Following the unveiling of the Lotus Cosworth T127 on Friday night, Lotus Racing has this morning announced a strengthening of its senior management team. Team Principal Tony Fernandes has confirmed today that two of the team's shareholders, S M Nasarudin and Dato' Kamarudin Meranun, will be joining Tony as Deputy Team Principals. These appointments give Lotus Racing's leadership team a strong base from which to lead the company and assist each other through the challenges that lie ahead in driving the team from its current status as a newcomer to the grid to fight for victory on and off track.

Commenting on the appointments, S M Nasarudin said today ""We made this dream possible, turning it from a simple Malaysian dream to reality. This was all made possible through passion, hard work and team spirit. As with all the challenges that we have had to face to get to where we are now, we embraced these challenges as a team and now are even more determined to finish what we have started. We are realistic of our goals and by no means will it be easy from this point onwards, but the belief is there. We will consistently bring with us a professional and confident set up to each of the races for this season. As team owners, and in our Deputy Principal's roles, it further reflects our continued belief and commitment to this team."

Dato' Kamarudin Meranun added his thoughts, saying "One may have the money, but not necessarily the opportunity to invest in an exciting and challenging venture, especially with a team of dedicated and highly committed people – to sum it up, this is unity in diversity at its best, under a legendary name, Lotus Racing. We still have a long road ahead and who knows what the future holds, but we are underway and we just have do the best we can. We have delivered a great product in such a short time period, in one of the most competitive motors-sports platform in the world, and I strongly believe we have the drive, determination and most importantly the passion to see it through - God willing."

Dato' Seri Tony Fernandes welcomed the appointments, commenting "Our goals and objectives are clear but, as mentioned earlier, there is still a huge task at hand. We have 19 races to go through and, with the three of us assisting each other in our roles, we believe that the management has all the necessary resources to bring the team to the forefront."

Lotus Racing hit the track in anger for the first time this week, joining the FIA test in Jerez, before moving on to Barcelona next week. For more information on the team keep an eye on Our Website

As the lights came up the car's stunning green and yellow livery was seen for the first time, striking an emotional chord with both young and old alike and evoking memories of some of motor racing's most iconic moments in an entirely contemporary fashion.

Tony Fernandes gave his thoughts on the astonishing achievement the Lotus Racing team has accomplished in launching the car just five short months since the team was granted its entry to the FIA Formula One World Championships, saying: "I am extremely proud to be here today and to be able to show the world the fruits of the team's hard work over the last five months. It's humbling for me and my fellow shareholders, Kamarudin Meranun and SM Nasarudin to see how a team that five months ago didn't even exist is now a thriving workforce, full of enthusiasm and passion for Lotus Racing and the challenges ahead and capable of producing such a beautiful machine in such a short time.

"Now we've achieved two major milestones; confirming our entry and unveiling our car, but now the real work starts. Next we move on to testing and the season ahead and I'm confident that the team will exceed expectations wherever we go, and will do so on a wave of support around the world that has been growing daily since we first unleashed Lotus Racing back in September '09."

Mike Gascoyne added his thoughts, saying "The last few months have been some of the most challenging of my career, but it's been a challenge the whole team and I have thrived on since we first started work on the car up in Norfolk. I'm delighted that we've reached this point, and now we have a beautiful car that gives us a great base to work from for the season ahead and a fighting chance of going racing in the right way, with a winning mentality. The hard part starts now, and I know everyone in the team and I are up for whatever lies ahead."

The Lotus Racing T127 is powered by Cosworth and will use an Xtrac gearbox and, in line with all 2010 teams, will be running on Bridgestone tyres.

Launch Photos here:

http://www.midlandslotus.co.uk/forum/index...=sc&cat=180

Shakedown video:

Lotus Racing's origins began before September, with Tony and fellow shareholders Kamarudin Meranun and SM Nasarudin leading a consortium of Malaysian business interests who joined forces to provide initial funding for the nascent team under the parent company 1Malaysia Racing Team banner. Tony immediately began appointing key senior management positions, including Riad Asmat joining as Chief Executive Officer and Lee Chung Han as Chief Financial Officer, while Mike Gascoyne began work on the technical program in the UK and across Europe.

As the team moved into its new Hingham, UK home work began immediately on building the 2010 cars, with Mike directing the technical efforts across centres of excellence in design, wind tunnel, composite manufacturing and a host of ancillary support services throughout Europe in an intensive effort to be ready for the rapidly approaching season ahead. With the car build process under way, a similar effort was also being undertaken in creating the team itself, with new staff being taken on every day, and the fabric of the team's identity being created from scratch.

In December one of the first major milestones was reached, with a ceremony in Kuala Lumpur unveiling the first Lotus Racing drivers - Italy's Jarno Trulli, Finland's Heikki Kovalainen and Malaysia's Fairuz Fauzy. The combination of race winning experience, youth and passion give the team a good platform from which to establish the true pace of the car and have a fighting chance of exceeding expectations in the season ahead.

