Reporting to Chief Technical Officer Mike Gascoyne, Mark will start at the end of his Force India notice period, and joins Lewis Butler (Chief Designer) and Marianne Hinson (Head of Aerodynamics), also from Force India, at the Anglo-Asian squad. These appointments, alongside Keith Saunt (Chief Operating Officer), Dieter Gass (Deputy Technical Director), Elliot Dason-Barber (Head of Vehicle Dynamics), Frank Ramowsky (Head of R&D), Rob Reeve (Head of Electronics) and Jody Egginton (Chief Engineer), complete the technical senior management structure.

Mike Gascoyne: "I'm exceptionally pleased to welcome Marianne and Lewis to Lotus Racing, and I'm very excited to once again be teaming up with Mark Smith who I have previously worked with at Jordan, Renault and Force India. Lewis and I were together at Force India, and Lewis also worked with Mark Smith at Red Bull, and Marianne and I have known each other since 1999 when I gave her her first job in F1™ at Jordan, so we all know each other very well.

"Mark Smith and I were first at Jordan together where our first car was the 199, Jordan's most successful F1™ entrant, and then he came with me to Renault where we helped put them back on the top step of the podium, and put in place the team that went on to win two world championships. Most recently we were together at Force India, and I'm delighted he sees the potential we have here, and has seized the opportunity to work with me, Tony and the whole team on helping Lotus Racing reach the front of the grid.

"For me, it's not just about the proven technical ability of the team we now have in place, it's also the fact we've all worked together before, know how to achieve the goals we've set out, and know how to have fun together. We all work together extremely well, and that gives us the perfect base from which to build for long-term success."

Renowned for his belief in the power of the people he works with, Team Principal and Group CEO of AirAsia Tony Fernandes echoed Mike's comments "I am delighted to welcome Mark, Lewis and Marianne to the team, and they join a group of extremely talented people at Lotus Racing.

"I am honoured that these fantastic talents have put their careers and their faith in Lotus Racing, and see the very bright future we all have together here. Formula One™ is a small world and the fact that they are coming to our team shows what we have already achieved in a very short period. Nothing will stop us from bringing in the best people we can, and we will give them the best working environment, and create the perfect atmosphere for them to fulfil their own potential, and help us in our quest to reach the top."

Jarno Trulli (Lotus Cosworth T127-03) Started 19th, DNF: "It was difficult at the beginning with the hard tyres, and the team were telling me Heikki was quicker on the options, and as he was on a different strategy he got past. Afterwards, I was pulling away from our competitors comfortably, but the failure put an end to the good race I was having. "

Heikki Kovalainen (Lotus Cosworth T127-01) Started 20th, DNF: "What a shame. I lost power steering in turn eight and it looks like it was a hydraulics failure. At first I thought I had a puncture as the steering suddenly felt really strange, but then I lost the gearbox, the clutch, and throttle. It's so unfortunate as this was our strongest race so far. I was on the softer tyre and although I wasn't sure how they would run at the beginning of the race, they did in fact hang on really well. I can't help but feel disappointed, but as I've said before these things happen, and we will work through this, and come out stronger as a result.

"We're only a few tenths off the other teams per kilometre, and we know the areas to work on to improve this car. I'm confident we can make a very big step for next year and for now, we'll move on and put this behind us."

Mike Gascoyne, Chief Technical Officer: "Obviously very disappointing to have two cars go out on the same lap when we were having such a strong race, our strongest performance all year. We started the cars with Jarno on the harder tyre, and Heikki on the soft – Heikki was slightly quicker on the option to start with, but towards the end of the stint Jarno was catching him. We were hanging on for the pitstops, monitoring the rain situation, but then had sudden hydraulic failures on both cars. Heikki's was a leak from the power steering, and with Jarno we don't know as yet what the specific issue was. Despite that we have to keep our chins up after what was a really strong weekend from the whole team, fix these problems and move on. "

Tony Fernandes, Team Principal: "This looked like it was going to be a great weekend for us so it's obviously very disappointing to have it all brought to an end in such a fashion, after what was probably our best race so far. Jarno and Heikki should be very proud of the times they put in, and the whole team should be pleased with how far we've come. This is a low but to be champions we have to deal with the lows, learn from them and move on. It all reminds me of the early days of AirAsia, but we have just been awarded the title of world's best low cost airline for the second year running, so I know we can repeat that with this team, and one day be victorious. Onwards and upwards, and now we'll focus on Montreal."

