Lotus F1 team is pleased to announce that IT recruitment experts Nigel Frank International have joined the growing portfolio of partners at Enstone.

As the global leader in recruitment for Microsoft Dynamics specialists, Nigel Frank International will assist in sourcing candidates for IT positions within Lotus F1 Team joining globally recognised brands including CNBC as an Official Business Partner to the team.

As part of a three-year deal, Nigel Frank International will gain unrivalled access to the GENII Business Exchange platform, the team’s elite group of IT and Technical Partners and a range of global hospitality and incentive packages.

Patrick Louis, Chief Executive Officer, Lotus F1 Team:

“With the ever-increasing reach of our Microsoft Dynamics implementation at Enstone, it is essential that we bring the very best personnel on board to ensure every aspect of our IT operations is covered to the highest standard. We will be working closely with Nigel Frank International to source the most talented individuals and look forward to seeing some fresh new faces around the factory.”

Sean Wadsworth, Chief Executive Officer, Nigel Frank International:

“We are delighted to have been selected as the Official IT Recruitment Partner to Lotus F1 Team. The glamour and excitement of Formula 1, working with state-of-the-art technology and implementing a best of breed Microsoft Dynamics AX Manufacturing ERP system makes Lotus F1 Team a destination employer. We are looking forward to supporting the team for the next three years.”

About Nigel Frank International:

Established in 2006 Nigel Frank International has rapidly grown into the global leader in Microsoft Dynamics recruitment. With offices in EMEA, New York, San Francisco, Singapore and Melbourne, Nigel Frank International offer their Microsoft partner and end user clients unparalleled access to the widest range of high calibre candidates.

With 200 consultants in 6 global offices and a database of over 50,000 qualified candidates, Nigel Frank are uniquely positioned to help both Microsoft Partners and End Users identify the best talent for their business whether on a permanent or freelance basis.

Kimi Räikkönen returned to the cockpit of the E21 following yesterday’s absence through illness, only for the gearbox of his car to issue its own sick-note causing a lengthy interruption to running on the final day of pre-season testing at the Circuit de Catalunya.

The E21 remained in the garage for much of the morning as the team diagnosed, rectified and replaced the gearbox for Kimi to run in the afternoon; the Finn eventually completing 50 laps and setting the fifth fastest time of the day.

Fast Facts:

• Track: Barcelona, Spain, 5.9km
  
• Chassis: E21-02
  
• Weather: Sunny, dry, ambient 6-18°C, track 8-26°C
  
• Programme: System checks, temperature monitoring, data correlation, assessment of the performance of the car with updated aerodynamic package (including new front and rear wing evaluation), set-up changes
  
• Laps Completed: 50
  
• Classification: P5, 1:21.568
  
• Interruptions: Gearbox fault investigation and subsequent change
  

What’s Next?

We head to Melbourne for the first race of the season.

Kimi Räikkönen:

“I was sick yesterday and the car was sick this morning. It’s not what you want, but you go testing to find out if there are any problems with the car. For sure, we haven’t completed all the laps we wanted during pre-season, but that is often the case. We’ve found a few issues and we have solutions for them, which is positive. Personally, I felt much better today and I was fine driving. We ran through a lot of assessments this afternoon and the feeling in the team is that we have a strong basis to start the season; even if we haven’t shown that every day. I’m happy with the car and looking forward to going racing.”

James Allison, Technical Director:

“Today was something like this entire test in microcosm; we spent too much of the day in the garage, but when we did get out on track we made good progress. A definite positive is that we are not finding it difficult to be on the pace. Today’s gearbox problem was the same as we experienced previously but we’re confident we have a solution and are not concerned about it causing us any issues in Melbourne. We were able to confirm some aspects of the Melbourne aero package this afternoon and have some more new parts to be run in Australia. Overall we would have been happy with far more pre-season running, but we have not had any difficulties getting a good lap time out of the car without resorting to low fuel runs at any of the tests.”

Eric Boullier, Team Principal:

“Pre-season testing was not perfect for us but we are confident in what we have seen from the E21. We had glitches and we didn’t complete as many laps as we wanted, yet we still completed most of the assessments we required and have a good platform heading to the first race of the season. It was good to see Kimi back in the car today to take over from Davide and Romain’s work yesterday. It’s certain going to be a highly competitive season but I’m confident that we’ll be right in the battle at the front.”

With scheduled driver Kimi Räikkönen sidelined through illness, Davide Valsecchi and Romain Grosjean both took turns in the E21 for today’s test at the Circuit de Catalunya.

Vastly improved weather on day three in Barcelona meant that Davide made his E21 debut on a dry track, completing 16 laps of familiarisation and exhaust / aero assessments to set the eleventh quickest time of the day.

After a brief stop-over in Paris, Romain returned to take over for the afternoon; completing 46 laps and ending the day with the tenth fastest time.

Fast Facts:

• Track: Barcelona, Spain, 5.9km
  
• Chassis: E21-02
  
• Weather: Sunny, dry, ambient 9-17°C, track 11-24°C
  
• Programme: System checks, temperature monitoring, data correlation, assessment of the performance of the car with its initial aerodynamic package, new rear suspension set-up evaluation, new rear wing evaluation, driver orientation.
  
• Laps Completed: Romain: 46. Davide: 16. Total: 62
  
• Classification: Romain: P10, 1:23.380. Davide: P11, 1:23.448
  
• Interruptions: Red flags, altering car set-up for driver changes
  

What’s Next?

Provided he is fit to return to the cockpit, Kimi will take the wheel tomorrow for the final day of pre-season testing.

Davide Valsecchi:

“This morning was quite a rush to get everything ready as the call only came late, but the team were fantastic getting the car prepared for me. I only completed short runs today so I have a limited impression of the E21, however it’s clear that it’s a very good racing car. For me to be able to get immediately on the pace means that the car is certainly fast and competitive. It was a fantastic opportunity; I sat in the seat of a former World Champion so I knew that I’d be fast for sure.”

Romain Grosjean:

“I certainly didn’t expect to be in the E21 again today so it was an interruption to a day off, but as interruptions go it was a pretty good one! The weather was definitely an improvement from what I’ve experienced so far and I was able to assess the new rear front wings; both of which feel improved over the initial versions. We ran with high fuel today so it wasn’t about lap times in the afternoon, but it’s all valuable data we’re getting for the car. I hope that Kimi is feeling better for tomorrow, but I don’t mind driving again if I have to.”

Alan Permane, Trackside Operations Director:

“Obviously, our day was rather compromised because of Kimi being ill. We changed the car for Davide to gain valuable experience in the morning, then changed it over lunchtime to Romain’s settings. Despite the disrupted running, we still completed a Grand Prix distance worth of laps and were able to put valuable miles on our latest rear wing concept as well as evaluating a new front wing. Both look to be a step in the right direction so it’s likely we’ll use them in Australia. Davide did a great job at short notice and we know we can rely on him if he’s called upon again. If Kimi is well enough tomorrow, we will run him in the car, otherwise it will be Romain in action once more.”

Romain Grosjean finished his pre-season preparations as the fastest man on track at the Circuit de Catalunya today, with weather conditions continuing to frustrate the team’s test programme.

In a day book-ended by rain, an extensive programme was nevertheless completed; including the evaluation of a new rear suspension set-up. As well as being the fastest driver on track, Romain accumulated the third greatest lap tally of the day.

