When manager Paul Lambert led Norwich City Football Club through back-to-back promotions from League One through the Championship to the height of English football with a place in the Barclays Premier League for the 2011/12 season – the football world sat up and listened – after a six-year absence – the Canaries are back.

With the start of the 2011/12 season Norfolk based Group Lotus are proud to announce a five-season partnership with fellow Norfolk exports Norwich City Football Club. The relationship unites the two most prominent sporting entities in Norfolk and will allow Group Lotus the opportunity to communicate with the worldwide football audience through strategic branding and marketing activities.

Group Lotus announced the relationship in typical Lotus style by allowing brand ambassador Nigel Mansell to undertake a series of smoking stunts in the Evora GT4 in the car park outside NCFC's Carrow Road stadium with City Manager Paul Lambert and several first team players watching from the side-lines.

The Group Lotus All Stars, a group of five Lotus Motorsport drivers including Nigel Mansell, his son Greg, Lotus Renault GP driver Bruno Senna and Lotus Factory drivers James Rossiter and Ollie Jackson proceeded to entertain the media by taking on five NCFC players during a nail biting penalty shootout on the pitch.

Commenting on the announcement, Group Lotus Chief Executive Officer Dany Bahar said: "No one can deny the global appeal of football and this partnership with our local heroes Norwich City Football Club will provide us with a new platform to talk to future Lotus fans. The relationship makes sense on so many levels and we are very proud to be associated with a team who share our values of passion, performance and dedicated hard work. Business aside, I'm also planning on using our association with the team as a great staff motivator back at the factory where our team are working so hard."

Norwich City Chief Executive David McNally added: "This is a great and dynamic partnership with another Norfolk sporting giant which everyone at Norwich City is really excited about.

"It's a significant deal financially and a welcome commitment to the Club from a globally-renowned brand which also has a proud Norfolk heritage and strong local links. We're really looking forward to working together with Lotus in the seasons ahead."

The five-year deal sees the Hethel-based company backing the Club with a significant seven-figure investment marked with a high-octane launch at Carrow Road today.

Former FIA Formula One World Champion Nigel Mansell performed a series of wheel-spinning stunts in the Evora GT4 watched by City boss Paul Lambert, skipper Grant Holt and other Canary first team players.

Currently partnering the Lotus-Renault GP F1 team, Lotus also brought some of their legendary Grand Prix cars from bygone years to display at Carrow Road as well as some of their sleek and stylish performance road cars.

Afterwards five Lotus Motorsport drivers took on the City players in a penalty shoot-out on the Carrow Road pitch.

The partnership brings together Norfolk's biggest sporting brands and will see Lotus benefitting from the exciting marketing and branding opportunities on offer to City's partners in the Barclays Premier League.

City Chief Executive David McNally said he was delighted to welcome Lotus aboard: "This is a great and dynamic partnership with another Norfolk sporting giant which everyone at Norwich City is really excited about.

"It's a significant deal financially and a welcome commitment to the Club from a globally-renowned brand which also has a proud Norfolk heritage and strong local links.

"We're really looking forward to working together with Lotus in the seasons ahead."

Meanwhile Group Lotus Chief Executive Officer Dany Bahar said: "No one can deny the global appeal of football and this partnership with our local heroes Norwich City Football Club will provide us with a new platform to talk to future Lotus fans.

"The relationship makes sense on so many levels and we are very proud to be associated with a team who share our values of passion, performance and dedicated hard work."

Three little hints:

1. Like Group Lotus, he means business: He's a risk taker with considerable credentials including music producer, rapper, designer AND painter

2. Like our cars, he's multi award winning: This year he shared a Grammy Award with Jay-Z

3. Like Group Lotus, he keeps good company: This man regularly works with the likes of Bono, Kanye West, Beyoncé and Alicia Keys

Still guessing? Perhaps this picture taken in our virtual room on his first day as Group Lotus new Vice President of Creative Design and Global Marketing might hold the key…

http://www.lotuscars.../en/swizz-beatz

week of automotive events showcasing:

1. The World Premiere of the Lotus Evora GTE Road Car Concept

2. The US Premiere of the North American only Exige Matte Black Final Edition

World Premiere of the new Lotus Evora GTE Road Car Concept

The new Lotus Evora GTE Road Car Concept will be unveiled to the world for the first time within the Lotus exhibit at the McCall's Motorworks Revival event Wednesday night, August 17, at the Monterey Jet Center.

The Lotus Evora GTE is a race car developed with a single-minded aim to be successful in the new global motorsport GTE category, which includes the world famous Le Mans 24 Hours.

To celebrate this ground breaking car, Lotus has built the race-inspired Evora GTE Road Car Concept. This high-strung Evora elicits over 420 bhp from its race-developed engine, fed through a sequential AMT racing gearbox and put to the pavement through ultra-lightweight forged alloy wheels with center-lock hubs shod with Pirelli P-Zero Corsa tires.

The Evora GTE Road Car Concept isn't merely a paint scheme or homage to a race car – this is a serious race car that makes for a very serious road car.

The Evora GTE Road Car Concept will later be shown within the Lotus exhibit on Peter Hay Hill near The Lodge at Pebble Beach Thursday, August 18 through mid-day Saturday, August 20 before being moved onto the Concept Car Lawn for display throughout the remainder of the Concours weekend.

US Premiere of the North American only Exige Matte Black Final Edition

To mark the end of an era of Exige production, Lotus has created the Exige Matte Black Final Edition – exclusively for North America. The Exige is one of the world's greatest sports cars, and this Final Edition of the motoring icon will premiere within the Lotus exhibit on Peter Hay Hill near The Lodge at Pebble Beach Thursday, August 18 through Sunday, August 21.

With power upgraded to 257 bhp, an exclusive Matte Black paint finish providing a stealthy presence, black Alacantara sport seats and a high level of standard equipment, the Exige Matte Black Final Edition makes a striking statement.

Only 25 examples of this Exige will be built, each with their own numbered plate, which should help make these cars instantly collectible.

The experienced existing Lotus dealer network in Australia will remain, with outlets in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide. In addition, Ateco Automotive intends to expand its presence in the region with a new dealership in Auckland, New Zealand's largest car market, in the near future.

Ateco Automotive will introduce a number of new initiatives for Lotus in the coming weeks focused on increasing the presence and perception of Lotus in Australia and New Zealand for both the current range of Lotus cars (the iconic Lotus Elise and the Lotus Exige and the award winning new Lotus Evora) and the future range of Lotus cars. The future range includes the new Lotus Esprit supercar, planned for sale in 2013 and the new Lotus Elite is planned to go on sale in 2014.

Guillaume Chabin, Director of Global Sales and Marketing for Lotus, said, "I would like to welcome Ateco Automotive to the Lotus brand. The company is a highly regarded and experienced importer in Australia and New Zealand, has a very strong infrastructure and the ability to join us in taking our brand forward in this important market as our product line-up evolves. We have been present in Australia for many years and are recognised by many for both our high tech, high performing Lotus cars and our fantastic motorsport heritage. Ateco Automotive joins us at an exciting time with the new Era of Lotus, heralding in a new range of sports cars in the future to complement the current Lotus range and an all encompassing motorsports programme which will return to the Lotus brand to the elevated level that it has enjoyed in the past."