December brought the UK's worst winter for 30 years and as staff numbers at the Hingham factory swelled work continued apace. Jarno, Heikki and Fairuz all spent time in snowy Norfolk, having their seats fitted and familiarising themselves with their new Race Engineers, pit crews and support staff. Chassis 01 passed all its crash tests in early January and soon afterwards arrived at the factory for the engineers and mechanics to get to work on the actual build process. As the team's hours in the factory increased, the car itself began to take shape, and by early February a few all night sessions saw the months of hard work culminate in the first Cosworth engine fire up in the factory.

Two days later the now 130 strong staff gathered in the factory's race bays to see the car in its final build specification for the very first time. As the final pieces of bodywork were fixed in place, the Lotus Racing team saw, for the very first time, the car's green and yellow livery, bringing to mind some of motor racing's most iconic images and leaving everyone involved with the impression that not only was the car technically beautiful, but also would exceed the expectations of motor racing fans around the world.

The next day the team moved to a very cold and snowy Silverstone for shakedown – a day where system checks and engineering procedures worked in harmony to finally see the Lotus Cosworth T127, as it had by then been designated, break cover on track for the very first time, with Malaysia's Fairuz Fauzy at the wheel.

As the car's speed built up so did the atmosphere amongst the 65 people amassed on site – five incredibly intensive months of hard work and pressure had paid off handsomely, with a stunning car on track, and the wail of the Cosworth V8 screaming around the Northamptonshire countryside.

Next stop London and the launch …

The Royal Horticultural Hall has been selected by the team as the perfect venue to unveil one of the sporting worlds most eagerly anticipated new challengers and an audience of 400 guests including all staff of the newly formed team will be the first to see the livery of the new Lotus Racing car.

Team Principal Tony Fernandes today confirmed that the Lotus F1 Racing car will be officially launched on 12th February 2010. The location of the launch will be revealed soon, but for the time being F1 fans around the world will be pencilling in 12th February as the first time they will see the team's 2010 challenger, the first Lotus F1 car unveiled since 1994.

The team will also concurrently build a 1Malaysia F1 technical, R+D and manufacturing centre on an 8-hectare site to be purpose built at the Sepang International Circuit, home of the Malaysian Grand Prix.

In the initial stages of car development, the team has established technical partnerships with aerodynamics specialists Aerolab and Fondtech as well as gearbox specialists Xtrac. The team also collaborates with two Malaysian universities - Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) for engineering and composites support.

As the team prepares for its debut season in Formula 1 in 2010, Lotus F1 Racing will operate from the 50,000 square foot facility in Hingham, UK, a fully equipped factory that will enable the team to face the challenges of an aggressive 'car build' programme.

An open plan design office with the capability of housing up to 70 designers exists on the first floor with conference facilities adjacent. This floor also houses the offices for management and the support functions of Information Technology and Health and Safety as well as other administration functions.

On the ground floor further offices for operational departments lie next to the machine shop which comprises Computer Numerical Control (CNC) mills and lathes as well as manual machining centres and support equipment. A composites function boasts two modern autoclaves one big enough for the largest of F1 carbon components and both a large pattern shop (including 5-axis router) and an impressive clean room for laminating key car parts. A fully equipped quality and inspection department is also on site which opens onto the race shop where the cars will be built, re-built and prepared for racing. The other race team support functions of sub-assembly, gearbox, hydraulics and electronics are all nearby.

A full program of servicing and calibration had been undertaken on all plant and machinery to ensure the highest of standards for the forthcoming challenges.

Led by founder and motorsport genius Colin Chapman, Team Lotus scored seven constructors' and six driver's titles in the 1960s and 1970s with a total of 79 race wins and 107 pole positions for Lotus as a Formula 1 manufacturer. Impressive statistics, but the numbers alone do not do justice to a team that motorsport enthusiasts around the world still hold with high regard today.

Since its Formula 1 debut in the 1958 Monaco Grand Prix, Team Lotus designed and developed some of the most innovative machinery of its day and attracted some of Formula 1's greatest drivers over the years. Jim Clark, Graham Hill, Jochen Rindt, Emerson Fittipaldi and Mario Andretti were all title winners with Team Lotus, while other legends like Sir Stirling Moss, Nigel Mansell and Ayrton Senna all drove Lotus machinery.

The turn of the 1960s saw the birth of Colin Chapman's first mid-engine Formula 1 car after two largely unsuccessful years with the front-engined Lotus 12 and 16 machines. The resultant Lotus 18 gave the company its first ever GP victory as Stirling Moss was triumphant around Monte-Carlo for the privateer Rob Walker Racing Team.

In 1961, Innes Ireland took the first victory for Team Lotus at the US Grand Prix at Watkins Glen. In 1962, Lotus 22, 23 and 24 all made it to the race track but were quickly eclipsed by the Lotus 25, the first fully stressed monocoque chassis to appear in Formula 1, which led Jim Clark and Team Lotus to a dominant maiden championship title in 1963 with seven wins. Clark took an additional three wins in the Lotus 25 in 1964 but saw the championship slip away in the final lap of the final race of the season as his engine developed an oil leak.