Fast Facts:

• Track: Barcelona, Spain, 5.9km
  
• Chassis: E21-02
  
• Weather: Cloudy, bookending showers, ambient 8-11°C, track 8-13°C
  
• Programme: System checks, temperature monitoring, data correlation, assessment of the performance of the car with its initial aerodynamic package, new rear suspension set-up evaluation
  
• Laps Completed: 88
  
• Classification: P1, 1:22.716
  
• Interruptions: Red flags
  

What’s Next?

Kimi will drive the E21 for the final two days of pre-season testing, starting tomorrow.

Romain Grosjean:

“Even though the weather was far from ideal it was a pretty good day for us and it’s certainly a better feeling to end the session with the fastest time on the board rather than the slowest! We had strong reliability again today and the E21 feels good in all conditions, which is very promising for the season ahead. Of course, I wish I could have more time in the car before the season starts, but if we’re in the same position on the monitors when we get to Australia I’ll be very happy indeed.”

Alan Permane, Trackside Operations Director:

“Today was far more productive than yesterday. We debuted a new rear suspension variation, working on initial set-up in the wet conditions this morning, then switched to dry tyres in the afternoon to gather further data on the medium and soft 2013 Pirelli compounds. Whilst circuit conditions are not as favourable as last week due to the recent rain, we were still able to show good pace and our initial findings from the new rear suspension are promising. Over the next two days we will be working on the updates we have for the E21; there’s plenty of work left to do and we’re hoping that the forecasts for better weather over the weekend are correct.”

Romain Grosjean returned to the Circuit de Catalunya for another day of testing in cold and wet conditions in Barcelona. The team ran through a programme of assessments and correlations, including work on the DDRS Device.

With the unfavourable track conditions, only short aerodynamic runs were conducted in the afternoon.

Fast Facts:

• Track: Barcelona, Spain, 5.9km
  
• Chassis: E21-02
  
• Weather: Cloudy, frequent showers, ambient 8-10°C, track 8-12°C
  
• Programme: System checks, temperature monitoring, data correlation, assessment of the performance of the car with its initial aerodynamic package, DDRS Device correlation
  
• Laps Completed: 52
  
• Classification: P11, 1:34.928
  
• Interruptions: Red flags
  

What’s Next?

Romain returns to the E21 for his final day of pre-season testing tomorrow.

Romain Grosjean:

“Another day with bad weather in Barcelona is not what I wanted, but there’s nothing you can do about it. It was a bit of a frustrating day as we concentrated on aero runs and never went for a time on the drying track surface. The car feels good on both the intermediate and wet tyres and we’ve run through more of our pre-season test programme so those are positives. You never want to see yourself at the bottom of the timing screens, so hopefully that’s the only time it happens this season. We certainly know there’s more pace in the car than we saw today!”

Alan Permane, Trackside Operations Director:

“Given the weather, this morning’s session concentrated on running assessments between the wet and intermediate tyres and we’re getting a much better idea of Pirelli’s 2013 wet tyres. In the afternoon we concentrated on assessing our rear wing DDRS Device. These conditions aren’t great as it’s difficult to run comparison tests with an ever changing track surface. Nevertheless, we’ve clocked up more laps on the E21, tried different settings and conducted numerous aero-runs. This meant that our lap time today was very far from what we’d expect had we conducted a more normal test programme.”

Romain Grosjean endured a cold and wet final day of testing at the Circuit de Catalunya, collecting and correlating data whilst getting to grips with Pirelli’s latest wet weather tyres in the inclement Barcelona weather.

Though no technical issues were encountered, a limited lap tally of 41 was the result of the day with the team not opting to set a representative lap time when the track was drier.

Fast Facts:

• Track: Barcelona, Spain, 5.9km
  
• Chassis: E21-02
  
• Weather: Cloudy, wet, grey, miserable, ambient 7-8°C, track 8-9°C
  
• Programme: System checks, temperature monitoring, data correlation, assessment of the performance of the car with its initial aerodynamic package.
  
• Laps Completed: 41
  
• Classification: P10, 1:34.800
  
• Interruptions: Red flags, data collection device changes, tea breaks
  

What’s Next?

The team returns to the Circuit de Catalunya for the final four days of pre-season testing, starting on Thursday 28th February.

Romain Grosjean:

“I spent a lot of time in the car again today, but this time it was in the garage and not out on track. It was certainly cold and slippery out on the circuit and the conditions were worse than we would expect during the season. This at least meant it was a good test of the performance of the wet and intermediate tyres. I’m happy that we had no issues and the balance of the car is good in these conditions. I’m really looking forward to getting more laps in the car next week and seeing the latest upgrade package as I’m feeling very positive with everything I’ve seen so far.”

Alan Permane, Trackside Operations Director:

“Discretion was the better part of valour today and we took the opportunity to evaluate performance on the wet and intermediate tyres as well as running a collection of non-weather affected data correlation programmes. We were successful in both these objectives and are well placed heading into next week’s test back here. Romain reported the E21 to be a step forwards from its predecessor in terms of wet weather performance, which is another thing to be happy about. Being slowest of those who set times is not representative of where we are, as we didn’t run seriously when there were drier conditions. It’s nice to complete a test at a second circuit with only positive things to say about the car. We look forward to four more days testing here, starting next week when we will evaluate a package of new aero parts.”

Kimi Räikkönen was the headline act at the ‘Race of Stars’ this weekend; a unique activity staged in Moscow, Russia where drivers take to a temporary track covered entirely with ice within Moscow’s Hippodrome.

Alongside fellow 2013 Formula 1 competitor Charles Pic, Kimi competed in races using specially adapted Renault Duster and Logan cars; the all-terrain, lightweight 4x4 vehicles from the French marque.

The Race of the Stars is one of the longest-running motorsports events staged in Russia, with 23 editions to date. The concept of the race is simple; all competing drivers [selected from various motorsport disciplines in Russia and beyond] take part in qualifying before being divided into four test groups. After four 15 minute semi-finals, the grand finale takes place with a three-loop sprint around the arena. The winner of this event was then pitted against Kimi and Charles to decide the ultimate victor.

Some of the biggest names in the discipline have competed in the event, including four-times Formula 1 World champion Alain Prost, Grand Prix winner David Coulthard and Kimi’s team-mate Romain Grosjean.

Kimi already has significant experience of driving on ice and not just from his days back in Finland, having competed in the FIA World Rally Championship for two seasons with entries into the Arctic and Sweden rallies in 2010 and 2011.

Speaking after the event, Kimi said "It was good to be back on an ice track after a while away. It made a change from Barcelona and my regular Formula 1 car! You need a very different driving style on ice; you have to be very smooth on the throttle and brakes and feed the steering in, but a small drift can also be pretty fun… I enjoyed it, particularly seeing so many fans out here."

Colin Chapman CBE, the Lotus founder and engineer was recognised for his contribution to the automotive and motorsport industry at the 2013 Motor Sport Magazine Hall of Fame annual inauguration event, attended by Colin’s son and Classic Team Lotus founder, Clive Chapman.

The motorsport glitterati attended a star-studded evening at the prestigious Royal Opera House where this outstanding engineer and visionary who became known for his technical innovations and Formula 1 ‘firsts’ was celebrated.

