage in your marketing vision for the brand?

It is absolutely everything. If you don’t understand your past, you can’t realise your future. We remember not only the good times, but the bad times too, it’s what makes us stronger and gives us depth of character. Lotus has been pioneering both on the road and on the track for six decades. At Goodwood we’ll be able to showcase everything the company has done, and we will use this as a foundation for the future.

Have you seen the sculpture? Any hints as to what it will be like?

I haven’t seen the final sculpture, only draft designs. Right now it is the very good hands of our artist, Gerry Juddah. I hope that it will be a strong, dynamic and beautiful centerpiece for the event, but the investment is not just for the benefit of Goodwood. Right now our factory in Hethel, Norfolk, is transforming. One day, in the not too distant, I would like this sculpture to be erected beside the factory gates and serve as a landmark.

Race Reports from Barcelona and Snetterton (11 - 13 May)

FORMULA ONE – SPANISH GRAND PRIX

Kimi Räikkönen bagged his second podium on the trot in Barcelona, charging hard to finish third behind first time grand prix winner Pastor Maldonado and, by just half a second, Fernando Alonso.

The Finn was disappointed not to finish on the top step, though, claiming that the Lotus E20 had the potential to have won every race this year so far. Nevertheless, he is now fourth in the Drivers’ Championship, just 12 points behind leaders Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso.

Starting on the second row behind team-mate Romain Grosjean, he passed the Frenchman at the start. He held third till the second round of stops, and when Alonso pitted from the lead on Lap 45 the Iceman enjoyed two laps at the front, before being passed by the resurgent Maldonado. Struggling with degradation, he was soon holding up Alonso before pitting for late rubber on Lap 49 and then setting off on

a final sprint on fresh rubber. As the laps counted down he slashed the gap to Alonso by a couple of seconds a lap while the Spaniard struggled with grip. He entered the final of 66 laps 2.3 seconds behind the Ferrari and screamed across the line just 0.6 adrift.

Romain took the chequered flag just ten seconds behind his team-mate, securing fourth place. He had lost several positions at the start, and lost a bit of front wing to Bruno Senna which didn’t help matters, but he recovered to score 12 points.

Currently sitting third, the team now moves within 14 points of McLaren and 25 behind leaders Red Bull Racing in the Constructors Championship.

Kimi Räikkönen: “I had a good start, but I hit the rev limiter and couldn’t take the other two, and then we fell back too far in the middle stint. By pitting late the third time I had a lot of speed for the finish and, given one more lap, I probably could have overtaken Fernando, but that’s easy to say afterwards.”

Romain Grosjean: “Both cars finishing strongly in the points is great for the team. It was pretty difficult for me at the start of the race as it was hard to get the front working properly with the wing damaged, but we made some changes and at the end of the race the car was really flying.”

GP2 – BARCELONA

Lotus GP’s James Calado took a storming pole position and second place in Barcelona’s Saturday round, followed by a strong drive to fourth on Sunday to push his way up the driver’s standings to third.

While others, including team

-mate Esteban Gutierrez, were impeded by a yellow flag on their flying run in qualifying, Calado was two tenths faster than anyone else. In the race, traffic and a bold tyre strategy from rival Giedo van der Garde pushed Calado to second. Starting P7 in Race 2 he then battled Gutierrez through Turn 1 and then hunted championship leader Davide Valsecchi down but just missed out on the final podium place, finishing fourth.

Gutierrez left with five points to show for a testing weekend. Qualifying 11^th because he had to abort what looked like a pole lap due to yellow flags, he finished Race 1 tenth and earned a further two points for setting the fastest lap. On Sunday he fought his way up to seventh.

Lotus GP sits second in the team standings on 128 points, behind leaders DAMS on 157.

James Calado: “Race 1 I started from pole and was quite aggressive with Fabio [Leimer] at the start. I was leading when I came into the pits but Fabio was right behind, and we left side-by-side. Giedo [van der Garde] only changed two tyres, which is how he managed to move ahead in the stops. We should look at that for Monaco because there’s obviously a lot of time to be found. From there I just tried to save my tyres, and had to make do with second. Race 2 I made a good start but then got boxed in at Turn 1, where Giedo and Esteban got past. Then I made it past him and Max Chilton too. I got right up behind Davide [Valsecchi] at the end there, but I couldn’t get past and seize third because the car was sliding around too much while I was in his slipstream and I was hitting the rev limiter at the end of the straight.”

Esteban Gutierrez: “The result is not ideal, and our qualifying position affected us a lot. But I did my best. I enjoyed the latter stages of Race 2 as I fought with Giedo [van der Garde], but unfortunately I wasn’t able to take sixth. Five points from this weekend is better than nothing, but I know we are capable of a lot more. We’ll keep pushing!”

GP3 – BARCELONA

Lotus’ American GP3 driver Conor Daly took his first GP3 win on Sunday at the Circuit de Catalunya, at the opening round of the 2012 GP3 Series.

On Saturday, he qualified his black and gold car on the front row behind Antonio Felix da Costa, with team-mates Aaro Vainio in P3 and Daniel Abt in P6. Abt made a jump start, managing to get into the lead before he being penalized. Meanwhile, Daly went backwards and finished sixth. Vainio battled throughout to retain his third place.

In Race 2, Daly started third. He outsprinted polesitter Robert Visoiu via the grass into Turn 1, while Tio Ellinas took the lead after a jump start. When he pitted for his drive-thru penalty on Lap 6, Daly was able to cruise into the lead and seal a popular victory. Vainio, meanwhile, finished fourth and Abt seventh.

After two races, Daly sits second in the championship behind Race 1 winner Mitch Evans. Lotus GP leads the Team’s Championship by three points.

Conor Daly: “It’s really cool. I made a mistake yesterday in Race 1, I didn’t have the best start, and I didn’t put ourselves in a good position. I was lucky enough to redeem myself today at the start. It feels so nice to have my first podium and my first win. It feels really good to be in this form heading to Monaco. The car has been really good. The Lotus GP guys have been fantastic, the way we have worked together during testing has been awesome.”

BRITCAR MSA BRITISH ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP – SNETTERTON 300

Team Bullrun’s Lotus Evora GT4 finished second in its class on Saturday at the Snetterton 300, just up the road from Lotus’ headquarters in Norfolk. Martin Byford’s qualifying lap was enough for third on the grid, and team-mate Richard Adams did the first stint of the three hour race. There were six safety car periods during the race, and two were particularly costly for Team Bullrun as they, with third driver David Green, had to unlap themselves twice. Nevertheless, they adapted their strategy and managed to move up a position, scoring the fastest lap along the way, to finish second. The team now leads the championship.

Richard Adams: “Our nearest rivals finished fifth, so this second place is really great news and now we lead the championship, which obviously feels fantastic. It wasn’t an easy race and we lost out twice behind the safety car, having to unlap ourselves. What really got us this result today was the Evora’s excellent fuel consumption. Driving behind the safety car for so many laps meant we were able to take a gamble and pit one time less than we ordinarily would have, and the gamble paid off.”