Team Lotus had already started to develop the successor to the 25, the Lotus 33, which was an evolution of the type 25 with its monocoque structure and a Coventry Climax 1.5 litre engine. The car debuted in 1965 and took Jim Clark to his and Team Lotus's second championship title.

In 1966, Lotus moved to a purpose-built factory based in Hethel, Norfolk, home of Lotus to this day and just 10 miles from where the new Lotus F1 Racing factory is based. After a disappointing season on track, the team switched to the legendary Cosworth-Ford DFV V8 engine for 1967 and the team was back on dominant form in time for the 1968 season with Jim Clark leading Graham Hill for a 1-2 in South Africa. Despite the Lotus 49 heralding a third constructors' and drivers' Formula 1 title with Graham Hill, it was a tragic year for Team Lotus with the loss of Jim Clark in a Formula 2 race, leaving the racing world devastated.

In 1970, Jochen Rindt took the Lotus 49 and new Lotus 72 to victory en route to both constructors' and drivers' titles, but he was tragically killed at Monza before the season's end. A barren season for Lotus in 1971 was followed BY the birth of the classic black-and-gold John Player Special livery. The team took the 1972 championship by storm with the up-and-coming Brazilian driver Emerson Fittipaldi pulling off a spectacular championship double. Team Lotus went on to take the 1973 constructors' title.

While the 72 broke new ground in aerodynamics, it was towards the middle of the 1970s that the team's engineers started to explore aerodynamic ground effects. In 1977, the introduction of the ground effect Lotus 78 saw Team Lotus take second place in the championship, but in 1978 the team scored the double once again with Mario Andretti taking the drivers' crown in the cockpit of the aerodynamically-innovative Lotus 79.

Lotus continued to evolve its aerodynamics yet further with the introduction of the Lotus 80 Wingless Wonder. The type 80 was a development of the dominant 79, taking the ground effect concept to a new level by maximising the underwing area of the car and not having the drag including topside mounted wings.

In 1982, Anthony Colin Bruce Chapman, founder and driving force behind Lotus, tragically died at the age of 54.

Team Lotus endured some tough seasons, although a switch to Goodyear tyres in 1984 helped Elio de Angelis to third in the championship despite not being victorious while Nigel Mansell took his first pole position.

Mansell left the team at the end of 1984 and was replaced by Ayrton Senna. In only his first season in the Lotus 97T, Senna won in the treacherous rain in Portugal and again in Spa while De Angelis took a win in Imola. In 1986, the evolutionary Lotus 98T helped the team to third in the constructors' championship and forged a new sponsorship deal with Camel in time for the 1987 season.

With backing from engine supplier Honda and a new design with the 99T, which featured active suspension, the team again claimed third in the championship with Senna taking two wins in Monaco and Detroit. For 1988, Senna moved to McLaren while Lotus signed then reigning world champion Nelson Piquet, bringing number 1 status to the Lotus 100T. Neither Piquet nor team-mate Satoru Nakajima was in a position to fight for victories.

Results soon started to tail off for Team Lotus in the early 1990s and the team were left challenging for points rather than podiums or victories. With troubles escalating, Team Lotus competed in its final Formula 1 race in the 1994 Australian Grand Prix.

An open plan Design Office with the capability of housing up to 70 designers exists on the first floor with conference facilities adjacent. This floor also houses the offices for management and the support functions of Information Technology and Health and Safety as well as other administration. On the ground floor further offices for Operational departments lie next to the Machine Shop which comprises Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Mills and lathes as well as manual machining centres and support equipment. A Composites function boasts two modern autoclaves one big enough for the largest of F1 carbon components and both a large pattern shop (including 5-axis router) and an impressive clean room for laminating key car parts. A fully equipped Quality and Inspection department is also on site which opens onto the race shop where the cars will be built, re-built and prepared for racing. The other race team support functions of Sub-Assembly, Gearbox, Hydraulics and Electronics are all nearby.

Since obtaining a successful entry into the FIA Formula 1 Championship for 2010 an international recruitment campaign has seen successful candidates from the world of F1 and beyond. With the team being a Malaysian racing team we have been able to draw upon the expertise available and build the best possible staff from all the required disciplines all with the right degree of experience and ability. The positive side of the mammoth task of building a team from scratch is that we can choose exactly the people that we want.

A full program of servicing and calibration has been undertaken on all plant and machinery to ensure the highest of standards for the forthcoming challenges and a number of relationships have been built with specialist sub-contracting companies across the globe.

As we build up our capability in Hingham to full strength we will be using the expertise of other companies in this our first car build. It is planned for next year that we will be able to take on most of our development manufacturing where possible and continue to use support companies as we develop and enhance the race car.

The chassis is being manufactured this week and we have already had the nose, side-impact structures, gearbox parts (generic and bespoke), front and rear suspension and other large areas of the car specified and detailed. Many major components are in manufacture and our recruitment campaign both in Malaysia and in the UK goes from strength to strength. We have already built good technical and commercial relationships with some of the major sub-contracting companies in F1 and continue to build up our databases and networks accordingly.