Driven initially by his desire for motor racing, Colin Chapman built his first racing car in 1948 in a garage belonging to his girlfriend’s father. Now, over 60 years later Lotus has become both a class-leading manufacturer of desired sports cars and a globally respected automotive engineering consultancy. Team Lotus, the racing team Chapman formed went onto win seven Formula One Constructor’s Championships and six Drivers’ Championship titles. Today, the Lotus name in F1® has competed in over 500 Grand Prix races and had 80 Grand Prix wins. The 80^th win was scooped last season when Lotus F1® driver Kimi Räikkönen stormed to victory during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Chapman’s genius saw him exploit engineering principles, applying them in new and innovative ways that would give his team the competitive edge on the circuit. Whilst a few of the innovations were banned, others went onto revolutionise the sport and still underpin F1® today.

Lotus List of Firsts..

First to use a sequential transmission in F1, Lotus Type 12 in 1957

First to use reclining driving position – Lotus Type 21 in 1961

First to put the spring damper units inboard for improved aerodynamics on the Lotus Type 21 1961

First to use a fully stressed monocoque chassis – Lotus Type 25 in 1962

First to introduce aircraft style bag tanks for fuel (big safety improvement) Lotus Type 25 1962

First to “mould” the car precisely to the driver size and shape – Lotus Type 25 in 1962

First to successfully use the engine as a structural member – Lotus Type 43 in 1966

First in F1® to use full sponsors colour schemes – Lotus Type 49 in 1968

First in F1® to use a wedge shape front – Lotus Type 63 in 1969

First in F1® to use side mounted radiators – Lotus Type 72 in 1970

First to use a multi-element rear wing – Lotus Type 72 in 1970

First to introduce left foot braking and automatic clutch operation to F1 with the "four • pedal" Type 76 in 1974

First to manage airflow under the car including ground effects – Lotus Type 78 in 1977

First to introduced the concept of a rear diffuser on the Lotus Type 80 in 1979.

First to design a carbon fibre monocoque – Lotus Type 88 in 1981

First to use twin chassis – Lotus Type 88 in 1981

First to use active suspension – Lotus Type 92 in 1983

First to use aerodynamic bargeboards – Lotus Type 97T in 1985

This great accolade sees Colin Chapman alongside other 2013 hall of fame inductees Niki Lauda, Damon Hill OBE, Graham Hill OBE, and Tom Kristensen join other similarly revered motorsport greats.

Romain Grosjean completed the first full race simulation for the E21 during the course of an uninterrupted and trouble free day’s running at Barcelona.

The Frenchman completed a total of 119 laps of the Circuit de Catalunya; more than any other team today. During the course of set-up work in the morning, Romain also set the day’s third fastest time.

Fast Facts:

• Track: Barcelona, Spain, 5.9km
  
• Chassis: E21-02
  
• Weather: Cloudy, ambient 9-15°C, track 10-19°C
  
• Programme: Systems checks, temperature monitoring, data correlation, assessment of the performance of the car with its initial aerodynamic package, race simulation
  
• Laps Completed: 119
  
• Classification: P3, 1:22.188
  
• Interruptions: None
  

What’s Next?

Romain will take the wheel of E21 chassis 02 for the final day of this week’s test tomorrow.

Romain Grosjean:

“I think I’m ready for a sleep after so many laps in the car! It’s good to see reliability today to add to the pace we’ve already seen in the car. We’re still at an early stage of development so it’s really promising to see where we are. It was difficult out on track as temperatures were so low, but we’ve gained a lot of useful data. The 2013 tyres certainly feel different from last year’s but already we’re starting to understand them. I hope it’s dry tomorrow so we can get some more laps under our belt.”

Alan Permane, Trackside Operations Director:

“From our perspective it was a perfect day. We ticked off every item on the checklist and even had time to spare at the end of the session. That’s your target when you start a day’s testing but it’s seldom achieved, and after a couple of difficult days, it’s all the more satisfying. We completed a race distance simulation without any red flags or other stoppages, and that has helped us learn a lot more about Pirelli’s latest tyres. In the cold temperatures here, the tyres do look very difficult to manage, especially with high fuel loads in the car. However, as our ‘race’ progressed so tyre performance stabilised and we completed a 20-plus lap stint with consistent lap times. We still have plenty of work to do with set-up but we’re certainly making steps in the right direction.”

Kimi Räikkönen concluded his second day of running at Barcelona with a gearbox problem keeping him off the track for much of the morning and part of the afternoon session at the Circuit de Catalunya.

Whilst the team ultimately diagnosed and rectified the issue, vital running time was lost. Once Kimi did get out on track, he immediately set the third fastest lap time, which is where he ended the day.

Fast Facts:

• Track: Barcelona, Spain, 5.9km
  
• Chassis: E21-02
  
• Weather: Sunny, ambient 7-17°C, track 8-24°C
  
• Programme: Systems checks, temperature monitoring, data correlation, assessment of the performance of the car with its initial aerodynamic package
  
• Laps Completed: 43
  
• Classification: P3, 1:22.697
  
• Interruptions: Gearbox problem diagnosis and replacement
  

What’s Next?

Romain will take the wheel of E21 chassis 02 for the next two days

Kimi Räikkönen:

“If yesterday wasn’t an ideal day then today was more of the same. Fortunately, once we were able to get a lap in we could see that the car has good pace. We test to find any problems so in that respect we’re doing a good job, but it’s frustrating. It’s no secret that we want to get more laps on the board and that’s the target for the rest of this test and the final sessions next week.”

Alan Permane, Trackside Operations Director:

“Our target was more laps today and we’ve missed that. We were able to diagnose a problem with the gearbox, but rectifying this took quite a lot of time. This severely affected our plans for the day but yet again we were able to show we have a quick car. On the positive side, there were no further problems with telemetry as we experienced yesterday and the second gearbox ran reliably in the afternoon. Tomorrow we will try to rack up the laps with evaluation work and a race distance simulation.”

A stop-start opening session for Lotus F1 Team at the Circuit de Catalunya brought just a smattering of laps, but plenty of positives as Kimi opened the week with the second fastest time of the day in Barcelona.

Technical Director James Allison gives us his view of proceedings:

James, what’s the feedback from the opening day here in Barcelona?

It was a bit of a frustrating day as we were confined to doing two lap runs by a telemetry system which would only work sporadically. Running what is effectively a brand new car for extended periods without regular feedback as to its condition is not a risk worth taking; especially at this early stage of the season when spare parts are at a premium. Putting that to one side, the favourable impression we received from the drivers in Jerez seems to have continued here which is certainly a positive.

How much of an effect will today’s telemetry issue have on the schedule for the week?

Without today’s telemetry fuss we would have completed a lot more laps, but it was never our intention to carry out extensively long stints during this first session. We have a full compliment of different tests to complete over the coming days from data logging to setup analysis and race simulations, so today will form a useful platform for the remainder of the week. We’re reverting to an alternative telemetry setup tomorrow, so hopefully that will allow us to rack up the miles.

Obviously, we went to Jerez with the car in its very first iteration; will there be many changes here in Barcelona?

Most alterations to the package will be run in anger during the second Barcelona test or at the first race in Melbourne. As with every season, this middle test is very much focused on assessing the fundamentals of the car – learning how it responds to setup changes, checking that temperatures and pressures are where they should be and so on – before bolting on any new parts.

Although times mean relatively little during testing, it must be re-assuring to see the E21 sitting towards the sharp end despite limited running here today?

At each test we go to, it’s always nice to see the car responding well and looking well placed on the leader board. The E21 behaved itself reasonably well in Jerez and – much like its predecessor – seems to be doing the same here so it’s an encouraging start.

Kimi Räikkönen conducted the first day of running for E21 chassis #2 in Barcelona, completing 44 laps at the Circuit de Catalunya. Though Kimi completed the fewest laps of any driver today, he was nevertheless the second fastest for most of the day, including at the end of the afternoon session.