Flared wheel arches, more rubber, less weight, and new technologies have added extra spice to Lotus’ race winning Evora, the GT4 Enduro. The new GTC licks the Evora’s performance envelope, delivering more speed and increased grip.

Having been honed in perilous weather on Lotus’ Hethel Test Track, the car has already found its first customers. McMahon Raceworks has placed an order for their first GTC, and will enter the Evora in America’s Grand-Am road races, the Rolex Sports Car Series. The team spent two days this week getting familiar with the machine on the ragged edge at Lotus Headquarters.

Meanwhile, Team Bullrun’s Evora GT4 will be converted to GTC-spec in June. Raced by British drivers Richard Adams, David Green and Martin Byford, Bullrun’s Evora has proved phenomenally competitive in the 2012 Britcar MSA Endurance Championship and currently leads the standings.

The engine and gearbox of the GT4 Enduro are carried over to the GTC, but the car has been on a diet. Carbon-fibre doors, roof and engine cover have replaced fibreglass panels, and Plexiglas replaces the polycarbonate windows in order to trim yet more weight off what is already a very light car. At 1,130-1,140kg, depending on customer specification, the GTC is 30kg lighter than the Enduro.

It’s not all take-away. Traction control and BOSCH Anti-Lock Brakes have been added to optimize power delivery and braking control. With England being particularly damp for the past month, serious testing of the GTC has taken place in the wet where the car’s intelligent traction control and ABS have come to the fore. A definitive comparison test will be conducted shortly, but already it has proved to be faster than the previous evolution.

The wheels and tyres are wider which not only gives the car more grip through the curves, the front and rear wheels rise to 18x10Js and 12Js respectively, mated to 27/65-18 tyres at the front and 30/65-18s at the rear.

In order to accommodate the wider wheels, flared arches have been fitted, which give the car a more aggressive silhouette.

Its 4-litre V6 continues to pump out 450bhp and 440Nm of torque, linked to an XTRAC six-speed sequential paddle-shift.

As well as Britcar and Grand-Am GTC, the car is eligible for the British GT Championship, VdeV Series, DLTClz Supercar, and CREVENTIC Endurance Races, such as the Dubai 24 Hours and the 12 Hours of Bathurst. # Subject to confirmation.

Louis Kerr, senior motorsport engineer, Group Lotus: “The GTC is quicker than the GT4 Enduro even though the Powertrain remains the same. We’ve managed to reduce the weight, and added ABS and traction control. Wider wheels mean customers now have a much greater selection of tyres they can use, the flared wheel arches accommodate this, which gives the car its visual definition and makes it look more muscular without hampering the aero.”

Claudio Berro, director of Lotus Racing: “The Evora’s development and a front-row racing car is achieving its performance targets and the GTC is an evolution of a car that has already taken wins on the track – the GT4 Enduro. Last month Team Bullrun took victory at Silverstone in the Britcar endurance championship with a GT4 Enduro that benefitted from GTC development parts, and the team’s upgrade will be completed in June when there’s an appropriate lull in their racing schedule. The car’s weight-saving and improved grip and braking abilities should help increase the gap between them and the teams chasing them in the championship. We’re very pleased to welcome McMahon Raceworks to Lotus ownership and will provide them with a car adapted to US racing rules, and look forward to seeing the GTC make its marque in Grand-Am.”

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GP2 – BAHRAIN

Formula One’s feeder series stayed out in Bahrain for a second successive weekend, with Lotus GP hoping to repeat their brilliant triple-podium performance. However, a poor qualifying session made Race 1 rather frustrating.

Both cars sat out practice in order to save tyres, but found the track conditions were very different come qualifying without the benefit of sticky F1 rubber. Traffic, too, cost the team dearly. Esteban Gutierrez could only muster P13. Team-mate James Calado continued to struggle with the balance issues that dogged him a week ago, and lined up 22nd.

Esteban made a good start but then tangled with a rival and had to pit for a new front wing, dropping him to 21st. It made sense to change tyres too, but this meant his second stint was painfully long. He fought hard for a points-paying position and, with a post-race penalty for Felipe Nasr, was rewarded with 10th. Calado’s woes continued. He stalled on the grid and had to start from the pitlane. His ill-handling car destroyed the front tyres and he had no choice but to pit twice for new boots and finally finished 17th.

Race 2 proved a stronger showing for Lotus’ Mexican. Esteban sliced through the field up to third but with the chequered flag in sight the tyres started to crumble and he was forced to settle for fourth. Calado’s race was slightly happier than his last, with a number of overtaking opportunities coming his way. He finished 12th, a five-place improvement on where he started.

Esteban Gutierrez: “My wing was badly damaged at the start of Race 1, and that made life very difficult. Not only did I drop to the back of the field, but I had to wait for the pitstop window to open so as to avoid two-stopping. In the circumstances, we adopted the best strategy we could and I was also very happy with the balance of the car. I was able to fight back and, thanks to another driver’s penalty, I earned one point – so the day could have been worse. Race 2 was very interesting. I pushed very hard at the start and made some decisive passes. However, this cost me tyres and I paid the price for it at the end. Fourth place is not so bad, but I know I could have finished on the podium had qualifying been better. Having said that, we have a quick car and that gives us confidence.”

James Calado: “It was a terrible weekend with the same car handling troubles we had last weekend. We thought we had fixed it but the car was under-steering and it was destroying my front tyres, I just couldn’t find any grip. We changed everything we could: dampers, suspension and everything. We have to fix the handling problem in time for the Spanish races. I know what this team is capable of, and I will keep the faith.”

INDYCAR – SAO PAULO

Lotus DDR driver Oriol Servia showed impressive speed on the streets of Sao Paulo as he crossed the line in 11th place, despite starting 23rd due to an engine change and taking a drive-thru penalty en route. Sebastian Bourdais finished 18th and hoped for more, but he was mugged at the re-start. His Lotus Dragon Racing team-mate, Katherine Legge, hit the wall at Turn 10 on Lap 20, bringing the shutters down on her day. It was a frustrating mistake for the British driver because, at the time, she was lapping faster than the cars ahead of her. Simona di Silvestra also went for an early bath when gearbox gremlins set upon her Lotus HVM and, after ten laps stuck in sixth gear, she was forced to retire.

Oriol Servia (#22 -Lotus DRR): "We almost didn't make the start of the race. The guys did an amazing job. They were working until the last second putting the engine together and we didn't think that we were going to make it. Somehow we picked up the best result of the year and we'll take it."

Sebastien Bourdais (#7 – Lotus Dragon Racing): “You just need to look at the splits from the race: We have three fastest sectors (corners only : Turns 1 & 2, then T5 and T6) but it is not enough when we get in a pack of cars for a restart or a straight fight. We could have finished in the top 10 if we had not been collected in a multi-car incident that put us a lap down, but that’s racing.”