Glen Sealey, General Manager for Lotus in Australia and New Zealand at Ateco Automotive Pty Ltd, said, "We are delighted to have the opportunity to import Lotus cars into Australia and New Zealand. Given our success and experience gained over the years in the retailing and marketing of premium and luxury niche sports car brands, we are well placed to give Lotus the best opportunity to succeed in such discerning markets. The timing could not be better as we will be able to prepare the market place and the dealer group for the arrival of the new range as well as developing the sales and customer support for the existing range. The new Lotus range, topped by the phenomenal high performance supercharged Evora S, are stunning cars and perfectly suited to the Australian and New Zealand markets, where performance, efficiency and stunning looks are so important."

Ateco Automotive will take control of the importing of Lotus cars immediately, with a seamless transition from the outgoing importer.

All three delicacies can be made into alcohol (ethanol) fuel to power the Lotus Exige 270E, one of the high tech ecological and environmental research sports cars from Lotus Engineering. At the 2011 Bridgestone Eco Rally from Oxford to London, this weekend, Lotus will be proving that you can have your (cheese) cake and eat it – this stunning high tech sports car has both high performance and ultra low environmental impact.

When running on ethanol, this super quick Exige slingshots to 60 mph in less than four seconds and is one of the quickest road legal cars in the world as well as one of the most environmental. But all you gourmands need not worry, Lotus is not wasting any of Bordeaux's finest, or depriving cheese lovers from their mature stilton.

No, the ethanol fuel is made from wine that doesn't quite make drinking grade, from whey (a natural by product of the cheese making process) and from surplus chocolate – you shouldn't eat too much, eh?

Should you not be able to get hold of any ethanol, then the super efficient Exige 270E will also run on conventional petrol, and on methanol – a potential fuel of the future as it can be made by extracting CO2 from the atmosphere, making it the ultimate carbon neutral fuel.

So what is your vice?

At Group Lotus, it's all three, but only in moderation and mostly in the fuel tank!

Disappointment for the Lotus Renault GP team, who failed to score points for the first time this year.

Vitaly Petrov, on his final flying lap in qualifying, got blocked by the Sauber of Sergio Perez and had to settle for 12th on the grid. Nick Heidfeld lined up P14. The German overcooked it on Lap 19, heading off the track at Turn 1, and moving down the order to 18. On lap 25 he suffered a delay during his second pitstop because of a wheel nut problem. Sitting at high-revs, the heat build up cause a lick of flame sending the car ablaze. He pulled safely off the track at the exit of the pitlane. Petrov switched to Intermediate tyres on lap 50 when rain started to fall, but as it was only a short shower he had to re-pit for Primes three laps later, costing him positions.

"Today it was a very difficult race with very changeable weather conditions," confirmed Vitaly. "When the rain returned near the end of the race I lost temperature in my tyres and this made the car's handling very difficult. It looked like wet conditions would continue so I changed to the intermediates. Maybe we should have changed to the super softs, but it is so difficult to predict the weather and many other teams did the same thing. It was possible to score points had we done the perfect strategy but it was not to be today."

"A bad day for us," said chief race engineer Alan Permaine. "Nick had a very poor start and struggled in the wet conditions. In his second pitstop we had a problem with one of the wheel nuts meaning that the car sat on high revs for a long time. This meant a build-up of heat which caused a fire. Vitaly was having a reasonable race. He was in a nice rhythm when we changed to Prime tyres, which should have lasted the distance and given us a top ten finish. Unfortunately, the late race shower made it very slippery on worn tyres so we changed to Inters. Then it dried up, meaning we had to pit again."

GP2 – HUNGARY

A podium finish for Esteban Gutierrez in Sunday's sprint race, thanks to an aggressive drive from the back, gave the Lotus-ART team a result they could be very proud of.

In the feature race team-mates Jules Bianchi and Gutierrez lined up sixth and ninth respectively. The Frenchman lost a couple of places at the start while Gutierrez retired four laps later with an engine problem. Bianchi recovered to collect points and a front-row start for Race 2 with seventh place.

In the sprint race, Bianchi had a good fight with championship leader Romain Grosjean in the early laps as they battled for fourth place, but then was spun by Guido van der Garde and was forced to recover from the back. Meanwhile Gutierrez, who started all the way down in 24th, was picking his competitors off one-by-one and rising through the field with tremendous determination. It culminated, on the final lap and at the final corner, with the Mexican making a move on Grosjean for second, and making it stick. Bianchi, also on the final lap, made up a position to take sixth.

"It was quite a challenge from the beginning," commented Esteban, "because we decided to start on slick tyres, and it was still quite wet and very dangerous. We didn't know what to do on the grid, but it was my call. We were at the back anyway, and we needed to gamble. At the start we were slow, I was fighting the car a lot. But as the track dried I started to push. I never knew what position I was in until the final few laps, when I was racing with Grosjean. It was a clean, fair fight and an honour to race him because he is leading the championship."

"It was a little bit difficult to begin with but we had a fantastic race today, said Lotus-ART team principal Frederic Vasseur. "Esteban started from the last row following an engine problem yesterday. It was a fantastic achievement to finish P2, and to take Grosjean at the last corner. Jules did a fantastic job too, after being pushed off the track by Van der Garde. He spun, lost 30 seconds, and came back to score points. This was a great result for the team, and now we look forward to a nice vacation."

GP3 – HUNGARY

Lotus-ART were thrilled to take a pole position, a win and two podiums at the Hungaroring, with Valtteri Bottas scoring his second victory in consecutive weekends.

For Race 1, Bottas and team-mate James Calado locked out the front row. Bottas led all the way from pole position to the flag while Calado was hit by Mitch Evans at Turn 2 on lap 1 and dropped to the back of the pack.

In the sprint race, the reserve grid saw Bottas start eighth while Calado was all the way back in 25th. But the Englishman drove a blinder in the wet conditions, as he had on recovery mode in Germany a week ago, to scythe through the field and hunt down the leaders. After lap 1 he was 11th. He had made up a simply epic 14 places. By lap 10 he was sixth, just behind Bottas. The pair continued to make headway together, finishing the race with Bottas second and Calado a miraculous third.

"Nearly a perfect weekend, with a win, a second place and a point for pole," confirmed Valtteri. "Our speed in qualifying was really good, as was the race pace in the dry. We knew that we were competitive in the wet, but we have made a step forward in dry conditions. We can be really happy, and I hope we keep at this level for the remaining two races."

"In a weekend you can score a maximum of 20 points and Valtteri took home 17, so not bad at all," reflected Lotus-ART team principal Frederic Vasseur. "Also, James did a tremendous job today. He was unlucky yesterday, getting taken out by evans, so to drive from the back to P3 was very important for the team. We can expect a good final result in the championship, and our goal is to finish first and second."

24 HEURES DU SPA – BELGIUM

The No.70 Lotus Evora GTS of the mini-Mansells, Leo and Greg, and team-mates Edoardo Piscopo and Gianni Giudici, led the GT4 class by a massive 12 laps but, with eight hours to go, the engine called it quits and lunched itself.