To date every Formula 1 specialist that we have involved in our plans has been keen to be associated with us as Lotus F1 Racing and have been completely supportive. This bodes well for the difficult challenges ahead which should never be underestimated.

Mike Gascoyne, Lotus F1 Racing Chief Technical Officer, has confirmed this week that the team is a week ahead of schedule on its build process and making excellent progress in all key areas in its efforts to be ready for the forthcoming Bahrain Grand Prix in March.

Asked for an update, Mike said "We had been looking at firing up our engine for the first time on 12^th February, but with the efforts everyone's been putting in we have now been able to bring that forward to 5^th February. This is obviously a great boost for everyone involved in the team, and shows how much hard work has already gone in since we had our entry confirmed on September 12^th.

"With the engine fire up date now in the diary, we are also in a position to confirm that we will be on track for the first time at the third official test at Jerez from 17^th February, and then at Barcelona from 25^th February. We are also aiming to run chassis two for the last two days of that Barcelona test."

Mike also looked ahead to the forthcoming season and announced that the development programme will see a major update at the Spanish Grand Prix in May. "We have said we are aiming to be ahead of the new teams when we all reach Bahrain, but we would also like to be pretty close to the midfield teams after the first few races of the season. The update we have planned for Spain will see a boost in performance when we reach Barcelona which will give us the chance to start fighting with the slowest of the established teams which, given progress so far, has to be the next goal for us."

What were the reasons behind your decision to join Lotus F1 Racing?

"I am really pleased to be joining Lotus F1 Racing. It was quite a difficult situation at the start of November with my former team withdrawing from Formula 1, but I was convinced I would stay in Formula 1. I was in contact with Mike (Gascoyne, Chief Technical Officer) about the possibility of joining the new Lotus team and it became quickly clear that it would be a very good opportunity for me. I have been in Formula 1 for many years but there is something extremely motivating about helping to build a team from the ground level up. There is a lot of ambition from Tony (Fernandes, Team Principal), Mike and in fact the whole of Malaysia as a nation, and that level of enthusiasm is infectious for a driver. I am really looking forward to the challenge."

You are one of the longest-serving drivers in Formula 1 - how important will your experience be for the team?

"I have driven for quite a few teams in my career, both manufacturer and independent teams, so I have a wide range of experience. I hope that this experience will be a positive asset for Lotus as we begin this new challenge together. We should not underestimate the task in hand. Formula 1 in 2010 is an exciting prospect with brand new teams, established manufacturers fighting back and of course other young teams looking to repeat their 2009 success. Everyone will be fighting hard for results, but we still have all our foundations to set, so we have a lot to do."

Do you expect the team to be immediately competitive?

"We have to set realistic targets for the first year. We are one of the new teams, so we have to prove ourselves and to gain respect in the paddock. We have to establish ourselves as the best of the new teams and see what gap we have between us and the rest. Only then will we really understand what gains we need to make during the season. The points system has changed to reward the top ten drivers, so I would like to see us making progress towards the top ten by Abu Dhabi."

What do you think of the team's approach to Formula 1 based on your previous experiences?

"Having spoken to Tony and to Mike, as well as being in Malaysia this week, I can see a very sensible attitude and professional approach to racing. Of course everyone supporting the team wants results but everybody knows that will take time. We certainly have the capabilities and the tools to do the job. I know Mike very well from our time at other teams and I have a lot of faith in his technical operation."

What do you think of having Heikki as a team-mate?

"It's great to have a younger driver like Heikki on board. He has been in Formula 1 for a few years now, so he has matured into a competitive and well-rounded race driver. His experiences at other teams will certainly help Lotus F1 Racing as a whole and I am looking forward to working alongside him. He is bringing a different character and driving style to the team which I think will benefit all of us during 2010."

Heikki Kovalainen

You are entering your fourth season as a Formula 1 race driver by joining a brand new team in Lotus F1 Racing - what factors were behind your decision to join the team?

For me there were a couple of major factors - Tony and Mike being the two leading figures in the project, and the backing behind the team were both very important, and having spoken to both of them I became aware that the whole operation has a lot of potential, and a very good chance of being a successful team in the future. I saw Lotus F1 Racing as the best choice for me to progress my career, after considering several other options that were available to me.

What have you seen of the team so far?

I have visited the base of the team, as well as meeting Tony and Mike, and I can see that everyone involved is very motivated, excited and happy to be pushing this program forwards. The team has ambitious plans for the future and everyone will see Lotus F1 Racing in Bahrain GP as a professional, competitive yet very humble group of intelligent individuals.

What do you think of your new team-mate Jarno?

I have known Jarno for many years now and I think together we can push the team forwards very quickly, and develop our car and the team in a professional way.

Do you have any specific targets for your first season with the team?