Katherine Legge (#6 Lotus Dragon Racing): “For the first time this year, we were actually faster than a few of the cars in front of us. I clipped the rear against the wall coming onto the back straight. Normally, that wouldn't cause much damage, but it depends on the angle of the impact. I thought it was just a flat tyre, but we came in and found out it was a bit more than that.”

Simona de Silvestro (#78 – Lotus HVM Racing): "I think we ran pretty good in practice this morning and we were looking forward to having a good race. The guys on the team have been doing a great job and working really hard. I feel bad for them that we couldn't finish the race. Now we just have to go back and work hard to get everything working right for Indy."

INTERNATIONAL GT OPEN – PORTIMAO

Lotus’ Evora GT4 scored a podium in the Algarve at the first round of the 2012 International GT Open, while its big brother, the Evora GTE, was running top five in its class until an accident curtailed the team’s race.

Lotus Giudici Racing’s Evora GTE qualified 16th in the Super GT class, 23rd overall. Changeable conditions throughout the weekend made both races challenging. In Race 1 the car crossed the line eighth in class, the Evora working well in the wet. Sunday’s Race 2 was damp at the start but the teams went with slicks anyway. Team leader Johnny Mowlem spun at Turn 2, dropping to 26th, but his recovery was brilliant. By changeover time in the 37 lap race he was fifth in Super GT and on course for a strong finish. However, team-mate Marcello Puglisi earned a drive-thru penalty for speeding and, as he rejoined the track, clipped a Ferrari and damaged the front-right suspension. This lost the Italian team four laps, dropping them down the order.

Portugal’s Goodsense Racing Team contested the GT Light class with their Evora GT4. Angela Negrao and Joffrey Didier qualified for Race 1 2nd in their class but failed to finish when a wheel nut came lose on Lap 10 after Didier’s pitstop for slicks. For Race 2, the team qualified 3rd and maintained this position to the end, reaching the podium and setting the fastest GT Light lap in the process.

Johnny Mowlem (Lotus Giudici Racing): “The International GT Open is probably the most competitive GT championship there is. Given this was the first time the team had seen the car, we’d not been to this track before and it was our first time on Dunlops I didn’t hold out much hope for a result. I was therefore pleasantly surprised by the car’s performance. Starting the second race in the damp and on slicks was great, the Lotus loves that. We were on course for a storming finish, coming from the back up to fifth place. In the wet we were able to match the pace of everyone except the top three. The car handles beautifully, it’s just lacking aero and development. We’ll work on it, but I left Portugal feeling encouraged.”

Frederico Tome (Engineer, Goodsense Racing Team): “It was a very satisfying home race for us. Qualifying on the front row for Race 1 and third for Race 2 shows the car has the raw pace. We were unlucky not to finish on the podium in Race 1 because a wheel came lose and Joffrey was forced to pull over. In the second race the car was perfect and we were thrilled to set the fastest lap and earn third.”

Lotus was further hindered by unanticipated difficulties caused by the widely reported change of ownership and the subsequent restrictions on resources. To have achieved a top ten position under these circumstances is pretty impressive.

That said, Lotus has acknowledged that whilst the engine has demonstrated a lot of promise, minimal testing has resulted in reliability issues.

Having now had the experience and feedback from the first three races of the season, Lotus undertook a strategic review of its position to decide what course of action would be in the best interests of IndyCar and the teams it supports.

Following this review, Lotus is pleased to announce in cooperation with IndyCar that, whilst it remains fully committed to IndyCar in the long term, Lotus has taken the decision to reduce the number of cars it runs from five to three for the remainder of the season. As a consequence of this decision, Lotus has made offers to Bryan Herta Autosport LLC and Dreyer & Reinbold Racing LLC to end the agreements with them. Bryan Herta Autosport LLC will not participate in any further races as a Lotus team and Dreyer & Reinbold Racing LLC will race one more time in Brazil next weekend.

Going forward, Lotus is excited to be working closely with Lotus HVM Racing, the original partner team and Lotus Dragon Racing, who delivered Lotus’ best result so far this season. Lotus wishes Bryan Herta Autosport LLC and Dreyer & Reinbold LLC the very best of luck for the future.

Lotus also intends to continue to assist its engine supplier Engine Developments Limited (EDL) by providing additional resources and financial support to expedite the development program. The details of the arrangement are currently being finalised and the additional support should result in an increased engine performance for the rest of the season.

Claudio Berro, Director of Motorsport Group Lotus, said: “Lotus in IndyCar is like David versus Goliath. We are and always will be a niche British sports car company built for the few not the many. That said I’m delighted with our solution and I can assure everybody that the actions were taken after careful consideration and will assist in ensuring the brand’s high racing ambitions and the high expectations of the IndyCar community are realised.”

Randy Bernard, CEO IndyCar, commented: “IndyCar is committed to ensuring that our teams and manufacturers have a platform to remain competitive. We support Lotus' decision and will assist Dreyer & Reinbold Racing and Bryan Herta Autosport in securing engine support for the remainder of the season.”

-                       Lotus introduces Evora IPS to Chinese market

-                       Lotus Establishes Racing Club for Chinese enthusiasts

The 2012 Beijing International Auto Show kicks off today, and Lotus Cars is showing off its full model range for the first time, including a very special supercar that’s been custom-made for China.

When the Lotus Evora GTE was unveiled at the Frankfurt show last year, the Chinese market went crazy for this, Lotus’ most powerful road-going model ever. Now the British sports car company has prepared the Evora GTE China Limited Edition, which makes its world debut in Beijing.

Lotus’ eminent chassis engineers have adapted the GTE to suit Chinese roads, and the interior comes with more leather and carbon fibre to make it more luxurious inside, without compromising performance at all. Its 3.5-litre supercharged V6 engine fires out 444 horsepower. Well, this is the year of the dragon!

Only 118 examples of the limited edition will be put on sale, making it all the more exclusive and collectable. Each car features a numbered plaque inside, marked with the China Limited Edition insignia.

Making its first appearance in China, the Lotus Evora IPS and its automatic paddle-shift transmission is a sure-fire hit. Its 3.5 litre V6 engine provides 280 horsepower, which the acclaimed chassis fully exploits. The Intelligent Precision Shift allows a high and even level of power transfer as well as quick, smooth shifts. It makes for more comfort in the city, better fuel efficiency, and huge fun when it comes to the twisty stuff.

Accompanying these premium Evoras, stablemates Elise and Exige have also made the trip to Beijing.

Also on the stand, Lotus presents the black-and-gold Lotus F1 Team car which is impressing on the Grand Prix circuit this year. Team-mates Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean are flying the flag for Lotus just like heroes of yesteryear, like Mario Andretti, Ayrton Senna and Jim Clark.

Lotus China are taking the opportunity of the Beijing show to announce the Lotus China Racing Club. It’s currently the only world-class club of its kind in China, offering its members track days, performance and race driving instruction, race car rental and exclusive access to Lotus events. A car refitted by the Lotus China Racing Club as well as the Lotus T125 – the first F1-inspired single-seater race car to go on sale – are on display in the outdoor exhibition area.