Nevertheless, Group Lotus' Director of Motorsport Claudio Berro was upbeat: "We've enjoyed some fine driving and great results this weekend from Lotus-ART in GP2 and GP3, and well done to everybody involved. A pat on the back too to Lotus' Spa-Francorchamps crew and the drivers for proving how quick the Evora is, dominating the GT4 class. It's a shame the engine blew, but the performance was something we can all be immensely proud of."

It was the first time this season that Lotus Renault GP failed to finish in the points. You must be disappointed…

It's clear the performance of the team relative to our rivals is dropping off. To be honest we were expecting a little bit more from the car. Vitaly Petrov's 12th place isn't very exciting, but then he – like half the field – made the gamble of changing to Intermediate tyres late in the race and then changing back again.

Things got pretty scary for Nick Heidfeld when his car overheated in the pits and caught fire. He spent a long time with the engine on the limiter with no possibility to cool the car and as a result the exhausts overheated and the surrounding bodywork caught fire - thankfully no one was seriously injured. I know the team is looking into the problem and makes sure that it won't happen again.

What goes through a driver's mind when he sees flames licking the cockpit?

Get out! Nick did everything perfectly in this situation. He parked the car away from the track, away from the pits and other cars, got out quickly, and the marshals were straight on it. I remember being in this same situations many times with Ferrari!

Should the fire have triggered the Safety Car? Was it safe to have marshals working on putting the fire out next to the track, and then tractor the car the wrong way up the pitlane while the race was in full swing?

Signaling the Safety Car is always a tricky decision because you don't want to disrupt the race, and there will always be people who are disadvantaged, or are given an advantage, or don't agree with the decision.

Nick parked off the track and I don't believe it was in a dangerous position, it was on the far side of the track. However, when they brought the car back up the pitlane that was a bit scary.

Mixed weather, mixed tyre strategies, plenty of overtaking. Was this the most interesting Hungarian Grand Prix you've ever seen?

Yes, because usually this race is pretty dull. There's not much opportunity for overtaking because it's so twisty and you need rain or changeable conditions to spice things up… which is what happened.

It was 2006 when we had another good wet race here and, ironically, Jenson Button won that one too. Congratulations on his 200th grand prix. Two more races and he'll equal my total.

I must say, though, I wouldn't have penalized Lewis Hamilton for spinning his car back around in front of Paul di Resta. Lewis was in the middle of the track and he was just trying to get out of the way. Di Resta wasn't approaching fast. The speed in that chicane is only 60km/h, nothing dramatic. I felt this was a harsh penalty. But by changing to Intermediate tyres, Hamilton ruled himself out of contention anyway.

The teams will now take a little summer break. What are you doing for your holidays Jean?

I'm off to Sicily, where I was born. It's a beautiful place. I have my boat there, and will be spending a lot of time swimming in the sea, gazing up at Mount Etna.

PARK RIDGE, NJ, July 26, 2011 - Hertz (NYSE: HTZ), the world's largest general use car rental brand, has introduced the Lotus Evora for exclusive hire in several European markets, following a successful launch of the coupe in Italy in 2010, and an extended partnership with Group Lotus plc, which began in 2009. The Lotus Evora is the launch car of the new Adrenaline Range in the Hertz Fun Collection of Germany, Spain and the UK, and also joins as a special car in the Fun Collection in France.

Similar to the Hertz Adrenaline Collection in the U.S., the Adrenaline Range in Europe will showcase the most exciting new vehicles in Hertz's fleet with high quality, enhanced performance, and beautifully designed vehicles, with the Lotus Evora as the hero car.

The Lotus Evora provides car fans the opportunity to drive a hand-crafted, award-winning sports vehicle with stunning visual impact, exhilarating all-round dynamic performance, innovative chassis technology and high levels of luxury. With its 2 + 2 seating, the Lotus Evora is ideal for customers wishing to add sporty glamour to their holidays, country rides and city breaks.

Michel Taride, President of Hertz International, said: "We are very proud to offer the Lotus Evora for exclusive hire in Europe following its rental success in Italy, thanks to our extended partnership with Group Lotus plc.

The hugely popular Lotus Evora is the perfect ambassador for our new Adrenaline Range, combining style, elegance, agility and sportiness to make driving journeys a dream come true."

"We are pleased to extend our agreement with Hertz; the exclusive collaboration provides the perfect opportunity to make our stunning world class sports car available to the luxury rental market. The lightweight, mid-engined rear wheel drive configuration performs like no other and the 2 + 2 seated Lotus Evora is the perfect choice for those who desire exclusive and high performance motoring. Driving an Evora during a weekend will be an unforgettable experience for any sports car enthusiast," said Group Lotus plc Director of Sales Guillaume Chabin.

The Lotus Evora will be available to hire from Hertz France's Biarritz, Bordeaux, Marseilles, Nice and Paris Charles De Gaulle airports and Paris Porte Maillot, Germany's Frankfurt Rhein-Main and Munich airports, Italy's Rome Fiumicino and Milan Linate airports, Spain's Madrid and Barcelona airports and Madrid, Barcelona and Marbella downtown locations, and the UK's London Heathrow airport.

Rates start from 250 euros per day, and confirmed reservations are guaranteed.

http://www.midlandsl...evora-gt4-t125/

Good and not so good results for KVRT-Lotus in IndyCar

Strong outing for Lotus-ART in GP2 and GP3

Great result for Lotus GT racing

FORMULA ONE – GERMAN GRAND PRIX

Lotus Renault GP took a single point at the Nurburgring thanks to a gritty drive from Vitaly Petrov, while team-mate Nick Heidfeld was driven off the road and out of contention.

The drivers struggled to generate sufficient tyre temperatures in chilly Germany, but had a satisfactory qualifying session. Petrov qualified P9 while Heidfeld narrowly missed out on Q3, just three hundredths of a second off compatriot Michael Schumacher. He started 11th.

Heidfeld was squeezed at the start. Heading into Turn 3 he hit Paul di Resta and fell through the field to 21st. Trying hard to make up positions he went down the outside of Sebastien Buemi at the chicane on Lap 10. The Toro Rosso driver didn't see the black and gold car bearing down to his right and moved across the track, forcing Nick off the road. The car went airborne before landing in the gravel.

"Buemi blocked the left hand side, as he's allowed to do, but when I went to his right hand side he just moved over on me," complained Heidfeld. "I had a lot more speed than him and was on my way to pass. He just didn't give me any room and pushed me onto the grass. It was an accident which couldn't be avoided. It's never nice being up in the air in one of these cars and it could have been dangerous."

Petrov enjoyed a clean race, which saw him defend brilliantly – particularly under pressure from Schumacher and Jenson Button. He finished tenth.

"Well, it's another point gained today, but we need to analyze why we lost positions out there and why we didn't come into the pits earlier to fight the group in front," said Petrov, who pitted on Lap 23 while the lead group around eight laps earlier. "I made a good start and had some decent battles, but the main thing is we need to look at why the likes of Force India and Sauber are finishing ahead of us and correct this as soon as possible."

INDYCAR – EDMONTON

KV Racing Technology-Lotus driver Tony Kanaan finished fourth on the airport asphalt in Edmonton on Sunday having moved through the field from his P11 start position, while team-mates EJ Viso and Takuma Sato ended up 20th and 21st. Sato started from pole and led for the third time this season.