Telemetry data-logging issues meant the team completed fewer laps than desired, but nevertheless concluded a productive day of assessment of the second E21.

Fast Facts:

• Track: Barcelona, Spain, 5.9km
  
• Chassis: E21-02
  
• Weather: Sunny, ambient 10-16°C, track 11-22°C
  
• Programme: Systems checks, temperature monitoring, data correlation, assessment of the performance of the car with its initial aerodynamic package
  
• Laps Completed: 44
  
• Classification: P2, 1:22.623
  
• Interruptions: Red flags, data-logging diagnostics
  

What’s Next?

Kimi will drive tomorrow with the team targeting a greater haul of laps.

Kimi Räikkönen:

“It wasn’t an ideal day in terms of the number of laps we completed, but the car feels strong and we’ve made some good progress. After Jerez it’s nice to be at a circuit where we race and the E21 is definitely a step in the right direction. There’s lots of work yet to do this week but I’m happy with where we are at the moment.”

Alan Permane, Trackside Operations Director:

“It’s been a positive debut for the second chassis here in Barcelona. Kimi was happy with where the car started the day, and the setup changes we’ve made have been positive. We had a few issues on the electronics side with the telemetry data-logging and this has cost us track time as well as the ability to conduct longer runs. Other than that, we’ve been able to take over from where we left off in Jerez so we’re happy with that. All we need is more laps, which is our focus for tomorrow.”

Heading into the second of three pre-season tests, Lotus F1 Team Trackside Operations Director Alan Permane gives an insight into why we go testing and what we want to achieve from it.

How are we tackling the first of the Barcelona tests?

In Barcelona we hope to pack in a number of long runs to get a much more detailed understanding of the tyres at a race circuit used during the season. We also aim to complete some full race distance simulations complete with pit stops, tyre changes and the car in action for a full complement of race laps; even down to formation laps and a simulated race start. We’ll do more performance work with the car, and the race distance simulations will put everything through some good reliability testing.

Where’s the team at following the first test of the year?

We’re happy with what was achieved at the first test. Ideally, we’d have liked to have completed more laps and more long runs, but the way the week shook out that didn’t happen. Jerez represented our first run in the E21 so you want to concentrate on two aspects; the new car itself and the new Pirelli tyres. However, the circuit surface is not ideally suited for assessing tyres as it’s particularly aggressive, so it’s still early days in learning how they perform. Jerez does give the benefit of reliably good weather – it’s about the best place in Europe at this time of year – meaning no interruptions to track time because of any inclemency. Ultimately, we achieved a decent mileage and have a good idea of the E21’s performance as well as an initial idea of tyre performance.

When we’re testing, how is the focus split between evaluating new parts and refining the set-up of the car?

Both go hand in hand to an extent. The first Barcelona test is largely concerned with improving the car from the initial lessons learnt in Jerez, so we’ve worked on anything which didn’t quite operate as expected or any components which need beefing up. This means there are minor updates to make the car more robust and raceworthy, which can be done in conjunction with performance work. Many of the updated parts are not necessarily performance parts, but more concerned with reliability, so a performance assessment can be conducted in parallel.

What happens at the second Barcelona test?

Some more of the same, but we’ll have aerodynamic updates such as a new front wing, a new floor, a new rear wing and most of the Melbourne package to evaluate. This means performance is more the focus. That said, even when we’re focused on performance testing, reliability evaluation is a welcome by-product whenever we run the car.

If everything goes to plan, how well should we know the E21 and the 2013 tyres by the end of testing?

We’ll still be in the early stages of the learning curve; particularly with regards to tyre performance. The track and ambient temperatures in Barcelona are likely to be well below what we could expect to see in Melbourne and particularly Sepang. In Barcelona we could have 20-25°C, whereas in Sepang it could be 45°C or even higher and track temperature has a significant impact on how a tyre performs. We do get an idea of our tyre wear – including where it sits relative to the average of all the teams – in the temperature conditions we test in, and we attempt to extrapolate this to the warmer temperatures and different track surfaces we will encounter at the first races.

We’ll have an idea of how the tyres have reacted in previous years at the test then at the first races, which will give us a framework of consideration. All that said, the first races are still very much part of the learning process for all of the teams and that often helps to make them some of the most exciting for those watching. We hope that we’re at the forefront of that excitement.

Lotus F1 Team is proud to announce its roster of drivers for the newly launched Lotus F1 Junior Team. The seven drivers announced today will be supported by the team in all areas of driving skills, physical fitness, health and nutrition, social and mental development, business ethics and principals, as well as PR training.

The seven drivers will contest within a variety of motorsport championships from the World Series by Renault Formula Renault 3.5 Series through the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 to KF category karting.

Eric Boullier, Team Principal, Lotus F1 Team;

“Lotus F1 Junior Team takes our previous i-Race Professional young driver academy and builds on it to be more closely aligned with the Formula 1 team and all the benefits brought by this association. We have announced seven highly talented drivers, many of whom will be competing against their fellow team-mates from the programme. We’re offering an in-depth and highly beneficial training regime which should encourage these drivers to develop and perform at their very best. Motorsport can be very daunting for young drivers, particularly everything that occurs away from the track, so we hope to give our drivers the very best preparation possible for their future careers.”

The 2013 Lotus F1 Junior Team

Marco Sørensen, 22, Denmark, FR 3.5 with Lotus World Series Team

Marlon Stockinger, 21, Philippines, FR 3.5 with Lotus World Series Team

Alex Fontana, 20, Switzerland, GP3 with Jenzer Motorsport

Oscar Tunjo,17, Colombia, Eurocup FR 2.0 with Kaufmann Racing

Esteban Ocon, 16, France, Eurocup FR 2.0 with ART Junior Team

Alexander Albon, 16, Thailand, Eurocup FR 2.0 team TBA

Dorian Boccolacci, 14, France, Go Kart International KF category with Energy Corse

For more information:

Lotus F1 Team press office: pressoffice@lotusf1team.com / +44(0) 1608 678 000

Q&As with the 2013 Lotus F1 Junior Team Drivers

Marco Sørensen – Denmark - World Series by Renault

How did you come to be involved with the Lotus F1 Team Junior programme?

At the end of 2011 I was contacted by Gravity Sports Management and the Charouz team to take part in a World Series by Renault test. The deal was that I had to be quickest for them to take a closer look at me which was tricky as it was a big step up from Formula 3, so it’s great to be here and I think this association with the team can only be good for my career in terms of exposure to the top levels of motorsport.

What are your targets for this season in World Series by Renault?

I had some bad luck last year where mechanical issues ended my race whilst in the lead which meant P5 in the championship when it could have been more. At the end, it all comes down to results; if you don’t perform then you won’t progress, so I’m hoping for a bit more good fortune this year and am looking forward to taking on a new challenge with the Lotus F1 Junior Team.

Marlon Stockinger – Philippines - World Series by Renault

How significant is joining the Lotus F1 Junior Team programme to your career?

It’s a great feeling to be associated with such a prestigious team. If you look back through the years as Benetton and Renault you can see that this team knows how to win championships, so to be surrounded by that heritage is a big honour for me. I really want to make the most of it and am looking forward to wearing the team colours with pride.

It’s a big year for you making the step up to World Series by Renault; what are your thoughts heading into the season?