Lotus China Racing Club, the Lotus Evora GTE China Limited Edition, and very encouraging sales in the past 6-months attest to Lotus China’s proactive development strategy and Group Lotus’ strong confidence in the potential of the Chinese sports car market and the global appeal of the legendary marque.

Dany Bahar, CEO, Group Lotus: “As the top potential market for sports car brands, China is a vital part of the five-year revival plan we announced 18-months ago. We are committed to bringing our unique products, distinctive style and rich history to China to provide Chinese customers with diversified and personalized product choices.”

Lichen Zhang, President & CEO, Lotus China: “Within six months of Lotus Cars’ entry into China, orders have exceeded our expectations, which has strengthened our confidence in developing the China market. At the same time, in accordance with the China market’s characteristics and customer requirements, we have developed the Lotus Evora GTE China Limited Edition which we are launching here in Beijing, together with the Evora IPS.”

“#Wheresmypodium” tweeted the Lotus F1 Team throughout the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend. Having come close in each of the opening rounds, the obvious pace of the Lotus E20 and the unquestionable skills of Kimi Raikkonen and young hotshoe Romain Grosjean, it was only a matter of time. Finally, in the Middle East, it came together.

It was the first time two Lotus drivers have been on the F1 podium together since Carlos Reutemann and Mario Andretti followed Patrick Depailler’s Liger home at Jarama, Spain, in April 1979.

Kimi qualified 11th, and in missing out on the Q3 cut-off he saved a set of Pirellis which would come in handy. Romain qualified seventh.

The start was scintillating from both Lotus drivers. Grosjean shot up to third, Raikkonen up to sixth. Then they set about picking off more rivals, and emerged from the pitstops second and third respectively. On soft tyres, Kimi was the faster of the pair and was allowed to overtake on Lap 24. Let of the leash, he began hunting down race leader Sebastian Vettel. Having reigned him in with DRS, and had a stab at the end of the straight, Seb and Kimi pitted together on Lap 39, the German maintaining his lead and slowly pulling away.

The Lotus is kinder to its tyres than the Red Bull but on this occasion Vettel’s RB8 was able to keep a gap to the fired-up Finn. They crossed the finish line a few seconds apart, with Romain taking his first F1 podium further down the road.

Lotus now leaps from sixth to third in the Constructors’ Championship, sandwiched between McLaren and Ferrari.

Kimi Raikkonen: “It’s a bit disappointing that I didn’t manage to win, but at least we got a podium with both cars. We’ve not been 100 percent happy with how the weekends have been so far, but finally we’ve got some proper results, so it’s an important step. I got one chance on Sebastian but I chose the wrong side under braking. In the end, there were no other chances to try. I don’t like to finish second, but I’m pretty happy to be up here.”

Romain Grosjean: “I’m delighted and very proud of the team. We knew we had a quick car but at the beginning I think we were surprised by how quick we were. Our car is very competitive in what is a tight season so far. I think we can be very happy with what we did. Last week I earned my first points, this week I get my first podium. I’m looking forward to what comes next.”

GP2 – BAHRAIN

Round 2 of the 2012 F1 feeder series, GP2, saw the black and gold Lotus cars reach the podium three times in the weekend’s two races.

Esteban Gutierrez started on the front row for Race 1, just behind Davide Valsecchi, while team-mate James Calado started seventh. The Englishman suffered mysterious handling issues which dogged his weekend, but his pace was still clear to see. In the race, he got up to P2 while Esteban had a slow pitstop and slid down the field only to recover in style. Taking Johnny Cecotto for P5, the Mexican was forced off the track and across the sand, but still made his thrilling move stick. Battling with tyre degradation, James was passed by Luiz Razia and then Esteban for fourth. While Calado had to accept fifth position, Gutierrez set off after Max Chilton’s Carlin and, on the final lap at the last opportunity, he nailed him and slammed the door shut. Third place, and a very happy Mexican.

The results meant Calado started Race 2 in fourth and Gutierrez sixth. And what a start it was. Down into Turn 1 the Englishman stole the lead while Esteban chased in third. Fabio Leimer was sandwiched between them and on Lap 2 was mugged by Esteban on the main straight. The two Lotus team-mates fought each other hard for the lead, a slight contact snapping off a small but not insignificant part of Gutierrez’ front wing. Calado locked up into Turn 1, they touched, and Leimer came between them again. Struggling at the front, the chasing pair managed to slip passed Calado who would finish in third. Then Leimer was given a drive-through for ignoring yellow flags, and that promoted Gutierrez to the lead. Behind him, though, Valsecchi had been nursing his tyres and was ready to pounce. On the final lap the Italian DAMS racer took the position, with Gutierrez and Calado crossing the line to seal a double-podium for Lotus – the first of the day, but not the last.

Esteban Gutierrez: “It was a very positive weekend for me, with two podium finishes. I hope we can build on this consistency for the rest of the season and make a small step forward so we can fight for wins every time.”

James Calado: “Around right-hand corners the car understeered terribly. It was like the front left wheel was off the ground. So this is something we need to look into. We made some changes after Race 1 but they only made the problem worse. It led to the tyres overheating, and that made it extremely difficult. So given that, I think we can feel very fortunate to finish where we did.”

BRITCAR BRITISH ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP – DONINGTON

Team Bullrun’s Evora GT4 crossed the line first in their class at the Donington Park endurance race and is leading the way at the top of the table after the second round.

David Green: “We are delighted with the win at Donington in difficult weather conditions and against strong opposition. The Evora performed very well with the constantly changing levels of grip and gave us added flexibility to adjust our race strategy accordingly. With a quarter of the season already gone we are exactly where we want to be - leading both the Class and Overall Championship."

Claudio Berro, director of Lotus Racing: “A fantastic weekend for Lotus Racing and well done to all the teams involved – the Lotus F1 Team, Lotus GP and Team Bullrun. It’s such a thrill to see a pair of Lotus drivers back on the podium. It’s been 33 years since we’ve had two F1 drivers up there, in their black and gold suits, and we’re all very proud. There’s plenty more to come from Kimi, Romain, and the Lotus E20 so stay tuned. Congratulations to our GP2 drivers, we saw some really spirited racing there. And it’s wonderful to see our Evora GT4 show the rest how it’s done in the Britcar series.”

Kimi qualified 11th, and in missing out on the Q3 cut-off he saved a set of Pirellis which would come in handy. Romain qualified seventh.

The start was scintillating from both Lotus drivers. Grosjean shot up to third, Raikkonen up to sixth. Then they set about picking off more rivals, and emerged from the pitstops second and third respectively. On soft tyres, Kimi was the faster of the pair and was allowed to overtake on Lap 24. Let off the leash, he began hunting down race leader Sebastian Vettel. Having reigned him in with DRS, and had a stab at the end of the straight, Seb and Kimi pitted together on Lap 39, the German maintaining his lead and slowly pulling away.

The Lotus is kinder to its tyres than the Red Bull but on this occasion Vettel’s RB8 was able to keep a gap to the fired-up Finn. They crossed the finish line a few seconds apart, with Romain taking his first F1 podium further down the road.