"It was a good result, it was a good race and it's great for the Geico – KV Racing - Lotus crew," Kanaan said. "If felt good being out there with those guys, you know, all guys that know what they are doing like Justin, Ryan and Dario. We had some great battles and finishing fourth after starting eleventh and on top of that having a bad pit stop is pretty rewarding, especially considering that I got back to fourth in the championship. I feel bad for my teammates because I know that all the three KV cars were supposed to be in the top-five."

Taku locked-up on Lap 19 which allowed eventual winner Will Power to steal the lead. After the first pitstop, the Japanese driver had fallen back to P5 but surged to the front again following a spectacular re-start. He sliced back into second behind Power under braking for the Turn 5 hairpin, while just behind his team-mate Viso slid into Scott Dixon and spun. Viso had qualified a season-high fifth.

EJ Viso said: "I started up at the front and on one of the restarts I made contact with Dixon, which I feel bad about as he finished the race some laps behind. It was a pretty messy corner and I got too close and braked on the inside and we hit. I then lost a lap waiting to be restarted and from then on there was not much else we could do. We had a pretty fast car during the race. I think I got the second fastest time and we showed we were strong as a team all weekend. I want to thank everyone who is part of KVRT – Lotus who has helped make us stronger and also my sponsors PDVSA. I really feel bad. I thought we had a chance for a podium."

Takuma Sato said: "It is disappointing finishing in the back like this. The start was very exciting. I had a good feeling leading the race. Then I had a little problem with the balance and lost some positions. After that there was a caution and we changed tires. On the restart I regained most of the positions and was running in second. Everything was looking good and I was comfortable with the pace, but unfortunately Hunter–Reay hit me and damaged my car and put me a lap down. It was a long race after that and very difficult to stay motivated. I feel very bad for all the crew. They worked so hard all weekend. It was a positive weekend for us until the middle of the race. I am just so disappointed.

GP2 – GERMANY

Lotus-ART's Jules Bianchi scored strong points finishes in both races at the Nurburgring, but narrowly missed out on the top step

Bianchi lined up fourth with Gutierrez in P8 for Saturday's feature race. Jules made a strong start, immediately sliding into third, before the Safety Car was called out and the wrecked cars of Pal Varhaug and Kevin Mirocha removed. At the restart Esteban tried in vain to hold off Sam Bird through the complex for P10. The Mexican was struggling to get heat into his tyres. Bianchi pitted on Lap 14, one lap after race leader Charles Pic, and lost time as the team changed all four tyres – rather than just the rears - which allowed Luca Filippi to leapfrog him. The Frenchman finished in fourth place, while Gutierrez – who was given a drive-thru for an unsafe pitstop release - finished 12th.

The results meant that, for Race 2, Bianchi started fifth and Gutierrez 12th. Bianchi made another brilliant start, this time slotting into P2 behind pole-sitter Bird who then spun a lap later, promoting the Lotus-ART driver to the lead. Esteban was on the move too, making up a stunning six positions at the start and then laying into the leading group. Fifth, fourth, third, he mastered the wet conditions to steal position after position. On Lap 12 he took Romain Grosjean around the outside of Turn 2, only for the championship leader to seize the position back. In the pitstop the Lotus-ART team beat DAMS and Gutierrez was ahead. At this point, with Bianchi leading, the team looked on course for a 1-2 but then the right rear wheel fell off Gutierrez' car, sending him off the track. Grosjean was flying and started to attack Bianchi. On the penultimate lap, Jules made a small error at the chicane, got on the slippery paint, and this allowed Grosjean through into the lead. Third-placed Filippi had a go too in the braking zone for Turn 1 and the two made contact, but it did little to impede Bianchi who followed Grosjean across the line in P2.

Bianchi may have earned himself a big bottle of champagne, but he looked pretty miserable after the podium: "It was really difficult. I led the race for a long time and in the rain I was able to build a big gap. Then I pitted and at the first corner I made a mistake and suddenly there was no more gap. Romain was quite quick and again, like in Silverstone, they pitted before us so they were quicker. I pushed hard and then made a mistake on the penultimate lap. Romain overtook. I was angry with myself, because victory was for the taking. But Romain drove well, so I congratulate him, and I thank my team for giving me a great car today."

Gutierrez was upbeat despite a lack of points: "The race was going really well, but after the pitstop I felt something funny with the car and that was it, game over. But I can be very happy with my performance today, as I am really gaining confidence in the car and driving in the wet. Today I had the pace to be on the podium, and yesterday in Race 1 I think I would have been seventh maybe had we not had the penalty, which I thought was a bit harsh."

GP3 – GERMANY

Lotus-ART driver Valtteri Bottas took a superb wet-weather victory at the Nurburgring on Sunday.

The promise was already there on Saturday when the Finn drove heroically. He made a storming start from 11th on the grid and was soon up to third place. Five laps from the end the heavens opened and the lead drivers battled the elements with slick tyres while other drivers pitted for wets. Fortune favoured the brave, though the battle – at times very sideways – saw the lead change many times. Rio Haryanto took the flag with Bottas third, despite a last minute charge from team-mate James Calado.

The reverse grid for Sunday's Race 2 meant that Calado started fifth and his team-mate sixth. This race was soaking from lights out, so rain tyres were the order of the day. The pair made terrific starts, Bottas assuming P3 with Calado just behind him. Unluckily, the Englishman was spun by Aaro Vainio at the chicane on Lap 1, who was later handed a penalty. With Vainio no longer a threat, Bottas laid into Tamas Pal Kiss to take the lead where he stayed till the chequered flag. Calado hadn't given up. Knocked down to 27th after his contact with Vainio, he recovered with an inspired overtaking-rich drive to finish sixth.

Rookie Bottas was very satisfied with his first GP3 victory. "This weekend was really good for points, the best so far. The rain helped us. In the dry we are struggling for pace, so this saved us a little bit. But the conditions were not easy, particularly yesterday on slicks in the wet. Today the tyre pressures and set-up were just right. This hasn't been an easy season at all but we are making progress all the time. We're still in the game."

Calado rues what might have been: "I'm a bit frustrated because I had the speed to win the race. I made a cracking start and then got taken out at the hairpin towards the end of the lap. I was almost dead last after that, but I saw red and with good lap times and lots of overtaking I managed to finish sixth. I was really on the limit, so the team are quite pleased. Being English helps when it comes to wet weather driving! Next up it's Budapest, and we need to do a lot of work before that as we're not quick enough in the dry. We're losing three or four tenths to Arden and time is running out, so let's see what we can do."

For Lotus-ART team principal Frederic Vasseur, who oversees both GP2 and GP3, it was a very encouraging weekend: "Valtteri drove a bloody good race, and James was so quick. Had Vainio not hit him we would have been 1-2. So congratulations to them both, they did us proud. In GP2 we were close to a 1-2 today too. We have to see what happened with Esteban's wheel, but it was looking good there for a while. Both drivers drove a good race. Jules was leading and conserving the tyres. His small mistake on the penultimate lap cost him the win, but it's still a good result and with his win in Silverstone and his fourth on Saturday he's back in the championship."