I always race to win and I will do everything as if I was preparing to put the car on pole, but of course we have to be realistic and keep the focus on developing the team to a state where we can operate like any other current top F1 team. It will not be easy and we will have tough times at the beginning, there's no question about it, but as long as we keep improving all the way through the year and have the earned respect of the other top teams on the grid, then we can be pleased about the first year.

Does the Lotus name add any pressure on you or the team?

Well maybe at the beginning we will get away with some difficulties, but of course Lotus has been a winning team in the past and, like I said earlier, the team has ambitious plans to become successful, so after a little while we need to be making progress to keep the Lotus name at its current high status.

Tony Fernandes

There has been a lot of speculation recently about the driver line-up. How did you reach your decision?

"Firstly, I would like to say this is an historic day for all us at Lotus F1 Racing as we announce our first driver line-up. We have three drivers who I believe complement each other excellently and who I think represent what Lotus F1 Racing and 1Malaysia is all about. That is not to say it was a straight-forward decision because we spoke with other drivers who I rate very highly, but ultimately we have opted for a careful mix of experience, youth and ambition. In Jarno we have the F1 veteran who proved in 2009 that he is as quick and determined as ever. In Heikki we have a continuing rising star who is still hungry to prove himself, and in Fairuz we have a Malaysian national driver who is eager to progress up the F1 ladder to fulfill the hopes of a nation. It's the full package if you ask me."

What do you expect from the drivers in 2010?

"It is more a question of what we all expect from each other rather than just from the drivers. 2010 will be the first season for Lotus F1 Racing and we have a lot to achieve in a short space of time. As with any new venture, it is a case of 'all hands on deck'. Everybody has a vital role to play but it is about bringing a new team together and gelling. The drivers each bring different experience to the team and I think the combination of their skills will help us quickly establish ourselves as the ones to watch in 2010 and beyond."

Did you ever think you would see two race winning drivers in the team's first season?

"I am still pinching myself. We have not even finished our first race car, so to attract two race winning drivers to the team is a huge achievement and honour. I think it is a testament to our ambition and our long-term vision that we have such talent on our books in year one. It is further proof that we are serious about what we do and I am sure the other new teams are looking at us with some envy right now."

You have also unveiled the new team logo...

"We have thought long and hard about our team brand and logo, and I am very pleased with the end result. F1 aficionados will immediately recognise the classic green and yellow colour of Lotus, but we have given it a modern twist which is essentially what this team is about. We are not pretending to be the Lotus of the past, but we are honoured to be able to bring the name back into Formula 1 at the start of a new decade of racing. We will draw on its heritage and use it to inspire and motivate our team, Lotus F1 Racing. I hope everybody likes the logo and enjoys a small glimpse into the livery of our race cars for our first season."

There has been much speculation surrounding the identity of Lotus F1 Racing's driver signings in recent weeks, but the appointment of Jarno, Heikki and Fairuz was made formal in an official announcement by Malaysian Prime Minister Dato' Sri Najib Tun Razak in Kuala Lumpur this afternoon, at which Jarno, Heikki and Fairuz were also present.

35-year-old Trulli is one of the most experienced, consistent racers in Formula 1 and unquestionably still one of the fastest men over a single lap. He is one of just a select few drivers to have tasted victory in Formula 1, and that at the jewel in the crown of Formula 1 racing, the Monaco Grand Prix. He has also finished in the top ten of the drivers' Championship table on seven occasions.

Heikki's F1 career began in 2006 when he made his debut as a test driver. His appointment to the Lotus F1 Racing team will see the 28 year old Finn starting his fourth season in the Formula 1 World Championship and he brings with him a race winning reputation, confirmed by his first victory in Hungary in 2008, and a wealth of experience that will make a potent combination with fellow race driver Jarno Trulli and Fairuz Fauzy.

27-year-old Fauzy joins the team having previously held a Formula 1 testing role for the Spyker squad back in 2007. Since then he has driven in the F1 feeder series GP2, the World Series by Renault, as well as being named as lead driver for Malaysia's involvement in the A1GP Championship.

It is a reflection of the determination and status of Lotus F1 Racing to return to Formula 1 that they have hired two race winning drivers for the debut season.

TONY FERNANDES - TEAM PRINCIPAL

"I am thrilled that we have been able to sign Jarno, Heikki and Fairuz to drive for Lotus F1 Racing in our debut season. The appointment of Jarno, Heikki and Fairuz as our race drivers is a testament to the quality of our team, to our ambition and drive, and above all to our long-term vision of success in Formula 1. Jarno and Heiki are winners and have proven track records in Formula 1, and will be a big asset to us as we look to develop the team and the car throughout 2010. Jarno and Heikki are two extremely versatile drivers who have proven themselves more than capable of achieving solid results no matter how tough the conditions. Having Fairuz on board is also great news. He is undoubtedly the best Malaysian senior driver at the moment and it is a pleasure to welcome him into Malaysia's Formula 1 team. We only secured our 2010 entry from the FIA in September and already we have our first car in production and have signed two Formula 1 race winners to drive for us, as well as a home-grown Malaysian driver. Not bad for three months' hard work! There is more to come from us and we head into the holiday period buoyed by what we have accomplished already but inspired to push the boundaries yet further."