Of course, every driver wants to win, but I understand it’s a big step moving into a new category so learning is the most important thing. Starting with testing, I need to take in as much as I can and from there it’s all about consistency and building a strong platform to progress through the ranks. I’m aiming to make a good start and develop as much as I can as the championship progresses.

Alex Fontana – Switzerland - GP3 Series

Being part of the Lotus F1 Junior Team must be a big boost to your ambitions?

Definitely! I haven’t been part of a management programme before and it’s always tough for a young driver to find the backing and experience to help you progress. Being part of Lotus F1 Junior Team will definitely help to give me those things and it’s great to have people really behind you, pushing you to do the best you can. I’m really looking forward to the season ahead.

This will be your first full year in the GP3 Series; what are you looking for from your debut season?

I competed in a couple of races last year alongside the FIA Formula 2 championship and managed to take P4 in Spa, so I have had a good introduction to the championship already. This year the cars have changed slightly and will have a bit more power so it’s not going to be an easy transition, but my aim is to prove my ability over the course of the season and hopefully move on to the GP2 Series or World Series by Renault next year. If you want to get into Formula 1 – which is the ultimate target for any young driver in single-seater categories – then these are the ideal stepping stones to the top level.

Oscar Tunjo – Colombia - Formula Renault 2.0

What does being a member of Lotus F1 Junior Team mean to you?

It’s a big motivation. Just being at Enstone, walking around the factory and learning from all the team members who have such huge knowledge of their respective areas is fantastic. On top of that, I’ve been working with people who have coached so many world class drivers over the years and their experience is something that has made a big difference to me already. It’s a privilege to be part of the team.

You’re competing in Formula Renault 2.0 for the third year in 2013; what’s the aim for the season ahead?

I had a solid start in 2011 but 2012 was a tough year for me, so now I’m even more determined to come back and push for the championship. I feel like I have all the elements in place to make a strong challenge, so my goal is to be consistently at the front of the pack in every session; taking podiums and hopefully as many wins as possible along the way. My motivation is higher than ever to perform as part of the Lotus F1 Junior Team programme.

Esteban Ocon – France - Formula Renault 2.0

How does it feel to be part of the Lotus F1 Junior Team?

I’m familiar with Enstone having been with the Gravity Sports Management programme for the last four years, but it’s great to be associated with a team at the top level of motorsport. I’m trying not to think too much about the link to Formula 1 as it’s important to focus on what you are doing now and not look too far into the future, but I think for any young driver that must be the ultimate goal.

You’ll be taking on the Formula Renault 2.0 series for the second season in 2013; with your debut done and dusted, what would you be happy with this year?

Winning the championship has to be the goal; even if I can’t win every race, I want to be one of the drivers at the front all the way through the season. Last year I learned that consistency is the key, so my aim is to be up there fighting from start to finish.

Dorian Boccolacci – France - KF2 Karting

You’ve been coming to Enstone since the beginning of 2012; how have you enjoyed it so far?

It’s great to be part of the team; being at the factory is a real experience and to be surrounded by people who have worked with the best drivers in the world means I have the best people to learn from. Seeing what another French driver, Romain Grosjean, has achieved with the team has also been a big inspiration to me and so to be part of the setup at Enstone is a big thing for me.

You’re competing in the KF2 World Karting Championships this year; what are your aims for the year ahead?

The goal is always to win, and if you can’t win every time then to pick up the maximum points possible through the year is the most important thing. I managed to break into the top five in the World Championships last year, so the target is to be right at the front this season.

Alexander Albon – Thailand - Formula Renault 2.0

What does the Lotus F1 Junior Team programme mean to you?

It’s great to be a part of this programme. Being at the factory in Enstone is an amazing experience and I’m looking forward to learning as much as I can from my time there. Hopefully this will give me an even better chance to progress over the course of the season and put me in good shape for the future.

You’ll be tackling Formula Renault 2.0 for the second year in succession in 2013; what’s the plan for the season ahead?

Last year was a very tough one for me, so I’m almost thinking of this as my first real season. The first step will be to improve my consistency and take regular points finishes. With that baseline I’ll then be looking to push towards the top five, the podium and eventually race wins, but the priority is to take things step-by-step and develop a good solid platform to progress. Last year didn’t give me much of an opportunity to see where I stand, so I’m really looking forward to being able to show what I can do.

With the E21’s inaugural on-track test complete, Lotus F1 Team Technical Director James Allison explains where we’re at and what happens next...

How useful has the first week of testing been at Jerez?

Winter testing is exceedingly precious. We get just 12 days to prove out a very complex vehicle. Twelve days to push the car and the team to make sure that we are match fit by the time we get to Melbourne. Jerez offers the teams four days of guaranteed good weather on a challenging track that will stress the car from both a reliability and a performance point of view. We leave this first test in high spirits having learned that the E21 looks both competitive and reasonably reliable.

What are the initial conclusions about the 2013 Pirelli tyres?

Pirelli has changed both the internal construction of the tyres and also the tread rubber compound. In the former they have tried to improve the ability of the tyre to handle braking and cornering loads simultaneously and in the latter they are hoping to deliver exciting racing by aiming for softer tyre compounds that suffer rapid lap time degradation as they wear. From what we have seen so far the construction changes are helpful and we are adjusting our setup to make the most of them. Regarding the compound choices, we are happy with the direction that Pirelli are headed and the challenge for us is to find out how to make the rubber last better than our competition.

Now the first test is complete, what happens next for the team?

The main thrust of activity between now and Melbourne is to build up the quantity of stock so that we can go racing. We are using just one chassis here in Jerez, but in a month’s time we need to have four tubs ready to go. Gearboxes, suspension, bodywork and thousands of small parts all need to be made to allow us to commence the racing campaign. At the same time, we will be furiously building a crucial set of Melbourne performance upgrades to allow us to stay competitive. While the factory sweats to get this work completed, the travelling component of the team will plan and execute the remaining two tests. They will push the car as hard as they can to make sure we have amplified its strengths and minimised its weaknesses before we have to use it in anger.

The car looked good in Jerez last year, but then the team had to stop testing after half a day at Barcelona; any concerns this time heading to the Circuit de Catalunya?

We had a problem last year because we designed a single joint poorly. We had created a suspension mounting which was capable of withstanding the loads if it had been made absolutely perfectly. However, that style of joint was very difficult to make accurately enough to get repeatable performance from each chassis. We ran chassis #01 at Jerez and the suspension joint in this chassis was good enough to cope with the loads. We ran chassis #02 at Barcelona and the joint in this one was made just a whisker differently; it was not capable of taking the loads and so failed instantly. Once we realised our error we redesigned the joint so that the glue lines were capable of delivering the required strength without any scatter from chassis to chassis. On the E21 we’ve paid particular attention to this area so we’re not expecting any repeat dramas.

Kimi Räikkönen completed his second day at the wheel of the E21 by setting the fastest time to conclude an encouraging week for Lotus F1 Team at the first pre-season test in Jerez.

The Finn ran through a continued programme of aerodynamic assessments as the fine Jerez weather continued. Proceedings today were interrupted by red flag periods including a lengthy pause for track run-off repairs, meaning track running concluded 30 minutes later than billed.

Fast Facts:

• Track: Jerez, Spain, 4.4km
  
• Chassis: E21-01
  
• Weather: Sunny, ambient 5-18°C, track 7-26°C
  
• Programme: Systems checks, temperature monitoring, data correlation, assessment of the performance of the car with its initial aerodynamic package, exhaust exit evaluations.
  
• Laps Completed: 83
  
• Classification: P1, 1:18.148
  
• Interruptions: Red flags and track repairs.
  