SIX HOURS OF MISANO – ITALY

Gianni Giudici and Marco Fumagalli came first in the GT production car class of the Misano Six Hours with their Lotus Evora GTS, finishing 13th overall.

"The car was perfect," said Giudici. "It's a street car with a roll cage, and while the Ferraris and Porsches we were up against had 560bhp we had just 360. Nevertheless, the performance and reliability were exceptional and we were able to stay ahead of the competition and record a really fantastic victory."

Group Lotus Motorsport Director, Claudio Berro, was encouraged by this weekend's performances, particularly in the junior formulae: "First of all, congratulations to Valtteri Bottas on his first GP3 victory. He's a very talented driver, and proved this in very challenging conditions at the Nurburging by always being in control. Well done to all the Lotus-ART drivers, because while the results weren't all perfect – that's the way it so often goes in motor racing – it was a very competitive display from our GP3 and GP2 teams all round. In IndyCar, once again KVRT-Lotus showed it has become a serious challenger with another pole position and a top four finish."

Did that race have you on the edge of your seat, Jean?


Yes, all the way to the finish! From the first lap to the last, the German Grand Prix was tense and unpredictable. It was so close and it wasn't clear until the last few laps that Lewis Hamilton was going to win. It was a great race.



Lotus Renault GP picked up a point at the Nurburgring, with Vitaly Petrov's 10th place finish. But the team does seem to be struggling for position in the mid-field, is this a cause for concern?


The team is working really hard to find solutions, but we all want to see better results and we have bigger ambitions than 10th place. Yes, it's a championship point, and we can be proud to have scored points at every race this year, but we can do much better. The team is working on updates that should be on the car in Hungary next weekend, and I really hope these work so we can reign in Mercedes and overtake them again in the championship. We also need to understand why Force India was faster this weekend, because we should really be ahead of them.



Nick Heidfeld had a fairly dramatic crash when Sebastian Buemi pushed him off the track at the chicane on Lap 10. Nick was just a passenger, wasn't he?


It was pretty spectacular on TV and we're lucky Nick wasn't harmed. It's not the most comfortable feeling flying through the air like that but thankfully there was a lot of gravel run-off and it did its job. Buemi should have seen Nick. He gave him nowhere to go. Without doubt, Nick was an innocent victim there.



Vitaly gave a gritty performance. What did you make of his defensive driving against the likes of Jenson Button and Michael Schumacher?


Vitaly is proving to be a great fighter who doesn't give up. He can make his car very wide, but he also drives in a fair way, so I think he did well to stay ahead as long as he did and probably made the most of his opportunities today.



The cold track temperatures at the Nurburgring seemed to suit McLaren and Ferrari better than Red Bull and Lotus Renault. Will Red Bull be back on top in Hungary, and will these conditions suit LRGP ?


I think something's changed, not for Red Bull but for Ferrari and McLaren. They've made a jump forward and now RBR need to catch up again. The temperatures this weekend didn't seem too bothersome for LRGP, who qualified reasonably well in ninth and 11th. I think it's just clear we've lost some ground to our competitors and we need to get some new performance boosting parts on the car quickly so we can fight.

As Italy celebrates 150 years of unification, Group Lotus celebrates an exciting cooperation with the country as two Evora S models have been selected for a very special military duty. The headquarters of the Carabinieri in Rome played host to the event where two bespoke Lotus Evora S cars were handed over by Group Lotus Chief Executive Officer Dany Bahar.

The Arma dei Carabinieri, a division of the Italian army, play a similar role in Italy to Scotland Yard in the UK and work with the civilian police to provide a crucial service to the public. The Evora S models will be made available to the units based in Rome and Milan.

In preparation for the two year stint with the Carabinieri, both Evoras have been equipped with some of the very latest voice recognition technology including the EVA (Enhanced Vehicle Automation) system. A special portable refrigeration compartment has been fitted behind the front seats which will allow for the rapid transport of vital organs and blood required during medical emergencies.

Commenting at the handover event Group Lotus Chief Executive Officer Dany Bahar said: "We are extremely proud to be working with such an iconic and professional organisation as the Carabinieri who play an integral role in Italian society."

"Everyone knows that Italy has more than it's fair share of high profile sports car manufacturers so it is a real honour for a relatively small British brand to be in this position. The feedback from the driver training on the Evora S at our test track was very positive, it's such a responsive car to drive, I think the teams in Rome and Milan are really going to feel the benefit of working with our product."

Carabinieri spokesperson, Colonel Marco Minicucci said: "Our special Lotus Evoras combine the very best of our technology with excellent British engineering from Lotus. Not just anyone can drive these cars, we carefully selected some of our team to attend a driver training session at the new test track at Lotus' headquarters in Hethel, Norfolk where they learnt all about the very special characteristics and incredible potential of the cars."

Group Lotus chief executive Dany Bahar said the sports car manufacturer still had a five-year investment plan although job cuts were being made in the short term.

Lotus has now applied for £10.4m of funding from the Regional Growth Fund.

"In five years we should grow between 600 and 1,200 jobs," said Mr Bahar.

"The reduction of a few jobs is to simply size the business to the current output we have."

But he said the workforce would grow to suit its future output.

Mr Bahar unveiled the news as he gave Business Secretary Vince Cable a tour of Lotus Cars' manufacturing facility in Hethel on Monday morning.

The company said the number of new jobs created would be partly down to whether the money, which would be used for research and development, was granted.

'Good operation' In June the company said that back office jobs would go at the plant as part of plans to "boost efficiency".

A spokesperson for Lotus Cars said a number of short-term job cuts were being made but would not reveal exactly how many posts were involved.

The spokesperson said recruitment for new positions was already being sought.

On his visit Mr Cable wished Lotus the best in their efforts to secure government funding, which is being put under independent assessment.

"I wish them well because they've clearly got a very good operation here," he said.

"We do need companies like Lotus. The British car industry was written off years ago and is now really reviving."

http://www.bbc.co.uk...orfolk-14183792

Despite the challenging economic situation, Lotus is pleased to announce some positive results for year one of the five year business plan. Revenue for the financial year ended 31 March 2011 is up 7.6 per cent on the back of sales of 2,675 cars and increased Lotus Engineering and Lotus Lightweight Structures' revenue, which is up by 30 per cent. Overall, the financial performance for the past financial year was inline with the projections in Group Lotus' five year business plan.

Group Lotus Chief Executive Officer Dany Bahar said: "We continue to tick all the boxes, we have met every financial target that has been set and we are on track with all our major benchmarks. People love to focus on the controversy but we believe that the figures speak for themselves - our plan is working and this is just the beginning."

Dato' Sri Syed Zainal Abidin B. Syed Mohamed Tahir, Managing Director of Proton, Group Lotus shareholder, said: "Naturally we are very pleased with the results and the overall performance of Group Lotus, the current management structure is proving highly effective. Our relationship with Lotus continues to go from strength to strength and we are very optimistic about our long term future together. The recent announcement of our plan to work together on the global small car are a clear indication of the mutual benefits of our partnership."