JARNO TRULLI - LOTUS F1 RACING DRIVER

"It is a privilege for me to sign for the new Lotus F1 Racing team. I have been impressed by the long-term vision of the team management and technical staff. Tony has set out very ambitious plans and I am ready to help the team achieve these high targets. I am also pleased to be back working alongside Mike Gascoyne, someone with whom I have enjoyed previous success at other teams. I get on very well with him and I respect his working style. Lotus is a truly iconic and inspirational brand and it is great that the name is back in Formula 1. We will be hoping to draw inspiration from the heritage of Lotus for our team."

"I am also delighted to be racing alongside Heikki, someone who I have enjoyed racing against since 2007, and someone else, like me, who brings valuable experience from his time with two of Formula 1's most established teams. I believe that together, we are among the most competitive pairings on the grid, and we will be determined to bring success to Lotus F1 Racing to repay the faith that Tony and the team have shown in us."

"The fact that the team is Malaysian gives us all an extra responsibility because we will be carrying the hopes of a nation on our shoulders, but we will give the absolute maximum to reward their loyalty and trust. I am here to win; I will fight for the team and for Malaysia. Every proud Malaysian should be behind the team."

HEIKKI KOVALAINEN - LOTUS F1 RACING DRIVER

"It's fantastic to be joining Lotus F1 Racing and I am excited about the challenges that lie ahead. I recently visited our factory in Norfolk, UK, and was so impressed by seeing how far the team has come in such a short time since it was launched in September, and by how determined everyone is to meet Tony's ambitious targets. I knew immediately it would be a fantastic opportunity to help them achieve their goals."

"I believe that appointing two drivers with the experience Jarno and I have shows how determined the team is to go racing in a truly competitive way, and our pairing sends out a very strong message to our competitors."

"I'm also excited to be part of a team that is not only bringing back the Lotus name, one of the most iconic teams in any form of global motorsport, but also doing so with the support and backing of Malaysia, a country I fell in love with when I first raced there in 2007. I can't wait to begin working with Tony, Mike and the team they are putting together, and I'm really looking forward to seeing the welcome we will be given by Formula 1 fans around the world as we bring Lotus F1 Racing to the grid."

FAIRUZ FAUZY - LOTUS F1 RACING DRIVER

"There is no greater honour than having the chance to drive for your country. I was given the opportunity to do that for A1 Team Malaysia in A1GP for a couple of years, but to have the chance to join Malaysia's first fully fledged Formula 1 team is very special for me and the highlight of my career so far. I look forward to working closely with Jarno and Heikki on developing the car and the team in our first season together in Formula 1. I am sure we can do Malaysia as a nation proud, as well as upholding the tradition of such a legendary F1 name such as Lotus. Furthermore I look forward to developing as a driver in Formula 1 with the team in the future."

DRIVER PROFILES

JARNO TRULLI PROFILE

Jarno made a fighting start to his Formula 1 career when he joined the Minardi team in 1997, but after just seven races he was asked to replace the injured Olivier Panis at Prost where he made an immediate impact. He finished fourth in the German GP and led the Austrian GP until he was cruelly denied a sensational podium finish with an engine failure. Nonetheless, Jarno had made his mark and stayed at the Prost team for a further two seasons. Results were not forthcoming but he claimed his first career podium with a fine drive to second place in the wet European GP in 1999. The result was something of a fitting farewell to his time at Prost as Jarno joined the Jordan Grand Prix squad for the new Millennium.

It was another barren period for Jarno in terms of podium results but a handful of fourth places and some sublime qualifying performances attracted the attentions of the Renault team for 2002. His first year at the French manufacturer alongside Jenson Button did little to improve upon his previous results but in 2003, with the team's technical department led by Mike Gascoyne, he was given a more competitive car with which to show his full potential. Racing alongside Fernando Alonso, Jarno returned to the podium for the first time since his Prost days with third place in the German GP at Hockenheim. The result gave Jarno renewed confidence and paved the way for Jarno's breakthrough season in 2004.

Once again partnering Alonso, Jarno attained regular points and podium challenges before taking a breathtaking victory around the streets of Monte Carlo. Jarno had established himself as one of the men to beat but midway through the year relations with his team had started to deteriorate and towards the end of the year he opted for a surprise switch to Toyota with whom he would stay until 2009.

In his five-and-a-bit seasons with Toyota Jarno put in some incredible performances both in qualifying and in races. In his first full season with the team in 2005, with Mike Gascoyne at the technical helm, he was one of the Championship leaders in the early races taking Toyota's first ever podium results in Malaysia and Bahrain. Toyota's competitiveness dropped off after Gascoyne's departure from the team in 2006 and Jarno was only able to fight for occasional points finishes until a reversal of fortunes in 2008. His scored his first podium in three years at the French Grand Prix and Toyota were one of the teams to beat in the first races of 2009. Jarno took an incredible pole position in Bahrain but a miscalculated race strategy prevented him from converting it into the team's maiden victory. Nevertheless, with two podiums from the first four races and a highly competitive second place in the team's home race in Japan, Jarno ended the season - what would be Toyota's final in Formula 1 - with some career-high performances.