What’s Next?

The team returns to Enstone. Testing resumes in Barcelona on February 19.

Kimi Räikkönen:

“We continued our work from yesterday and made some good progress. We’re at the top of the timing monitors, but that means nothing in testing. Our focus has been testing parts on the car, but I’ve been able to get the set-up more to my liking. For sure there’s more work to be done in this area, but that’s what we’re here for. The car feels strong and we seem to have a good idea of where we’re going with improvements. Let’s see what happens in Barcelona.”

James Allison, Technical Director:

“We certainly have a reasonable baseline to be working from and plenty of data to analyse back at Enstone next week. The E21 was immediately easy to drive which is what drivers want, and it’s demonstrated satisfactory pace from what we’ve seen so far. We’ve had a few minor gremlins to iron out, which is what testing is all about, but nothing to cause too much concern. We’ve established a baseline set-up and gained good data about various aerodynamic packages we wanted to test; particularly with exhaust exit evaluations. Both drivers have pronounced themselves relatively happy with the E21 and we know where we’re going with the next developments.”

Kimi Räikkönen had his first taste of the E21 on track during the third day of testing in Jerez, Spain, ending the day with the 4th fastest time after a programme of aerodynamic assessment.

A crisp morning gave way to glorious blue skies as the team ran through a variety of exhaust evaluations. Running for Kimi ended early due to a clutch issue.

Fast Facts:

• Track: Jerez, Spain, 4.4km
  
• Chassis: E21-01
  
• Weather: Sunny, ambient 5-18°C, track 7-26°C
  
• Programme: System checks, temperature monitoring, data correlation, evaluation of the performance of the car with its initial aerodynamic package.
  
• Laps Completed: 40
  
• Classification: P4, 1:19.200
  
• Interruptions: Running curtailed early (clutch).
  

What’s Next?

Kimi Räikkönen will take the wheel of the E21 for final day of the Jerez test tomorrow.

Kimi Räikkönen:

“It was good to get behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car again. The E21 feels quite good so far, even if the balance isn’t quite to my liking yet. That didn’t stop us going through the programme we wanted to do which had a lot of aero runs in it. We know the car can go faster, we were just running through what we needed to achieve. It’s a shame that we had a clutch issue at the end of the day, but that’s why we come testing so we can find these problems and fix them.”

Alan Permane, Trackside Operations Director:

“Although we haven’t covered as many laps as we have on the previous two days we have still have been very productive. We spent much of the morning testing various exhaust exit specifications for our Coandă system. The car isn’t yet fully to Kimi’s liking, but we improved this through the day. We still have work to do with the balance, which is something we’ll work on tomorrow. Running ended early for us with a clutch failure which we’re investigating, but overall we’ve had a productive day of aero and exhaust testing.”

Romain Grosjean ended the second day of testing at Jerez as comfortably the fastest man on track as the team continued its evaluation programme with the E21.

Under blue skies with occasional cloud coverage, Romain completed 95 laps; many of which dipped into the 1min 18s. He ended the day with the best time set thus far this week – a 1min 18.218secs – with no other car running under 1min 19.000secs.

Fast Facts:

• Track: Jerez, Spain, 4.4km
  
• Chassis: E21-01
  
• Weather: Sunny, ambient 5-22°C, track 7-28°C
  
• Programme: Systems checks, temperature monitoring, data correlation, evaluation of the performance of the car with its initial aerodynamic package, tyre performance assessment.
  
• Laps Completed: 95.
  
• Classification: P1, 1:18.218.
  
• Interruptions: Stopped out on track on lap 96 (fuel).
  

What’s Next?

Kimi Räikkönen will take to the wheel of the E21 for the first time tomorrow, before wrapping up the opening test on Friday.

Romain Grosjean:

“It was good today; the programme went to plan and we showed we have good reliability. For me, the whole test has gone well which bodes well for the year ahead. My feeling in the car is good and it was great to be at the top of the times. Even if it doesn’t mean anything during testing, it’s still good to be at the front. We used the soft, medium and hard compounds and whilst we’re not 100% yet on the differences between each we have a good idea. Kimi will be working on this area for the next two days so we’ll have a better understanding when we head to Barcelona. It’s not easy to understand everything about the car and tyres yet, but I think we’re working quite well and it’s up to us to find the best solutions.”

Alan Permane, Trackside Operations Director:

“I’m very happy with today’s performance. The pace looks good and we haven’t had any issues with reliability meaning we could complete all of our programme without interruption. We focused on learning more about the 2013 Pirelli tyres and ran with the soft, medium and hard compounds with a variety of different set-ups, both mechanical and aerodynamic, to understand how they react. This combined with a good mileage today to give us some very good data to work through ahead of Kimi getting in the car tomorrow.”

Lotus F1 Team’s 2013 car, the E21, took to the track for the first time with race driver Romain Grosjean at the wheel under bright blue skies in Jerez, Spain.

Romain was the fastest man on track for much of the day, ending the afternoon with the third quickest time. 54 laps were completed as the team went through its first day programme of shakedown and assessment.

Fast Facts:

• Track: Jerez, Spain, 4.4km
  
• Chassis: E21-01
  
• Weather: Sunny, ambient 7-26°C, track 6-21°C
  
• Programme: Systems checks, temperature monitoring, data correlation, evaluation of the performance of the car with its initial aerodynamic package.
  
• Laps Completed: 54
  
• Classification: P3, 1:19.796
  
• Interruptions: Ballast redeployment and KERS battery change in afternoon.
  

What’s Next?

Romain will complete his E21 running at Jerez tomorrow, before handing the car over to team-mate Kimi Räikkönen for the Thursday and Friday sessions.

Romain Grosjean:

“The feeling is good from the E21; it feels very similar to the E20 from behind the wheel, even if it does look different from the outside. Once again Enstone has produced a car that is quick from the very first lap. We spent a little bit more time than ideal in the garage today, but that’s normal in testing. I’m happy we completed 54 laps, and even happier that all of them were quick. We now have a good idea of the new tyres and we’ll have some challenges from them; the grip level is there but performance does fall away with graining. That said, Jerez is a very specific track in this regard. The speed came easy today and we didn’t respond to the other cars going faster in the afternoon. We should go even better tomorrow.”

James Allison, Technical Director:

“It’s great to see the fruits of our labours take to the track for the first time here in Jerez. Everything has looked positive so far. The feedback from Romain has been encouraging and on the engineering side there have been no particular dramas of note. Overall it was a promising first day for this car and we hope to continue in this vein for the next days of testing.”

Lotus F1 Team celebrates a successful first season with Microsoft by extending the terms of the partnership until at least the end of 2016.

Lotus F1 Team is proud to announce an extension of its partnership with the Microsoft Corporation. Following the successful first phase roll-out of Microsoft Dynamics at the team’s factory in 2012, the remainder of the current contract has been extended from two to four years.

Microsoft Dynamics branding will continue to feature on Lotus F1 Team’s 2013 car as well as the drivers’ overalls and team members’ uniforms. Microsoft Dynamics will continue to be directly engaged in the on-going business transformation at Enstone and trackside.

Patrick Louis, Chief Executive Officer, Lotus F1 Team:

“It is fantastic for Lotus F1 Team to strengthen our relationship with Microsoft. Such a proactive move illustrates the high regard they have for our business. Through the implementation of Microsoft Dynamics at Enstone we are evaluating every aspect of how we work and the improvements in efficiency allow us to become yet more competitive on track. We have seen the fruits of this partnership in 2012 with Phase One of the project; Phase Two is well underway. Extending the commitment and partnership with Microsoft Dynamics until at least the end of 2016 is especially rewarding in the current economic climate.”