Hot on the heels of the Malaysian Prime Minister's visit on Saturday (16 July), Secretary of State for Business, Vince Cable took time to visit Group Lotus' headquarters in Hethel today. During his tour of the facilities, Vince Cable was shown the design and styling studio with the future product line up as well as the current car production lines. Commenting on his visit to Group Lotus, Dr Vince Cable said: "Lotus is a very successful company, it's doing very well – exporting a lot – with a lot of ambition. I've seen the new models and I believe that this is the best of British industry with very high levels of skill and engineering quality. Through its cars, motorsport and engineering divisions Lotus makes a key contribution to the UK automotive sector and the wider economy through the exports of its iconic cars and its world-class design engineering consultancy.

It wasn't all hard work and business talk though, undoubtedly the highlight of his visit was a chance to show off his driving skills behind the wheel of an Evora S on Lotus' Hethel based test track. Speaking about his track time in the Evora S he said: "It was absolutely great, it's a wonderful car, very manoeuvrable and great fun and of course very fast. When I was a teenager I used to go to aerodromes in Yorkshire where the first generation of Chapman's Lotus cars competed with Jim Clarke at the wheel so this is really a life time ambition I've fulfilled here."

"I welcome the growth and change in Lotus, it's a vote of confidence in the UK and in their work force, they have very high quality people here doing apprenticeships and they clearly believe in what they're doing and they make great products so I really wish them well." Group Lotus Chief Executive Officer Dany Bahar said: "It's a pleasure to meet with Dr Cable and his fellow MPs today, the success of automotive industry is very important to the British economy so it's good to see the support of the British government here."

Vince Cable was accompanied by fellow MPs Richard Bacon (MP for South Norfolk), Norman Lamb (MP for North Norfolk) and Simon Wright (MP for Norwich South).

Group Lotus' Hethel headquarters played host to the honourable Prime Minister of Malaysia today as he took time to discover the latest developments and progress made at the facility. Along with a presentation of key achievements, Group Lotus also had the opportunity to present its five year business plan . After a tour of the design studio, YAB Dato' Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak was shown the production line before experiencing first hand the recently opened test track in an Evora IPS.

Speaking at the end of his visit the Prime Minister of Malaysia said: "To be honest, when I first learnt of the future plans for Lotus, I felt a small degree of scepticism due to the level of investment required but now I'm going home as a strong supporter of the turnaround plan. I'd like to categorically say that Group Lotus has the endorsement of the Malaysian Government and Khazanah."

"With the current plan in place, I can see that the level of professionalism is high, enthusiasm and morale are high too and I have a sense that the business plan is more than achievable. It might be bold and ambitious or even audacious but there is nothing like the motivation that comes from setting such high targets, with this situation you can strive and go the extra mile and achieve what you may not otherwise be able to achieve. I wish Group Lotus all the best, good luck and this definitely won't be the last time I visit."

Commenting on the visit Group Lotus Chief Executive Officer Dany Bahar said: "It is a real pleasure and honour for us to have the Prime Minister of Malaysia here. I think it's very important that he can see how much things have changed here and get a real feel for the future direction of Group Lotus. We very much appreciate and value his support." Dato' Sri Mohd Nadzmi Mohd Salleh, Chairman of Proton, Lotus' shareholder, said: "The site visit today is a very significant event for Proton and Group Lotus. Not only can the honourable Prime Minister see the physical changes that have been made at Hethel but his time here also allows him to get an even greater understanding of the future business plan."

The visit to Group Lotus makes up part of the Prime Minister's inaugural visit to the United Kingdom since taking office in 2009.

Group Lotus Motorsport announced today the formation of Lotus Sport USA led by Team Principals Ian Dawson and John Pritzlaff.

Director of Motorsport Claudio Berro said: "We are very happy to confirm the formal plans for Lotus Sport USA. This part of the world represents a very important market to Group Lotus now and for the future. With Ian Dawson and John Pritzlaff on board, I'm sure Lotus Sport USA will go from strength to strength."

The factory endorsed team will focus primarily on the GT2 and LMP2 classes in IMSA (International Motor Sport Association). Following the recent announcement of the World Endurance Championship by the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile) and ACO (Automobile Club de l'Oust), the driver and constructor championships are being considered.

The new team will initially race with the Lotus Evora GTE through a full North American and International schedule in 2012. The program will begin testing in quarter four of 2011.

The team will be announcing some innovative and exciting new partners to the program, including key personnel to support this long-term partnership.

The move marks the welcome return of Ian Dawson to the Lotus brand. Early in his career, he was a member of the prestigious Team Lotus in the 1970's. Afterwards Ian continued working with the brand in a key role for the only private Lotus Team, Rebaque F1.

With his background in banking as a financial executive John Pritzlaff will bring structure and oversight to the racing program. John has a great understanding of this legendary marquee and is dedicated to the preservation of the Lotus heritage and legacy through motorsport.

North American Headquarters for Lotus Sport USA are located at the North Carolina Center for Automotive Research complex and testing facility. The European Headquarters is near the Group Lotus Headquarters in Norfolk England.

Issue 3 has arrived and with it comes a celebration of 50 years of Lotus Design – culminating in "Street Cars named Desire", a stunning retrospective photo feature spread over 40 glorious pages presenting a selection of the most iconic models ever made. "Lotus, the Crown Jewel of British Style" piece sees Deyan Sudjic, Director of the London Design Museum pays respect to Lotus design brilliance.

Photographic wunderkind and Vogue regular Maciek Kobielski explores the "Style of Speed" by going behind the scenes with the Lotus Renault GP F1 team. The results are clear and his 20 page paddock portfolio "Amazing Race" captures the comeback of Group Lotus to the pinnacle of four wheeled racing. But what does speed have to do with style? F1 drivers have always been heroes of their time - and some would argue style icons, so we invited Maciek to spend some time with LRGP drivers Nick Heidfeld, Bruno Senna and cover star Vitaly Petrov along with the F1 team during the Malaysian Grand Prix – we think you'll enjoy the results.

And speaking of exclusive access, reaching behind the scenes is part of what makes the Lotus Magazine special and issue 3 is no exception. Remember "Basic Instinct"? How could you not? But would you believe that it's been 20 years since the Hollywood premiere yet Sharon Stone's co-star - the iconic Lotus Esprit SE – which featured in the thick of the action remains unforgettable? In our "Sex Drive" feature Hollywood writer Fred Schruers shares his memories and gives us as a unique insight into the film production.

And it doesn't stop there, our commitment to going behind the scenes sinks to new depths with issue 3 as we go on a journey with real life Indiana Jones, Franck Goddio, the legendary French explorer. Most famous for his ground breaking discovery of the 2000-year-old city of Herakleion on the sea bed, he takes time out to talk to French writer Olivier Guez about his incredible adventures.

Last but by no means least, continuing our theme of style and speed, we celebrate the life and times of the late great Ayrton Senna - the legendary F1 'God' and who better to do him justice then British veteran journalist and F1 Paddock regular Maurice Hamilton.

And if all that's not enough for you, Hollywood actor Kevin Bacon takes part in our cult-regular "Driving Test" with some surprising results. Kevin Bacon and a Volvo, who knew?

Want more? Issue 3 is available now via subscription at www.magazine.lotuscars.com and selected retail outlets.