Lotus now leaps from sixth to fourth in the Constructors’ Championship, sandwiched between McLaren and Ferrari.

Kimi Raikkonen: “It’s a bit disappointing that I didn’t manage to win, but at least we got a podium with both cars. We’ve not been 100 percent happy with how the weekends have been so far, but finally we’ve got some proper results, so it’s an important step. I got one chance on Sebastian but I chose the wrong side under braking. In the end, there were no other chances to try. I don’t like to finish second, but I’m pretty happy to be up here.”

Romain Grosjean: “I’m delighted and very proud of the team. We knew we had a quick car but at the beginning I think we were surprised by how quick we were. Our car is very competitive in what is a tight season so far. I think we can be very happy with what we did. Last week I earned my first points, this week I get my first podium. I’m looking forward to what comes next.”

Well, first of all what a fantastic race. China was really thrilling right to the end, and it was thanks to the different tyre strategies the teams adopted. Kimi’s strategy was quite optimistic, staying out on his third set of tyres. I was so shocked when he lost all those positions in just a couple of laps. He did a great job of keeping those cars behind him as long as he did, but suddenly there was a big drop-off of grip and when Sebastian Vettel got past, Kimi was forced to go off line and picked up the discarded rubber marbles. He had no chance to clean his tyres and everyone else passed him. Fernando Alonso suffered more or less the same thing, but there weren’t so many cars behind him and he only lost a couple of places.

The two-stop strategy seemed to work better for Romain Grosjean, who rose from tenth to sixth…

Yes, he had good race pace. After his accidents in Australia and Malaysia he had to be more careful, he knew he needed to get to the end. I was quite happy with what he did, at a track he’s never driven on before.

The car is capable of more though. It must be frustrating for them not to be on the podium yet…

It’s really tough when your results don’t match your performance. Ferrari has a car that is uncompetitive, but after two rounds Fernando was leading the world championship. At Lotus, things are the other way around. They have a very competitive car but they haven’t pulled it all together. In this situation, it is important to stay cool and acknowledge they have the car, they trust the drivers, and the results will come. Unlike last year, when the Red Bull RB7 dominated, this season there isn’t a clear frontrunner and that means it’s all about detail. Because it’s so close out there, the winning team will be the one that makes no mistakes. One little detail missing, and the results won’t come. So Lotus need to stay calm, but keep an eye on every detail.

The Lotus F1 Team embarked on an aggressive strategy in Shanghai that saw both drivers pit twice. The gamble worked for Romain Grosjean, who improved on his tenth place grid slot to come home sixth, while Kimi Raikkonen fell back. The Finn started an excellent fourth place and ran as high as second during laps 41 to 47. Having pitted for the second set of medium tyres four laps before Romain, he suffered huge degradation and was swamped by his rivals during the final laps. Grosjean’s sixth place yields eight points – the first of his F1 career.

Kimi Raikkonen: “Up until the last ten laps it was looking quite good, but we ran out of tyre performance at the end. We had good pace in the race, we tried a different strategy and it didn’t pay off. It’s as simple as that.”

Romain Grosjean: “It was a very good race, I really enjoyed it. To be up there fighting with McLaren and Red Bull is a great feeling and I’m happy to have got my season started properly. We’ve had high hopes since P3 on the grid in Melbourne, and now after a few setbacks it’s time to aim higher.”

INDYCAR – LONG BEACH GRAND PRIX

A tough weekend for the Lotus-engined teams in California. Having been sidelined for much of practice and qualifying due to bad weather and a water pump issue, Lotus HVM’s Simona di Silvestro suffered an engine failure 11 laps from the end of the 85 lap race, demoting her to 20th. Lotus Team Barracuda BHA’s Alex Tagliani, who qualified tenth, struggled during the race and was also hit by EJ Viso, forcing him to pit for a new front wing. Ultimately, he retired and registered 21st place. Lotus Dragon Racing’s Sebastien Bourdais finished 17th after hitting a tyre wall and losing two laps. His team-mate, Katherine Legge, also lost her front wing – she crossed the line in 19th. The highest Lotus finisher was DDR’s Oriol Servia. He dropped two laps due to a kafuffle in the pits, but passed champion Dario Franchitti on the last lap for 15th. However, a car pile-up bumped him back down to 16th, after he stalled and needed his crew to push him across the finish line.

Oriol Servia, Lotus DDR: “We lost a wheel nut and that's what put us two laps down. Not the best day out there, but I'm really happy with the team, they kept their heads down and in the end that's what will give us the results."

Alex Tagliani, Lotus Team Barracuda BHA: “I think the car was decent in the race. We made some passes and I think the car would have been good to have a decent finish if we ran the whole race.”

Simona De Silvestro, Lotus HVM Racing: “We had issues in practice and qualifying and only ran like six laps total going into the race, so we were excited to be running such a great race. We had good pit stops and only 11 laps to go when we lost the engine, so it’s really frustrating. Not fun!”

Sebastien Bourdais, Lotus Dragon Racing: “I lost the car on brakes, lost the rear, and went sideways. By then, it was too late, I was in the tyre wall. I thought for sure the car was all broken, but when I checked for damage, there was nothing, When the safety team got me going, I was two laps down, but decided to bring it home.”

AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES – LONG BEACH

Lotus AJR’s Evora took the chequered flag in its first ALMS race at the weekend, at Long Beach. Bill Sweedler was at the wheel at the start of the race and was hit from behind as he braked to avoid a stopped car. He was spun around and then, moments later, hit for a second time which caused severe damage to the exhaust and robbed the Evora of valuable horsepower. The crew made repairs, but Sweedler and team-mate Townsend Bell were down several laps. They soldiered on to take the flag.

Bill Sweedler: “It was an unfortunate start. There was pile up in the Fountain Turn, I got hit from behind by a GTC car and he spun me. I was getting back underway when a prototype came in and hit me harder. That caused the exhaust pipe to be crimped by about 90-degrees, so we were putting out about one-tenth of the horsepower. The guys did a good job to make the repairs and keep us going.”

Townsend Bell: “The team hustled and worked hard to replace the exhaust and keep us in the race. It was nice for me to go out and drive this car against competition for the first time. We have a long list of things to work on with this car. We are realistic about the challenge ahead of us. I got to ride around the streets of Long Beach in a fast Lotus today, so that wasn't all bad.”

False rumour #1: Dany Bahar is no longer CEO of Group Lotus.

Fact: Rubbish – Dany Bahar still is.

False rumour #2: Dato’ Sri Syed is no longer Managing Director of Proton.

Fact: Again rubbish. He still is.

You can thank good old Tony Fernandes for these two. Don’t take everything he tweets too seriously – perhaps he’s still frustrated about owning Caterham instead of Lotus and the fact that he fights HRT and Marussia instead of Mercedes and Ferrari in F1.

And whilst we’re on the subject of jokes - do you know the latest F1 joke? Mike Gascoyne, Caterham Group’s Chief Technical Officer, has gone missing. Why? He’s looking for the 30 to 40 points he predicted for the last F1 season. Funny.