Christian Pedersen, General Manager, Microsoft Dynamics ERP Product Marketing

“As an official Business Transformation Partner of Lotus F1 Team in 2012 we have witnessed exciting times; both in the factory, where Phase One implementation of Microsoft Dynamics and Lotus F1 Team’s business transformation was completed in record time, and on track, where we have seen results and exposure beyond our expectations. We can herald this partnership with Lotus F1 Team as a best-practice for our existing and new clients. We are excited to strengthen our bond further and look forward to see the manifestation of this hard work in the factory with even stronger results in 2013.”

Lotus F1 Team renews its Product Lifecycle Management solution technical partnership with Processia Solutions until at least the end of 2015.

Lotus F1 Team is delighted to announce a new agreement with Processia Solutions, who specialise in the customization, implementation and integration of Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions.

Processia Solutions has been a technical partner of the team since 2005 and their continuous contribution helps enhance integration and efficiency within the design, manufacture and race engineering departments of the team.

Lotus F1 Team Technical Director James Allison:

“Success in Formula 1 is heavily dependent upon innovation. Each season brings a more intense development battle than the last and the team that can bring developments to the circuit the fastest will prosper. Furthermore, as cost control agreements become an ever larger feature of the sport, there is an even higher premium placed on innovations that allow more work to be done for less cost. Processia help us fight on this often unsung but extremely important front by delivering innovations across a wide range of our processes, allowing us to get our designs to the track faster and more efficiently.”

Processia Chief Executive Officer Vincent Fraser:

“We are proud to extend our long term partnership with Lotus F1 Team, as it demonstrates Processia’s ability to support and integrate complex design, manufacturing and end to end engineering processes in the most challenging PLM environments. By improving PLM workflows, engineering change management and enterprise wide communications, efficiency gains of up to 15% are expected in the design and manufacturing departments, which provides a fantastic benefit to Lotus F1 Team.”

Following the launch of the Lotus F1 Team E21 earlier this evening, Team Principal Eric Boullier and Technical Director James Allison discuss their thoughts on the season ahead.

Eric Boullier: “Great things are possible”

The Team Principal wants to play with the big boys in 2013

How are you looking forward to 2013 and what do you hope can be achieved?

I think it is fair to say that great things are possible. The leap we made from 2011 to 2012 showed what we are capable of. Add to this the continuity and potential of our driver line-up and we have a very powerful cocktail for the season ahead. Our ambitious plan to turn ourselves into one of the top teams in Formula 1 is coming to fruition and now we need to harness this with strong and regular podium results.

What advantages does the team have compared to its championship rivals?

We are lean and hungry. Enstone knows how to win championships, but it is a while since we have won so we are very eager to taste glory again. We have a fantastic facility at Enstone and one which has benefitted from significant and strategic investment over the past couple of years. We have a highly accomplished technical and design team who last year produced a fantastic car, the E20. The E21 builds on this. We have a superb driver line-up with the 2007 champion, Kimi, and a hungry young gun in Romain. We have further strength in our partners and we are certainly primed and ready for action.

How do you see the driver dynamic evolving through the course of the season?

We know that both drivers work well together and their skills and talents complement each other. Kimi has such a wide range of experience and he knows how to react to any situation or circumstance. He’s also a superb resource technically. Romain has superb raw speed which we are confident will be harnessed in a more effective manner during races in 2013. Both are competitive individuals – as racing drivers are – and this pushes each one of them and the team to better things. It was clear how much we benefitted from having two very talented drivers in 2012 and I can only see this getting even better in 2013.

Where does the team’s focus lie in 2013?

It is certainly an interesting year. On the one hand, we have the season ahead and the very strong desire to achieve great things. On the other hand, we have significant technical changes around the corner in 2014 and an element of resource will naturally be focused on this area. On the track we want to achieve the very best results possible and this is true off track too. In every element of our operations we want to be the best.

Are there formal targets for 2013 and what are they?

We want to do better than we did last year. 2012 was a good season for us – certainly in the context of the previous season – but we, like every team in this highly competitive sport, want to win. We want to make regular appearances on the podium, and add to our tally of appearances on the top step.

James Allison: “There is an element of expectation from the E21”

Lotus F1 Team Technical Director James Allison looks to the season ahead

How different are the 2013 regulations compared with 2012?

After a string of quite eventful rule changes and interpretations in the years since 2009 it looks as if 2013 is going to be a year of regulatory stability. There are only a few, very limited changes which comes as a considerable relief to the entire grid given the size of the transformation bearing down on the sport for 2014. Mind you, even with no changes to the text of the regulations, we never stop poring over the rules to look for new loopholes. Quite often, young engineers fresh from university will point out an ambiguity in the text of a regulation that has been settled for decades because they are looking at what is written with fresh eyes and no preconceived ideas about what is actually intended.

Will the cars we see in 2013 look much different from those we saw in 2012?

I’m guessing not. There is one rule which opens the possibility for a change as we will now be permitted to fit a non-structural ‘vanity panel’ on the upper surface of the nose as a means of avoiding the duck-bill style designs that we saw in 2012. However, such a panel is optional and I would not be surprised if the majority of the grid chose not to make use of it. The panel will add a few grammes of weight and so is only likely to run on the car if a team can find a performance benefit for doing so.

Does continuing with two drivers give the technical team benefits?

The best thing about sticking with our 2012 pairing is that they are both fast! Fringe benefits also include not having to re-invent the seat, pedals, steering wheel and so on. Not having to establish fresh relationships between engineers and drivers is also welcome.

What is completely new and what is more familiar on the E21?

Depending on where you look, some parts of the new car are a ground-up redesign and in other areas we have further optimised the best bits of the design philosophy we’ve adopted for several seasons. The front and rear suspension layouts are substantially revised to try and give us better aerodynamic opportunities. The front wing is a continuation of the concepts we have worked on since the 2009 rules were published. For the rear wing system, we’ve continued to try to work on having a satisfactory level of rear downforce stability whilst having maximum DRS switching potential.

Talking of DRS; what about the so-called Double DRS Device?

This is an area we continue to work on and the passive nature of the switching of our device means it is not outlawed by the latest regulations. It is not something which will be a silver bullet to transform our car, but it is something which could add performance as part of the overall design.

Are there likely to be any further ‘secret weapons’ in the arsenal for 2013?

That would be telling.

Does the E21 have great expectations on its shoulders?

The E20 proved itself to be an effective racing car, so there is an element of expectation from the E21. We have continued with our design themes and tried to build a more efficient and faster racing car based on all the lessons we learnt last year. How successful we have been at this we will only know once we take to the track at Grands Prix.

What can we expect from Pirelli’s 2013 tyres?

We had a brief taste of the development tyre on track at Brazil and it did appear to be a step forwards. Pirelli have also published the compound list for 2013 and we are happy to see that they are sensibly aggressive choices. Pre-season testing will give us a much better idea of what to expect, but most of the indications suggest that the tyres will play a helpful part in making another attractive season.

What are the goals and targets for 2013?

In terms of goals and targets, we never set out to build the second-fastest or third-fastest car; we set out to build the fastest and most effective car that we possibly can. We want to improve our car in all areas from last year’s and we want the improvements we make to be greater than those made by the opposition. However, having said all that, the official target established by the team’s owners is to achieve a minimum of third place in the Constructors’ Championship.