Lotus-ART driver Jules Bianchi took his first ever GP2 win at Silverstone on Sunday. Starting from pole position in wet conditions, he defended from Christian Vietoris and, after the pitstops, fought wheel-to-wheel to regain the lead, drive at qualifying pace, and take the flag, claiming a fantastic victory. Team-mate Esteban Gutierrez started seventh and made up several positions, but as the track dried and the team switched to slicks the Mexican struggled to adapt. He was classified 10th after a clash with Jolyon Palmer, which saw the Arden driver punished.

In Race 2, Gutierrez made two positions at the start and finished eighth, outside of the points, while Bianchi had another strong drive from eighth to cross the line fifth.

After a lot of points-wrecking incidents this year so far, Bianchi was thrilled to finally take his first victory: "This win was really important, because at the beginning of the season, which was quite difficult for me, it was important to show we can fight for victories. It's good for everybody that they can see we are here."

BRITISH GRAND PRIX

Changeable weather conditions at the new-look Silverstone circuit made life difficult for Lotus Renault GP, who struggled to squeeze a fast flying lap from either car in Q2. Vitaly Petrov missed out on the cut by two tenths, lining up 14th and team-mate Nick Heidfeld set the 16th fastest time.

There were deliberations throughout the weekend over which direction to take over the off-throttle exhaust blown diffuser rules, which is an area in which the R31 excels. At Silverstone, there was a clampdown. "The alterations to the engine rules have clearly upset the order somewhat, but that's not where all our focus lies," explained technical director James Allison. "The fact is that for the past three or four races we have been on a trend that is far from impressive and, at this event, we have been showing far less performance than we should be showing with our car and of the efforts of our team and partners. We need to pick ourselves up from here and get a lot of the forthcoming developments, because P14 and P16 are simply not good enough."

As we have often seen this season, in the race Heidfeld came to the fore, tearing through the field from 16th to eighth. Petrov improved too, finishing 12th. But a total haul of three points is a lot less than the team are targeting at each race.

"We saw on Saturday that this would be a tough weekend but as usual I said 'never give up,'" explained Heidfeld. "I had a good start. The big question for the race was when to change from the intermediates to the slicks and we were one of the first to do this. It was a good call, however we didn't get as much of an advantage as you can sometimes get from timing your stop well. After that it was an interesting race for me as I had to look after my tyres. Finding the balance between attacking, fighting and not killing the tyres was not only very satisfying, but it also worked out well for us with four valuable points."

Team principal Eric Boullier congratulated Heidfeld on his points finish, but was disappointed by the team's overall pace: "This weekend we have not been able to reverse a poor period we are currently going through and we will continue to work hard to rectify this. We have some good developments coming. These will take our performance forward, of that I am convinced."

HONDA INDY TORONTO

An incident-packed race at Toronto's temporary street circuit, which saw eight caution flags, saw KV Racing Technology-Lotus's EJ Viso overcome two punctures to finish ninth, having started 18th earning the team 22 points in the process.

Team-mate Takuma Sato, who started directly behind Viso, suffered an early tangle with Danica Patrick. It broke his front wing and suspension, the repairs to which cost him six laps in the pits. He finished 20th, using the race as an elongated test session. Tony Kanaan, who was also disappointed to qualify a lowly 16th, pushed hard at the start to make up four places on Lap 1. But on Lap 3 misfortune struck and, in 11th place, he was hit from behind and taken out by Ryan Briscoe.

Kanaan believes he could have had a very strong race, despite his grid position: "I gave Briscoe plenty of room and he still took me out. It was too early in the race to be doing stupid moves like that. I had a good car and was moving up the field. I was going to the front. It's a shame for the GEICO KV-Lotus guys."

BRITISH GT CHAMPIONSHIP – SPA FRANCORCHAMPS

Ollie Jackson and Phil Glew took their first class victory of the year, and the maiden win for the Lotus Evora GT4.

The Lotus Sport UK team were on course to win the first race but were taken out of contention due to a safety car issue. The lead Evora was waved through by the safety car driver just as it came into the pits, demoting Jackson and Glew by a lap. They fought back to fourth place while the other Evora of Freddy Nordstrom and Leyton Clarke finished third but with accident damage.

In Race 2 and with no more safety car headaches the Jackson/Glew Evora fought hard with first race GT4 victors Dan Denis and David McDonald in their Ginetta but then pulled away, taking a dominant win by 23 seconds. Nordstrom and Clarke came home fifth.

"Phil handed the car over to me in the lead," said Jackson, "and though it was tough out there with all the cars on the track we made it through to the end for a great result for Lotus Sport UK."

Team principal Gary Ayles was thrilled with the result. "This is our first win, and we're chuffed to bits. The car was really competitive all weekend. It's frustrating not to have won both races, because we should have done and it was not our fault we didn't. The safety car waved us through and then pulled into the pits, and we found ourselves a lap down with nothing we could do about it. It was a cock-up by the FIA, and they've since apologized for it. But what is most encouraging is that the Evora has emerged as the GT4 class of the field and so we can be very optimistic for the rest of the season."

Group Lotus director of motorsport, Claudio Berro, is pleased with Lotus's GT4 and GP2 performances this weekend. "Congratulations, first of all, to Jules Bianchi who is a very promising talent, and who is developing well at Lotus-ART. This first victory is, I'm sure, the first of many. And simply fantastic news from Belgium that the Evora GT4 has taken its maiden win. Well done to everybody at Lotus Sport UK for making this happen. In Formula One and IndyCar it has been a more trying weekend, but that's motor racing and we hope for stronger performances in the next couple of rounds."

That was a pretty exciting British Grand Prix, packed with incidents. What stood out for you?

The mixed weather conditions at the start were an absolute treat. Part of the track was dry, part of it very wet, and these circumstances require great skill. The cream rises to the top, and I shall remember this race for a long time because of Fernando Alonso's performance. Today was a great comeback from Ferrari. From a drivers perspective seeing Fernando fight the car and the conditions on every lap and take this inspired win has made this, for me, one of the best British Grand Prix I've seen.

Nick Heidfeld drove from 16th to eighth bringing in four points, which was quite impressive, what do you think of the team's performance this weekend?

I think Nick did really well, he drove a great race. Qualifying wasn't the best for team, in fact I think Eric (Boullier) felt it was the teams worst but both drivers determined attitudes shone through during the race. The team's strategy for Nick worked out well for him - he was the first to pit and tyre change, then he drove well and took care of his tyres.

Overall it was a bit of a disappointing performance from Lotus Renault GP. Do you know why? Have they been affected by the exhaust-blowing clampdown?

I would say so, yes, because the R31 was designed with an exhaust blown diffuser from the start. We were the first to use the system, and since then everyone copied it. The rule change makes the entire philosophy of this car different. It's, like, tear it up and start again. I think it's unfair to change the rules like this halfway through the year. The FIA should decide on a bunch of regulations for the year and then stick to them.

Would Fernando Alonso have won had Sebastian Vettel not had his pitstop problem?

I think probably not, no, but that shouldn't detract from Fernando's performance. Pitstops are part of the game where you can win it and lose it. Red Bull Racing had a huge advantage in the first half of the year, no one could get near that car, but now this advantage is beginning to fade. The championship came alive a little bit today. If the same driver wins every race it's not interesting for the fans. If you know who's going to win you're not going to watch, you're going to go to the beach! That said, Red Bull is still the team to beat. It's just they're no longer unbeatable, and this is good news.