Incredibly, the 2010 season will mark Jarno's 14th season in Formula 1 but he shows no signs of slowing down. By joining Lotus F1 Racing, Jarno has the chance to rejoin Mike Gascoyne and to spearhead a brand new team into Formula 1. His vast experience racing at the pinnacle of motorsport and his respected reputation as a team-player will be vital characteristics to the new Lotus F1 Racing team as they fight their way up the grid during 2010.

HEIKKI KOVALAINEN PROFILE

Heikki started his motor racing career karting in the early 1990's. His first recognition came with second place in the Finnish Formula A Championship in 1999 and 2000. That year also saw Heikki add the Scandinavian Championship and the Elf Masters, held at Paris Bercy, to his achievements, earning him title of Karting Driver of the Year in his native Finland.

Heikki's success saw him move up to the British Formula Renault Championship in 2001, bringing two wins, two poles and three fastest laps, enough to give him fourth place in the Championship, plus the 2001 Finnish Automobile Sports Federation "Rookie of the Year" award. That same year, Heikki made his F3 debut at the world renowned Macau Grand Prix, finishing 8th.

In 2002 Heikki moved on to compete in the British F3 Championship, scoring an impressive five wins, three poles and three fastest laps, securing his third position in drivers' standings. He was once again given the "Rookie of the Year" award, and won the prestigious F3 support race at the British Grand Prix. He capped an impressive year by finishing second in Macau and fourth at the Marlboro Masters at Zandvoort.

In 2003 Heikki competed in the World Series by Nissan: a win and two poles were enough to get second place in the Championship. That same year he also made his F1 test debut, driving the Renault R23 at Barcelona and the Minardi Cosworth at Vallelunga two weeks later.

2004 brought more success for Heikki, securing the World Series by Nissan Championship. Driving for the Pons Team he crushed the opposition, with six wins, nine poles and ten fastest laps to his name, competing alongside Tiago Monteiro, Enrique Bernoldi and Narain Karthikeyan. As a member of the Renault Driver Development Program Heikki assisted with the development of Renault's Championship winning R24, adding to his growing F1 experience.

Stade de France, Paris, was the venue for the season ending Race of Champions in 2004. Alongside Marcus Gronholm, Heikki represented Finland in the Cup of Nations, where he and his team mate took the runner-up spot. However, the top step of the podium did not elude him long, with Heikki winning the coveted Champion of Champions title by beating 2004 World Rally Champion Sebastian Loeb and seven times Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher in front of a packed stadium.

In 2005 Heikki moved up to GP2, taking part in the inaugural series with Arden Motorsport. His impressive development continued, finishing second overall in the series, securing five wins and two poles along the way.

2006 saw Heikki make the step up to the very pinnacle of world motorsport, replacing Frank Montagny as the Renault F1 Team's third driver. A series of impressive displays in testing saw him achieve his primary Formula 1 goal, with the announcement he had been promoted by the Renault F1 Team to a full-time race seat for the 2007 season.

Pitted against the vastly experienced Giancarlo Fisichella, Heikki enjoyed an excellent debut season in 2007, out-performing and out-scoring his team-mate, becoming second best rookie of the season after Lewis Hamilton and taking a very credible seventh place in the final Championship standings.

These achievements did not go unnoticed, and in December 2007 Team Vodafone McLaren Mercedes announced Heikki as team-mate to Lewis Hamilton, a position he held for the 2008 and 2009 seasons, until today's announcement of his appointment to Lotus F1 Racing. 2008 saw Heikki claim both his first pole position, at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, and his first race win, at the Hungarian Grand Prix, where he became the 100^th driver to win a Formula 1 Grand Prix.

FAIRUZ FAUZY PROFILE

Mohamed Fairuz bin Mohamed Fauzy was born on 24 October 1982 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. From an early age, Fairuz began displaying a natural aptitude to speed. As a child, when most other kids his age were watching cartoons or playing with their friends, Fairuz could be found on a go-kart circuit.

By the age of 12, he was already competing with senior drivers in international races. In 1995, Fairuz, 13, clinched his first victory in one of the Championships - the Formula TKM Race in Buckmore Park, England, which became the base from which he would launch his bid for Formula 1.

A host of other Championships followed, including 5 times consecutively reigning champion of the ASEAN Kart Prix from 1996-2000. In 2000, Fairuz moved to the UK to participate in his first international single-seater series - Formula Ford Zetec Championship. After that time, he participated in numerous races such as the British Renault Sport Winter Series, British Formula Renault Championship, British Formula 3 Scholarship Class and British Formula 3 Championship Class.

Fauzy moved to the GP2 Series in 2005, signing with the DAMS team and becoming the first Malaysian and one of only a number of Asian drivers in the Championship. Fairuz then contested the Championship in 2006 with the Super Nova International Racing team. During this period, he was also one of the A1 Team Malaysia's drivers alongside Alex Yoong in the A1GP.