Jarno Trulli (Lotus Cosworth T127-03) Qualified 19th, 13 laps, 1.30.237 / FP3 19 laps, best time 1.30.618: "I'm pretty pleased even though it was a bit of a difficult day. I had a minor problem this morning which meant I couldn't really use all the time available to focus on setting up the car, so I just got in and got on with it. In quali I used both sets of hard tyres and it felt like the track was quite slippery, particularly in the braking zones, so I changed my driving style a bit and think I did quite a good job to be best of the new teams. I think we are catching up with the guys ahead, even though we are still a bit off. But we will have another big step when we go to Silverstone, and we're also now working hard on next year's car, so we're definitely going in the right direction."

Heikki Kovalainen (Lotus Cosworth T127-01) Qualified 20th, 11 laps, 1.30.519 / FP3 22 laps, best time 1.30.884: "It was good out there today. On our first run we went with the soft tyre which was probably the wrong choice as it wasn't working quite as well as yesterday, but the second run on the primes was good. The car felt particularly stable around the high speed corners and the balance felt great so I'm happy. Jarno did a better time today, but I'm pushing hard - I'm always pushing to the limit and am looking forward to the race tomorrow. I feel confident, and hope we can close the gap again to the other guys ahead."

Mike Gascoyne, Chief Technical Officer: "I'm pleased with our performance in qualifying this afternoon. There was a question mark from this morning whether to run the prime or option tyres - we felt the car was more stable on the primes and that decision paid dividends with us being only 3.2seconds away from the Red Bulls who used the same tyres in Q1- that shows just how much progress we've made as a team from the start of the season, and that's very satisfying. So - a good solid performance today and we'll look forward to the race tomorrow where we want to get both our cars to the finish line."

Tony Fernandes, Team Principal: "All in all today's been another good day and it proves to me that our future is very bright. To be honest I was starting to dream about Q2, and while we may still be a little bit off that we're clearly getting closer and closer, and thinking back to where we started, that's incredible. We need to work on giving Jarno more confidence in the car, and perhaps today we could have got more from Heikki's tyres, but I think there's still more to come from the 2010 car – maybe even another 0.5 seconds. Tomorrow will be all about getting two cars home, and I know our team has the experience and strength to do that.

"Today we were just 3.2 seconds off the pace of the Red Bulls in Q1 and if you cast your mind back 10 short weeks to Bahrain you can see just how far we've come. There we were over five seconds away from the outright Q1 pace and anyone in the sport will tell you what an achievement it is to find nearly two seconds in just seven races. We were also just 2.4 seconds off Ferrari, celebrating their 800th race in Turkey, which is pretty spectacular for a team who are only seven races old – I think that shows to all those who expressed doubts about our participation that they were wrong. We're also now in a position to turn our attention to the 2011 car, but we're still here and fighting hard for this season – I want, in the nicest possible way, to take this fight to my mentors Frank Williams and Patrick Head and their team, from whom I've learnt an awful lot over the last few years, and compete with them and the likes of Toro Rosso and Sauber, and today's yet another example of how we really can dream of doing just that. I'm now off to order a kebab for Jarno and Heikki. Well, maybe a kebab pizza for Jarno, and a reindeer kebab for Heikki, if anyone in Istanbul can find them one....."

Lotus Racing has also confirmed it will be running the T127 at the Classic Team Lotus Festival at Snetterton on 20th June To read the full press release please go to: Classic Team Lotus Festival Full Press Release

Heikki Kovalainen (Lotus Cosworth T127-01 / FP1: 24 laps, 19th, 1.32.161 / FP2: 36 laps, 19th, 1.31.160): "It was a very good Friday again for me. I had a really good first session this morning, with no problems with the car and we were again able to improve the setup. The track felt good all day, a little dusty to begin with, but it cleared quickly and overall it felt great all day. This afternoon we were able to try both tyre compounds and successfully got through all our plans, so I couldn't really ask for more."

Jody Egginton, Chief Race Engineer (deputising as Heikki's Race Engineer for Juan Pablo Ramirez): "We had a good balance from the start of the day on Heikki's car, which meant we could complete the entire program. We gathered a lot of data, particularly on the long run, and managed to get good performance from the new tyres, so I'm very happy. On a personal level I enjoyed my day today – it was all quite short notice, but it was good to dust off the old clipboard and get on with it, so overall it's been a good day!"