Speaking of F1: It seems that one special so called ‘independent’ source is at the root of the lion’s share of damaging rumours and misleading stories. The delightful Joe Saward which leads us nicely to….

False rumour #3: Joe Saward is JUST an independent journalist.

Fact: He is an active Director for the Caterham Group.

And unlike some, we don’t want to get too personal, so we’ll leave it to you to judge how ‘independent’ his stories about Lotus are.

False rumour #4: Group Lotus is no longer involved in F1.

Fact: Lotus F1 Team and Group Lotus have reshaped their commercial relationship earlier this year. The new governance agreement signifies the continued commitment of Group Lotus to the team and the sport.

Group Lotus’ branding and marketing rights and subsequent activities remain unaffected by the new agreement until at least 2017. Alongside continued branding and title partnership status, Group Lotus is also the exclusive master licensee for all Lotus F1 Team merchandise.

The new agreement was reached following Group Lotus owners Proton providing team owners Genii with a £30m loan which is repayable within three years. In order to secure the loan Genii used 100% of the F1 team’s assets as collateral meaning that under the conditions of the loan agreement Proton have been given full title guarantee to all plant, machinery, show cars, computers, office and the Lotus F1 Team headquarters.

In addition Proton retains the rights to purchase 10% of the F1 team. Another 10% share option will be activated if the team default on their loan obligations with Proton.

Again we leave it to your judgement how ‘bad’ Lotus’ current situation in F1 is. And speaking of bad situations…..

False rumour #5: Group Lotus is going into administration.

Fact: Rubbish. The takeover of our parent company Proton by DRB-HICOM couldn’t have come at a worse time, but up until that point Proton was (and still remains) fully committed to our five year business plan to create jobs and to expand the factory and business. With the takeover process the funding has been restricted and DRB-HICOM is taking time to understand what to do with the business. DRB-HICOM is currently in the middle of due diligence of Group Lotus and there have been and continue to be positive discussions between Group Lotus senior management and senior management at DRB-HICOM both here in Hethel and in Malaysia. At no point has DRB-HICOM indicated to Group Lotus that it intends to put the company into administration. The over-active rumour mill is seriously damaging our business reputation, image and credibility but it is what it is.

The simple fact is, and we haven’t denied this - Lotus is going through a very difficult phase at the moment but we are showing true fighting spirit every day in trying to keep this vision alive. This is also a fact – no matter what people outside of Lotus may say or tweet or blog.

Lotus F1 Team’s Kimi Raikkonen drove a strong race at Sepang to convert his tenth-place start into fifth place and ten points. It was a tough race with mixed weather conditions, made tougher by a gearbox change penalty that put the Finn five slots back on the grid from his impressive qualifying time.

On Saturday, Kimi set the fastest time in Q2 and the joint fourth fastest time in Q3, a 1:36.461 shared with Mark Webber. It highlighted the raw pace of the Lotus E20. Team-mate Romain Grosjean, meanwhile, delivered the seventh fastest time and was promoted to P6 on the grid due to Kimi’s penalty.

Romain had a very strong start, bursting through the field and taking third at Turn 1. However, as rain fell and visibility was compromised, he had contact with Michael Schumacher and the two were sent spinning out. A few laps later, stuck out on intermediate tyres as the rain lashed down, Romain aquaplaned off into the gravel. His race was over.

Kimi fell to 13th after switching to extreme wets on Lap 5, just before the Safety Car came out and, finally, the race was red flagged. After nearly an hour sheltering under gazebos on the grid, the race was restarted.

On Lap 13, Kimi was back in for intermediates. With the track drying he made his third and final stop on Lap 40 having scythed his way back up the field to P6. On dry tarmac, Kimi set the fastest lap of the race and when Sebastian Vettel lost a rear tyre he was promoted to fifth place behind Mark Webber.

Kimi Raikkonen: “It was my first time on wet weather Pirellis - I didn’t know how they would react. I just tried to stay on the road and pushed as hard as I felt comfortable. When I changed to dry I could push much harder. The conditions changed a lot today so it was always a case of adapting and looking for grip. A fifth today is okay but we’re always looking for better results.”

Romain Grosjean: “It felt like the perfect start off the line. With KERS I managed to weave through the cars in front without touching anybody. Coming out of the first two corners I was up to third, which was an amazing feeling. In Turn 4 Mark Webber edged in front. Michael Schumacher tried to follow him through but there was not enough space and we touched, and both spun. From there things were really tough. The visibility was so poor. There was far too much water. I had a massive aquaplaning into Turn 5 and went backwards into the gravel.”

GP2 – SEPANG, MALAYSIA

Lotus GP scored a lights-to-flag one-two on Sunday, in the sprint race that rounded-off the 2012 GP2 Series’ first race weekend.

British rookie James Calado lined up sixth on the grid for Race 1, with Mexican team-mate Esteban Gutierrez back in 15th, recovering from a practice crash with Barwa Addax’s Johnny Cecotto. Esteban made a lightening start, carving through to 10th by the third corner. Calado maintained his position, pitting on lap 12, while Gutierrez led the race before pitting three laps later. He stormed into the pit entry road a bit too hot, got on the grass and just saved it, losing 2.5 seconds. It put him back behind Calado, who was now running ninth, and the pair started to drill into the field again. On lap 25 of the 30 lap feature, Esteban passed James at the hairpin to snatch seventh. Calado resisted pressure from Giedo Van der Garde until the finish. It had been a particularly tough race for the rookie. His water bottle broke, as did his radio. It was most fortunate his crew was there when he came in to pit.

By finishing eighth, James was on pole position for the second race. Esteban was right behind on the front row. Down to Turn 1 the Mexican challenged, but James had the inside line and the pair maintained their positions at the front all the way to the flag. Calado leaves Malaysia third in the championship, with Gutierrez just one point behind. Lotus GP is second in the title chase, five points adrift of DAMS.

James Calado: “In Race 2 Esteban’s start was better, but I kept to the inside for the first corner. From there I drove like a slug, so slow, just trying to conserve the tyres. I couldn’t believe the degredation, but it’s the same for everyone. It’s nice to get a win under my belt. My objective this weekend was just to score points, and that’s what I’ve done without taking any silly risks. That’s the way I’m approaching every round this season.”

Esteban Gutierrez: “I played it safe in Race 2 because it’s essential to get the points. My one chance was the start, I didn’t manage to take the lead from James, but from there we had a very strong race and it’s the perfect result for the team. Yesterday’s start was really good, I found a lot of grip and had I not been blocked I think I could have been P5 from P15! It was still good enough to get in the top ten. When I went into the pits I was a bit optimistic. I need to minimize these kinds of mistakes. Today, there were no errors from either James or I and we got this great one-two, so we’re very happy.”

INDYCAR – ST PETERSBURG, FL

Lotus’ IndyCar engine debut showed a lot of promise, but with minimal testing reliability was a victim. Three of the five Lotus-engined cars failed to finish, but Sebastian Bourdais’ Lotus Dragon Racing car was in play for a top five finale and a lot of vital data was gained throughout the weekend. The potential is there, they just need to iron out the creases.