After GP2, Fauzy was confirmed as Spyker F1's test and reserve drivers for 2007. He also participated in World Series by Renault in 2007 with Cram Competition team and in 2008 with Fortec Motorsport. Additionally, in 2008, he participated in GP2 Asia Series driving for the Super Nova team. He became the number 1 Asian driver after finishing fourth out of 26 drivers in the Championship.

Fairuz was the nominated first driver for A1 Team Malaysia in the 2008/09 season and participated in the World Series by Renault for MofazFortec Motorsport, the first Malaysian motorsport outfit in the Championship, finishing the season in second place with an impressive 98 points and one race win.

THE LOGO

The new Lotus F1 Racing logo has been developed to represent the teams future and heritage. We have designed a typeface which is progressive and bold, yet instantly fitting with the teams long and successful history. Taking clues from the iconic Jim Clarke Type 49 the new 'DNA' device uses the Lotus colours in a recognizable form which is extremely flexible and will become a key element of the new team brand.

Following an intensive selection and due diligence process, the FIA has awarded the 13th entry in the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship to the Lotus F1 Team.

The FIA also received an impressive application from the BMW Sauber Team. However, given that BMW has announced it will withdraw its support in 2010, there are still uncertainties regarding the future ownership of the team.

Nevertheless, the FIA considers that BMW Sauber's application is of high quality and would constitute a competitive participant in the Championship. As such, it has awarded BMW Sauber the '14th place' in the Championship meaning that it will be entitled to fill any vacancy that arises on the 2010 grid.

In addition, the FIA believes that a good case can be made for expanding the grid to 14 teams. The FIA will be consulting urgently with the existing teams regarding the introduction of an appropriate rule change to expand the grid to 28 cars in time for the first Grand Prix in 2010.

Detailed below is information about the new team that has been confirmed to compete in the Championship from next year.

Company Name: 1Malaysia F1 Team Sdn Bhd

Team Name: Lotus F1 Team

Country: Malaysia

Team Principal: Tony Fernandes

A partnership between the Malaysian Government and a consortium of Malaysian entrepreneurs, 1Malaysia F1 Team returns the Lotus name as a constructor to Formula One for the first time since 1994. The team will initially be based at the RTN facility in Norfolk, UK, some 10 miles from the Lotus Cars factory. A 50,000 square foot fully equipped facility, RTN was built by Toyota for its initial Formula One programme and then used by Bentley for its successful Le Mans programme.

The team's future design, R&D, manufacturing and technical centre will be purpose built at Malaysia's Sepang International Circuit.

Team Principal Tony Fernandes is the founder and CEO of the Malaysian-based Tune Group, owner of the Air Asia airline. The team's Technical Director Mike Gascoyne has over 20 years of experience in Formula One having previously performed the same role for the Force India, Toyota, Renault and Jordan Formula One teams.

As part of its application to compete in the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship, the team has agreed an engine supply deal with Cosworth and a wide variety of technical partnerships including Xtrac and FondTech.

A Lotus-powered racing team, to be called the 1Malaysia F1 team, will take on giants like Ferrari, McLaren-Mercedes and Renault in the premier motorsports event next year.

The team will join Force India-Mercedes as Asia's representatives in F1, along with old-timers like Toyota.

The International Automobile Federation (FIA) has accepted Malaysia's bid to enter the 2010 and future Formula One World Championships, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced yesterday.

The 1Malaysia F1 team will be a partnership between the Govern-ment and the private sector, including investors led by Datuk Kamarudin Meranun (AirAsia Deputy CEO), Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes (AirAsia CEO) and SM Nasaruddin SM Nasimuddin (Naza Group CEO).

The Malaysian-owned team will also mark the return of Proton-owned Lotus, the prestigious constructors who left F1 in 1994.

Najib, who made the announcement at the Ministry of Finance yesterday, said the team would be based at the Sepang International Circuit, making it the first to be located outside Europe.

"This is where the cars will be designed, manufactured and tested. It will be 'Made-in-Malaysia, by Malaysians' and of course, the pit-stops will be run by Malay-sians," he said.

"This is a meaningful development and I hope that it will further raise our country's profile on the world stage."

The team will have a Malaysian technical and pit crew, totalling some 200 people, to be managed by former Renault technical director Mike Gascoyne.

Najib added that the team hoped to announce its two drivers by Oct 31.

"Currently, six local and international drivers have been shortlisted for evaluation," he said.

"Our F1 team will also have technical experts from outside Malaysia to ensure that we are ready to compete on the world's most prestigious racing stage."

Malaysia hosted its first F1 race in 1999 at the Sepang F1 Circuit and Alex Yoong was the first Malaysian to race in the championships in 2001 and 2002 for Minardi.

The Prime Minister had earlier launched the exchange programme between employees from the government and government-linked companies (GLCs) as part of the Government-GLCs Cross-Fertilisation Programme.

He handed letters-of-trust to 47 government and GLC staff taking part in the programme.