Jarno Trulli (Lotus Cosworth T127-03 / FP1: 23 laps, 20th, 1.32.990 / FP2: 11 laps, 21st, 133.081): "A bit more bad luck for me today as this afternoon's session was cut short by losing third gear. We'd planned to do some setup work in the second session, and didn't get the chance to do so, but against that you can look at the times and see that we have continued to move forward overall with the car. We are moving away from the other new teams, and closer to those in front – obviously we still have a lot of work to do, but it's pleasing to see we are going in the right direction."

Mike Gascoyne, Chief Technical Officer: "A fairly positive day, although it was a shame Jarno's day was curtailed by a gearbox problem in P2. That meant he couldn't run the soft tyres, or try a low fuel run, but I'm sure that if he'd done so he would have been up with Heikki. Heikki had another trouble free day, and overall we've taken another step forward to the midfield, so now it's up to us to confirm that progress tomorrow."

Lotus Racing has also confirmed it will be running the T127 at the Classic Team Lotus Festival at Snetterton on 20th June To read the full press release please go to: Classic Team Lotus Festival Full Press Release

Jarno Trulli (Lotus Cosworth T127-03): 'The track in Turkey is good – turn eight is challenging but the rest of it is relatively simple, and definitely not as tricky as Monaco! I'm looking forward to getting out on track and having some better luck this weekend. My confidence in the car is growing all the time so I hope a bit of luck and the updates we've put on here will help me have a better race this weekend.'

Heikki Kovalainen(Lotus Cosworth T127-01): "It's good to be back in Turkey, the weather is usually nice here and it seems the same this weekend. Turkey itself is really cool - Istanbul is a huge city with some great places to go. The harbour area is nice and it's good to try and take some time and have a look around there in the evening – I'm staying on the Asian side this weekend, so I'm not sure I'll get much time off, but it's still good to be here.

"The track is great - it's a big circuit and we get back to a normal open race course after Monaco. We're fully prepared and I'm looking forward to practice tomorrow to see what the new wing gives us, and where we are after seeing such good pace in the car in Monaco."

Dieter Gass, Sporting Director: "Looking back on the year so far I think we can be extremely satisfied with what we have achieved. We've completed all the targets we set out at the beginning of the season, and from the first time we started testing we have been reliable, which is a testament to the hard work put in by everyone in the team, and our partners. But now we are working on making the car quicker and improving the gap to the established teams – we are getting there, and this weekend, and at Silverstone, we're looking to take more steps forward.

"Turkey is a track the drivers like as it presents a good challenge - some high and low speed corners, and the famous triple apex corner eight all test the balance of the car, and the aero performance. It's always a challenge for the engineers and the drivers to set up the car so it's going to be an interesting weekend here – we have very experienced people throughout the team, so I'm confident we'll put on a good show. I wouldn't say Istanbul Park either suits, or doesn't suit our car, and I think we'll be pretty much where we were in Barcelona, but with we are looking to take another step forward with the next batch of updates on the car.

Mike Gascoyne, Chief Technical Director: "Looking back on Spain and Monaco we've taken a good step forward in those races and here in Turkey we're looking to keep on improving and racing the cars in front, not those behind. We'll be using our new pillar mounted rear wing here, and have some new parts which will enable us to optimise the weight distribution, so again, I'm quietly confident we'll bridge the gap to those in front that little bit more."

Lotus Racing has also confirmed it will be running the T127 at the Classic Team Lotus Festival at Snetterton on 20th June To read the full press release please go to: Classic Team Lotus Festival Full Press Release

Tony Fernandes, Lotus Racing Team Principal is very proud the team he heads up has been asked to take part: "First I want to say what a fantastic job Clive Chapman and everyone at Classic Team Lotus have done, not just with the upcoming event but also to keep so many dreams alive on tracks around the world. The Festival is going to be a great event – very emotional for many of those attending, and a great way to celebrate the Lotus motorsport heritage. We are very honoured to have been invited and I know the whole team is looking forward to seeing the UK fans, and spending a bit of time with the cars and people that helped create the Lotus legend. We're running one of our cars as well, so people can see how the story has come full circle - in the meantime I'd urge every Lotus fan, and anyone who loves motorsport, to make sure they're at Snetterton on the 20th June."

The Festival falls between the Canadian and Valencia races, and is especially well timed for Lotus Racing, as the team will be celebrating the 500th F1™ race Lotus has competed in at the Valencia Grand Prix. Heikki Kovalainen added to Tony's comments, saying "I was very lucky when I joined Lotus Racing because Clive Chapman gave me a tour around the Classic Team Lotus workshops and the cars they had in there at the time. It's impossible to go around there and not be very touched by the history and the stories, and now we're doing our bit to keep that legend alive, so it'll be a great privilege to see all the cars and the fans who've supported our predecessors since day one at the Festival, and a great way to warm up for Valencia."