Bourdais, #7, started 26th and last but fought his way up to the sharp end. “I was able to match some of the top running drivers, at certain times, during the race. I was running in the top 10, then in top five. I was P1 from sectors 4 to 8. But then, all of a sudden, it was like the ignition went off. The car just stopped, with so few laps left in the race”. The issue was traced to an electrical problem.

Just a few laps into the race, Katherine Legge’s #6 Lotus Dragon Racing stalled on the front straight bringing out the first caution flag. The car was towed back to pitlane, where the team re-started it and Legge re-joined the field. Throughout the race, Legge experienced shifting and throttle problems, causing the car to lose power. After two thirds of the race, the #6 car stopped at the end of the front straight leaking fluids.

Lotus HVM Racing’s Simona De Silvestro had high hopes going into today’s race. Unfortunately, the team suffered a setback when the car stalled on track on lap 23. Unable to restart the car in pit lane, the team pushed the car to the garage, working frantically to fix the issue and get Simona back into the race. Unfortunately, they missed the cut off of 15 laps to go.

Alex Tagliani and his Lotus-BHA crew earned a fifteenth place finish, the highest of the Lotus-powered cars in the competition. The team made consistent improvements throughout the race weekend, leading up to Saturday's qualifying effort, where Tagliani earned P17 on the starting grid. On Sunday, the Canadian driver completed 100 incident-free laps.

Lotus-DRR’s Oriol Servia finished 16th. On Lap 12, Oriol pitted on the same lap before the yellow came out, making his a three-stop strategy. Servia pitted again on Lap 43, receiving a full fill of fuel and switched from the alternate tyres to primaries. As he was leaving pit lane, the #2 machine stalled several times due to the clutch not being able to engage. Oriol was unable to put the car into first gear as result and he lost a lap. Oriol came in for the final time on Lap 72 to fill full with fuel. He was excited to finish the race.

Oriol Servia, Lotus Dreyer & Reinbold Racing: "I'm the happiest I've been all weekend. I was pulling away in the corners. We're lacking top speed, there's no doubt, but I'm super encouraged at the improvement that we made with the car. We had a little hiccup with the clutch. Those are mechanical things that in racing you cannot avoid, especially with a new car. We kept our heads down after a tough qualifying and we came up with a good racecar, which gives me confidence for the next 15 races."

Claudio Berro, Director of Lotus Racing: “The performance of the Lotus cars during the race was good, but we still need to work on the car to improve it. We got going six months later than the other two big manufacturers. It was not easy to arrive this weekend on top. We improved the engineering in some areas. We were confident that the teams would give us good support, and they did. In order to speed things up, all the Lotus teams decided to share the data right from the beginning. We need to work on the mapping, the throttle. Three out of five cars didn’t finish, for different reasons. We need to go back and analyze these engines. We have a lot of information to compute, if we are going to go forward. But, we feel good about everything we have learned this weekend, and we will improve week by week.”

RALLYING - ST REMO TEST

Lotus made significant progress this week in developing the new Exige R-GT rally car. The Lotus International Rally team headed to the legendary rally Tarmac of St Remo, Italy, with works drivers Bernardo Sousa and Luca Rossetti. The Exige ran for 85km on Tuesday and 75km on Wednesday this week, and the testing was largely trouble free except for a small supercharger problem, which was remedied by changing the compressor belt. The team will carry out another two-day test ahead of the R-GT's race debut in FIA European Rally Championship on 19-21 April in Italy's Rally 1000 Miglia.

Bernardo Sousa: "I'm loving every km in the car, there is some work to do, but I'm sure that in the near future we will have some very good results, the car has great potential"

Claudio Berro, director of Lotus Racing: "The Lotus Exige R-GT's development continues to go to plan and we were satisfied with the performance, mileage and data we got from the car and drivers. We did a lot of work on set-up, and we should be perfectly prepared with a final two day test, schedule within the next ten days. Next week we'll be having a visit from the FIA to homologate the car, so things are coming together quickly. It's really exciting."

The racing is better than last year and it’s good to see the teams closing in and in some cases being even faster than the Red Bulls. Of course it’s a great field with six world champions and a lot of new talent.

Just two races in, and Kimi Raikkonen looks like he’s lost none of his speed. Are you surprised how quickly he’s got back to grips with F1?

I am surprised that it has taken no time for Kimi to be back at the top of his form. Michael Schumacher is on form this year too, but it took him two years to get back in the groove. Kimi was on it from the very first test.

Romain Grosjean once again qualified strongly but ended in the gravel within four laps. What advice would you give him?

The same advice I’d give any driver, especially a young one: first you have to finish, then you can finish first.

As a driver pairing, how good a partnership do you think Kimi and Romain make compared to the teams around them?

There are good pairings all around, and Lotus is no exception. With Kimi racing so well and Romain showing a lot of speed the pair will keep each other honest and the results will come.

We had a red flag period for nearly an hour due to rain. How difficult is it for a driver psychologically when a race is suspended?

I’m totally in favour of stopping the race in critical aquaplaning conditions. There is nothing the driver can do to defend himself in these conditions. I actually believe the red flag period in this case to be beneficial to the drivers, they can enter again and re-start the race at their best.

Lotus once again proved they are quick, but due to Kimi’s gearbox penalty they perhaps don’t have the optimum result. How do you think the E20 ranks compared to the McLaren, the Red Bull, the Mercedes and the Ferrari?

Lotus has made the most progress of any team. I am happy to celebrate the 40^th anniversary of my 1972 World Championship with Lotus and see the marque becoming a serious contender in F1 again. I know so many of the people involved I am sure that they will get the job done. I have a lot of respect for the new management and especially for my friend Eric Boullier.

In mixed-weather conditions, experience usually comes to the fore. How impressed were you with Sergio Perez, in just his second season, challenging for the lead like he did?

I have known Sergio since he was in karting, and he’s always been fast. He is Mexico’s new hope in F1, and this is great news. His strategy was perfect and he drove like a veteran, turning in the fast laps when it mattered and making everybody follow.

You achieved success in F1 at an incredibly early age. What do you think is going through Sergio’s head right now? And how much is he daydreaming about Ferrari?

I think that he is taking things one at a time, and trying to do his best this season. Today he showed again that he is very focused, so I wouldn’t say he’s daydreaming just dealing with the present.

Fresh from the Malaysian Grand Prix, Kimi Räikkönen joined Group Lotus CEO Dany Bahar in Beirut last night to celebrate the return of Lotus to Lebanon.

The legendary marque is opening a new dealership in Beirut in partnership with leading Lebanese automotive dealer RYMCO and luxury real estate and management company Zardman. Lotus’ acclaimed Evora, Elise and Exige are set to quicken the heartbeat of one of the most exciting cities in the Middle East.