There was a bit of wheel and wing bashing at the end there between Felipe Massa and Lewis Hamilton. Did you think both drivers drove fairly?

Yeah, because when it's the last five laps I think the gloves should come off. I'm not saying everything should be allowed, but you need to fight and I think both drivers did a good job. They didn't destroy their cars, it wasn't dangerous, but they both really wanted those points. That's what they're paid to do. The stakes are high, and a bit of wheel-bashing is okay by me.

Mark Webber didn't make it past his team-mate, Vettel, but he tried and in doing so ignored team orders. Were Red Bull right to ask him to hold station, and do you respect Mark for ignoring the order and fighting?

Well, I am not inside that team and I think you need to understand everything before commenting. What I will say is that a driver should always respect his team. But, I think that it's too early in the championship to make team orders. That can't have been nice for Mark.

YouTube link:

● Nineteen-Sixty-Eight was the last time a non-works driver won the British Grand Prix. Swiss racer Jo Siffert won in his Rob Walker-prepared Lotus-Cosworth 49B, after works Lotus drivers Jackie Oliver and Graham Hill retired from the lead.

YouTube link: Classic F1 - British Grand Prix 1968

● Rubens Barrichello's win in 2003 was memorable because a nutter in a kilt invaded the track that day. What's not widely known is that Rubens had another dangerous brush with the public the following morning, when someone ran into him with a luggage trolley at Heathrow Airport, smashing the Brazilian's trophy.

YouTube link: Formula 1 Track Invasion - Cornelius Horan - Silverstone 2003

● In 1973, Jody Scheckter triggered what was then F1's biggest-ever pile-up when he spun in front of the pack at 160mph, at the end of the first lap. He destroyed nine machines.

YouTube link:

● When Michael Schumacher broke his legs at Silverstone in 1999, he was airlifted to Northampton General. But despite the VIP arrival, there wasn't a private room ready. So, the story goes, Schumi was kept in a broom cupboard until a proper bed was available. Should've gone private.

YouTube link:

● The British Grand Prix is one of only two races – the other is Italy – to have been a permanent fixture on the championship calendar.

● On average, 2,800 bottles of champagne are consumed over GP weekend – including the three on the podium.

● Silverstone is named after the ancient English word for 'wooded area'. Copse Corner is called Copse because there used to be a little wood here. Chapel is Chapel for the same reason. The Wellington Straight, which is now part of the new track, is where the Wellington bombers used to take off when the place was an RAF airfield. Hangar Straight is named so because that's where the WWII hangars were.

● Silverstone's new start/finish straight is actually in a different county to the old one.

They've had grand prix racing at Silverstone since 1948, so there's a lot of history and, thanks to the extensions to the circuit, the new pit building, and the work that the circuit's owners, the BRDC, are doing, a fantastic future awaits. The new Silverstone 'Wing' building is an amazing attribute to the Grand Prix, and now we can be proud to have some of the best facilities of anywhere on the F1 calendar.

How do you rate the track from a racing perspective?

It is a brilliant track with some wonderfully flowing corners, overtaking opportunities, very high-speed. It's a real driver's track requiring great skill and bravery. You can really hang the car out on some of the corners. You can pick up a bit of time if you've got the balls for it.

You demonstrated that in 1987 when you nailed Nelson Piquet two laps from the end…

Nineteen-eighty-seven was very special. I was 29 seconds behind my team-mate when I exited the pits, with just 28 laps remaining. In the last 15 laps I broke the lap record 11 times. I just wanted to win, simple as that. At the end, there was nothing left in the car, and no fuel in the tank. I took it to the limit and beyond. I sold Piquet a dummy as we approached Stowe corner – I darted left, he covered, and then I committed to the right, taking the inside line, my foot buried. The crowd went completely berserk, I could see them get to their feet, I could hear the roar of applause inside my helmet. That's the other amazing thing about Silverstone, the fans there are sensational. They're the best in the world.

What are your memories of your first British Grand Prix?

The first one was in 1981, with Lotus, but our car was banned. The twin-chassis Lotus 88 was deemed illegal so the lads had to build a new car overnight to qualify. It was half an 88 and half an 86 and it didn't go very well. But Silverstone was something else back then, in the 'ground effect' days. You could go flat-out around Stowe, Club and Abbey, it was so bloody fast. The G-forces around the corners meant we had trouble breathing.

You've raced for British teams Lotus and Williams many times at Silverstone. Do the boys tend to put in that extra little bit of effort at home?

I think they do. It affects all the good people the same. There's a little more excitement and energy. It means more to you, whatever your field of expertise. It's the one opportunity of the year to show what you can do on home turf.

This weekend, the pack could be reshuffled due to the clampdown on exhaust blowing. What are you expectations from Lotus Renault GP this weekend?

From what I've heard, the clampdown is going to cost 3/10ths of a second on average, and I'm sure some teams will be affected more than others. These teams do not stand still. As soon as they know of a new regulation they start testing in two or three wind tunnels simultaneously. Lotus Renault GP have incredible facilities and a very smart aero team, so they have the tools they need. It is going to be very intriguing to see who is affected the most, and who can move ahead on the grid.

Last weekend you were at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, piloting a Lotus Evora GT4. Did you have fun?

Lots of fun. Goodwood is a great event and it was fantastic to meet so many fans there, who can get really close to the machinery and come and ask us questions. The Lotus Evora is a stunning car. The one they gave me was in the old Gold Leaf racing colours, and it looked very pretty. Unfortunately the tyres were a bit too warm already when I tried to do a 'donut'. I think I could have used colder tyres and I should have gone with a bit more power, because I ended up in the grass. But the spectators seemed to enjoy it.

There's some talk that this might be Lewis Hamilton's last British GP for McLaren. Do you believe he will leave, say if an offer comes from Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes or Lotus Renault GP? And would it be wise to leave McLaren?

He'll make his own decision, but if I were him I would consider my future very carefully. McLaren is a great team who know how to win races and championships, and they have supported Lewis his whole career. They might be a little behind Red Bull now but they will claw that back and we will see them dominate again another season. As Michael Schumacher proved at Ferrari, continuity is key, and when a team is molded around the driver as McLaren is molded around Lewis - they know him better than he knows himself - it's the best possible environment for that driver to thrive. McLaren are still there, challenging for wins. I think a bit of patience could pay dividends.

● Lotus first won the British Grand Prix in 1962. Jim Clark took the chequered flag at Aintree 49.2 seconds ahead of second-placed John Surtees, who was packing the same Climax engine in his Lola.

● The British Grand Prix has been held at four different tracks over the years: Brooklands, Aintree, Brands Hatch and Silverstone have all hosted the race. Donington '93 doesn't count because it was classed as the European Grand Prix.

● Silverstone hosted the very first round of the Formula One World Championship in 1950. Alfa Romeo's Guiseppe Farina won it at an average speed of over 146mph. Just like today's competitors, he was running on Pirellis.

● Stuttering King George VI handed out the prizes in 1950, while Princess Diana gave Damon Hill the winner's trophy in 1994.

● Prince Harry will do the honours this year. Given that he's currently dating one of Jenson Button's former flames the podium ceremony could, potentially, be a bit awkward.