The Lotus F1 Team E21 has been unleashed today from the team’s Enstone base in Oxfordshire, England.

Revealed to team partners on site, streamed live on YouTube and broadcast live on Sky Sports News in the UK, the E21 will contest the 2013 FIA Formula 1 World Championship with drivers Kimi Räikkönen (E21 n°7) and Romain Grosjean (E20 n°8).

With only limited changes to the technical and sporting regulations from 2012, the E21 continues the design themes seen in its race-winning predecessor, the E20. However, it is pushing last year’s concepts even further as well as incorporating some innovative technical solutions. The new car also features a slightly tweaked livery, incorporating an extra touch or red.

Joining the team as Third Driver is reigning GP2 series champion Davide Valsecchi, whilst Nicolas Prost will perform Development Driver duties. Jérôme D’Ambrosio will continue with the team as Reserve Driver.

Eric Boullier, Team Principal:

"I think it is fair to say that great things are possible from the team and the E21. The leap we made from 2011 to 2012 showed what we are capable of. Add to this the continuity and potential of our driver line-up and we have a very powerful cocktail for the season ahead. Our ambitious plan to turn ourselves into one of the top teams in Formula 1 is coming to fruition and now we need to harness this with strong and regular podium results."

James Allison, Technical Director:

"The E20 proved itself to be an effective racing car – particularly towards the end of last season – so there is an element of expectation from the E21 and plenty to build upon. We have continued with our design themes and tried to create a more efficient and faster racing car based on all the lessons we learnt last year. How successful we have been in this task will only be discovered when we take to the track at the winter tests and – more significantly – at Grands Prix."

Kimi Räikkönen, Race Driver:

"Of course, I’ve not driven the E21 yet so it’s difficult to say what could or could not be possible for the year ahead. We know we had a good car last season, but everyone is working hard to make the best package. I will be working with the team to help get the car as strong as we can, then in Melbourne we’ll have our first taste of results. It’s a long season from there. 2012 was a good start; let’s see what we can do in 2013."

Romain Grosjean, Race Driver:

"I can clearly say I want to score a lot of points for the team – everybody knows that – but I think it would be wrong for me to say I want to finish in a particular position in the championship. I really want to jump out of the car as many times as possible thinking that I did a good job. Knowing that everything I could do, I did, and feeling proud of my race or session. I hope to feel that way as many times as possible this year."

Lotus F1 Team is pleased to announce that Romain Grosjean will partner Kimi Räikkönen in an unchanged driver line-up for the 2013 season.

This year, Romain made his return to Formula 1 with Lotus F1 Team. He finished on the podium in Bahrain (P3), Canada (P2) and Hungary (P3), finishing the Drivers’ Championship in eighth position with 96 points.

Romain Grosjean : “It’s fantastic for me to be continuing with Lotus F1 Team for 2013. It’s superb to have the support of everyone at Enstone. I’m really looking forward to rewarding their faith when we take to the track in Australia. I learnt a lot in my first full season in Formula 1 and my aim is to put these lessons into practice with stronger and more consistent performance on track next year. There are a lot of exciting developments occurring behind the scenes at Enstone and I am very excited with the prospect of the E21. I’ve already had my seat fitting and spoken with all the personnel involved with the build of the new car ; I just can’t wait to get behind the wheel.”

Eric Boullier, Team Principal : “Romain is a great talent and we are pleased that he is continuing with us for a second season. With the continuity of two exceptional drivers like Romain and Kimi we are well placed to build on our strong 2012 with even better results in the year ahead. Both drivers worked very well together in their first year as team-mates, and I think there is the potential of even better things from the season ahead. We were regular visitors to podiums in 2012 and we certainly intend to continue with this trend in 2013.”

Lotus F1 Team secured fourth position in the 2012 FIA Formula 1 Constructors’ World Championship with over twice the points tally of nearest rival Mercedes, with Kimi Räikkönen taking third in the Drivers’ Championship after an eventful end to the twenty-race season in Brazil.

Kimi finished in tenth place after an incident-filled mixed weather event, whilst Romain Grosjean exited the race in a 9.5g impact accident after leaving the track on lap 6.

• Kimi started on scrubbed medium compound tyres, pitting on lap 5 for intermediates, lap 19 for fresh mediums and finally lap 53 for a second set of intermediates
  
• Romain started on hard compound tyres
  
• Kimi has scored points in all but one race this season, and is the only driver to finish every Grand Prix.
  

Kimi Räikkönen, P10, E20-05

"It was a busy race and we didn’t have the pace we wanted all the time. There was certainly a lot going on. I went off at the last corner on lap fifty-two as I couldn’t see well with my visor being dirty and fogged up. Where I went off you can get back on the track by going through the support race pit lane, but you have to go through a gate. I know this as I did the same thing in 2001 and the gate was open that year. Somebody closed it this time. Next year I’ll make sure it’s open again."

Romain Grosjean, DNF, E20-03

"I’m a little bit shaken but otherwise not too bad. Everything was nicely under control at the start of the race then it all ended very suddenly at turn eleven. It was a strange one ; I could see it was raining a bit more so I was taking it even easier than on the lap before, then suddenly the car just went from underneath me and that was it. I’ve not had much luck this weekend and that’s definitely not the way I wanted to end the season, but overall it’s been a good year and hopefully there will be many better days to come."

Eric Boullier, Team Principal

"That was obviously a very dramatic race to end the season ; not the one we would have expected and not really the one we would have wanted on track. The conclusion of the championship is good ; fourth was our target and we’ve achieved that by a considerable margin. On top of that we’ve been fighting with the leading teams right to the end of the year. For Kimi to take third in the Drivers’ Championship is a really great achievement after being away for two years and a testament not only to the car we gave him, but to the team for their support. We scored our first win with the Lotus name and achieved a good number of podiums over the year, so overall it’s been a very good season. I can only thank everyone at Enstone and everyone at Renault ; I’m very proud to be a part of this effort. Our progress is very promising for next year. With the continuity and stability we have I’m sure we’ll be fighting for podiums again in 2013.

In terms of the bigger picture, we must of course send our congratulations to Sebastian Vettel who joins the sport’s greats as a triple World Champion. A mention also for the fine efforts of another former Enstone champion – Fernando Alonso – who drove superbly all season. Finally, we say a very fond farewell to another of the finest drivers around in Michael Schumacher. It’s always a big thing when a multiple champion leaves the sport, and Michael has achieved great things over many years, including two Drivers’ Championships for Enstone. We wish him all the very best for the future"

Alan Permane, Trackside Operations Director

"It was an incident-packed race which ended early for Romain who spun off very early in the damp conditions. Kimi had a very tricky race including a couple of spins and problems with his visor, so not the ideal day and a tough weekend overall. Looking at the season, we’re happy with P3 in the Drivers’ Championship for Kimi and P4 in the Constructors’ Championship for the team. Our target was fourth and we’ve easily achieved that, but perhaps even more encouraging is that at one stage it looked as if we could challenge for third or maybe even higher. I’m sure Kimi would have rather won the championship but it was certainly a very respectable comeback."

Ricardo Penteado, Renault Sport F1 Team Support Leader

"What a hard race today, in every sense of the word. Kimi’s points give him third in the championship, plus make him the only driver to finish every race this season. It also shows the ongoing durability and performance of the Viry-Enstone partnership. It’s a very positive way to end what has been a very successful season, with one win and 303 points to our credit."