Lotus Cars Lebanon welcomed the 2007 Formula One World Champion to Beirut in style, throwing an exclusive party at the MAD nightclub and toasting the future of Lotus in the region. The ‘Lotus is Back’ event was also attended by a few lucky F1 fans, who got to press up against Lotus’ speediest models.

Kimi Räikkönen, racing driver, Lotus F1 Team: “It was a great first visit to Beirut and a lot of fun to join the Lotus Car Lebanon team and launch the marque here. Lotus is a really special car company with big ambitions and part of that is returning to Formula One, another is spreading the word around the world.”

Dany Bahar, CEO, Group Lotus: “The Middle East is a market of huge potential to Lotus and Beirut is a very strong location for us. There were a lot of competitive bids to host Lotus here, and I am very happy that we’ve agreed to partner with Zardman and RYMCO who I’m confident will represent our brand perfectly and give customers a fantastic experience here in Lebanon. This is an important step in Lotus’ international sales plans.”

Fayez Rasamny, Chairman, Lotus Cars Lebanon: “This is a very exciting night for sports car aficionados in Lebanon, and indeed for racing fans. Thank you to Kimi Räikkönen for his special visit, and thank you to Group Lotus for returning to the region and bringing their wonderful cars. We really wanted to be the ones to bring this legendary automotive brand to Lebanon. The Lebanese are massively into premium sports cars and Lotus’ racing heritage. I’m confident Lotus Cars Lebanon is going to be a huge success.”

Assigned to special projects, Mansory will contribute bodywork, trim and special finishes for Lotus’ acclaimed model range; the Elise, Exige and Evora. As the Official Customisation Studio, Mansory is working closely with Lotus’ engineers and designers to produce modifications that scream individuality and quality.

Since the exciting reaction to the Evora Concept Bespoke at the 2011 Geneva expo, Lotus and Mansory have collaborated on several projects together, principally the road-going Evora GTE – the most powerful Lotus yet - which prompted a deluge of international orders.

‘Specials’ followed: The chrome-red Evora GTE by Swizz Beatz and, most recently, the raw carbon-fibre Lotus F1 Team Evora GTE, have claimed poster space on teenagers’ bedroom walls and sparked frenzy among supercar collectors desperate to get their hands on these extremely limited-edition models.

Eponymous founder Kourosh Mansory has always been passionate about British luxury and sports cars. He spent many years in England in order to absorb vehicular values such as tradition, craftsmanship, and state-of-the-art engineering.

Kourosh Mansory, Owner, Mansory Design and Holding GmbH: “At Mansory, we have always been passionate about British cars, and the cooperation with Lotus is the perfect partnership as it meets our quality standard of production on the highest technical level combined with masterly craftsmanship and the most precious materials. As the Official Lotus Customisation Studio, we amplify the existing options with harmonically designed aerodynamics and ultra-light aluminium rims. High-quality accessories and stylish interior fittings complete the Mansory assortment.”

Wolf Zimmerman, Chief Technical Officer, Group Lotus: “Mansory are leaders in their field, and having worked closely with them on the Evora GTE and the special editions we’ve unveiled recently, we now wish to take the partnership to an official level. Together, I am confident we will continue to produce outstanding sports cars, with the bespoke qualities that many of our discerning customers look for.”

Maurizio Parlato, Commercial Director, Group Lotus: “There’s a strong market for official customisation, and Mansory is the perfect partner in ensuring the quality and style we strive to maintain at Lotus. For customers who are seeking Lotus’ principals of speed, innovation and fun, but with added exclusivity, our Official Customisation Studio is the answer. The Lotus Evora GTE is a great illustration of what is to come. The car has already prompted around 250 orders and leads between China and Europe and we expect it to have a very successful future as the top of the range Evora.”

As well as firing up some of the most exciting classic and current Lotus models, Group Lotus is preparing a dramatic sculpture that will become a centrepiece of Goodwood House’s stately grounds during the June 28 to July 1 festival.

Goodwood and Lotus have a lot in common: Passionate about the past and the future, for petrolheads they represent the very best of British. The shared philosophies of speed, emotion, style, competitive spirit and enjoying the good times are all here.

42 historic Lotuses will blast up the hallowed hill climb, while the Lotus F1 Team looks to break the course record with this year’s grand prix challenger, the black-and-gold E20.

The cars and enthusiasts will be joined by famous faces and Lotus legends from every era (can we give a hint or one or two confirmed names here?!?). Lotus remains committed to the motorsport world, with activities at every level in Formula One, IndyCar, GTs, endurance racing and rallying. Racing is core to Lotus’ DNA, and with seven F1 constructors’ titles, six drivers’ crowns and a World Rally Championship to its name, few marques can boast such a successful and multi-skilled heritage.

Group Lotus CEO Dany Bahar is proud that the marque will be centre-stage this summer. “The Goodwood Festival of Speed is such an iconic event, for me it completely captures the spirit and passion of British motorsport. We’re always made to feel very welcome by all the fans and the organizers, it’s a home from home for us and I’m delighted that we have such a strong presence at the event this year.”

Landowner and organizer Lord March is thrilled that Lotus will have such a significant presence at Goodwood. “Lotus is without a doubt one of the greatest, most evocative motoring and motor racing brands Britain has produced and we are very happy the company will be our featured marque this year. Lotus’ beautiful, innovative, joyful cars and some of the heroes that made them famous will be out in force, not sitting silently but driven hard for the purpose they were born. It’s going to be a wonderful automotive celebration.”

The production 3 cylinder Lotus Engineering / Fagor Ederlan Range Extender will be offered in two versions with the top of the range 50 kW supercharged variant on show in the cutaway hybrid Evora 414Evolution exhibit. The 1.3 litre, three cylinder Lotus Range Extender engine offers high efficiency and low mass, which will enable the downsizing of expensive batteries, whilst maintaining vehicle efficiency and range of hybrid electric vehicles.

The Range Extender is designed to offer a fast route to market for original equipment manufacturers requiring a dedicated range extender for series hybrid vehicles. Designing the engine specifically for hybrid applications has provided a number of opportunities to significantly reduce the mass of the engine. This mass optimisation has resulted in an engine weight of 58 kg for the supercharged version and 51 kg for the naturally aspirated variant.

The supercharged engine uses a belt driven centrifugal supercharger to produce 50 kW peak electrical power at 3500 rpm, with the naturally aspirated version producing a maximum 35 kW. The engine is optimised to generate power at engine speeds between 1500 and 3500 rpm allowing a lightweight simple 2 valve per cylinder engine architecture and eliminating the need for a complex 4 valve per cylinder design.

As well as an Integrated Exhaust Manifold, the Lotus Range Extender engine has an innovative new Integrated Intake Manifold that gives a significant reduction in weight and package size.

The generator supplied by Fagor Automation, is driven directly off the crankshaft to reduce weight, package size and cost. The engine, generator and power electronics are controlled using a Lotus controller to improve communication and efficient running of the systems. The engine architecture and engine management system are designed to offer flex-fuel capability to allow the engine to run on renewable alcohol fuels.

Official photos here:

http://www.midlandsl...range-extender/