Jarno Trulli is also excited about the opportunity to see so much history at one track, saying "anyone who loves motorsport would want to go to the Festival. There's going to be so many famous cars there, legendary cars that shaped the way F1™ works now, and it's very rare to have the chance to see so much history in one place. We're obviously very focused on our first season, but this is exactly the sort of event we look forward to as it's all about celebrating where Lotus Racing comes from – frankly it's an honour to have been invited."

Heikki Kovalainen (Lotus Cosworth T127-01, retired lap 59) "It was a fantastic race right from the beginning. I had a bit of a struggle at the restarts to get the tyres up to temperature, but once I got everything working I was able to almost keep up with the Renault. I was pushing very hard, and the car felt fantastic – the balance was really good. Just before I retired I could feel the steering alignment was a bit uneven – on the right hand corners I had to use maximum lock, even in the tunnel, and it got the point where it didn't feel safe anymore. In Monaco you can't take a risk with it so I came in. It was a mechanical issue, but despite that I'm really pleased with today. We again showed we're firmly the best of the new teams and we are nearly there with the next group, so I think we just need to keep attacking, and that's how we'll achieve results."

Jarno Trulli (Lotus Cosworth T127-03: Classified 15th) "This wasn't a great weekend for me. After we had a problem with the wheelgun in the pitstop I was stuck behind the HRTs and trying to find room to overtake – in the last lap Karun seemed slow through the second and third sector, and I'd seen he was leaving room at Rascasse, so I tried to get through but we touched and that was that – the end of the race. It was one of those things – a racing incident, but I still feel like we're going in the right direction as a team, and I want to put the bad luck behind me when we get back on track in Turkey."

Mike Gascoyne, Chief Technical Officer: "This was our strongest performance yet compared to the midfield, so obviously mixed emotions for where we finished. Heikki had a very strong race and in the middle his performance was particularly good compared to the midfield group. It's a shame we had a problem on his car - the steering joint failed, something we've not seen before - but overall it was a very positive weekend for him. For Jarno, he had a much more difficult weekend, clearly struggling with the balance of the car and I think as a team we have to take a look at everything to be able to do a better job for him. Obviously he was compromised by the slow pitstop, which dropped him down the field and affected his whole race. He was capable of going much faster and when he made the move he unfortunately fell victim to the nature of the Monaco circuit. So I leave feeling pleased we showed such good pace, and we move on to Turkey."

Tony Fernandes: "I take a lot of positives from the race today and it was another one where we had at least one car classified. Most importantly Heikki made a great step forward and it was fantastic watching him race with Petrov. He and the whole team felt it was the best race of the season for him and that boosts confidence further for the season ahead. We've got some more new parts coming which will continue to take us forward, and hopefully Jarno's luck will turn, but even with that we're all pleased. It's also great to see so many of our fans out around the track - hopefully we gave them some good racing today, and in years to come we'll give them some good results as well."

Heikki Kovalainen (Lotus Cosworth T127-01, FP3: 19th, 1.17.782, 18 laps / Qualifying: 18th, 1.17.094, 11 laps) "The first run was very good so on the second run I decided to go for it, take some risks and see what happened. The gap to the next car was about 0.9 so I thought if I really nailed a lap we might break into Q2, but to be really honest it was a bit out of control and it was just going over the edge and it became untidy. In the end I was able to put myself ahead of all the other new teams so I think that's fine."

Jarno Trulli (Lotus Cosworth T127-03: FP3: 20th, 1.17.865, 26 laps / Qualifying: 19th, 1.17.134, 12 laps) "It was a bit difficult out there today as I'd lost quite a lot of track time yesterday, which meant my last setup change was right before qualifying. Despite that, I did my best out there and we are much closer than a lot of people expected to the cars ahead. We have also shown a good improvement from where we started the season, so I'm reasonably happy with where we are."

Mike Gascoyne, Chief Technical Officer: "A good day out there for us. We took another step forward in performance terms, showing in final practice and in qualifying that the upgrades we brought to the last race, combined with a good engine package, continue to help us close the gap to the teams ahead, this time to under three seconds. In qualifying I think we did as well as we could have hoped for - Heikki put in a very strong lap early on, and Jarno did the same at the end of the session to take us further away from the other new teams, so I'm very pleased."

Tony Fernandes: "I'm very happy, and I know I keep saying that after every qualifying session. Today we again finished best of the new teams but there was a real drive from Heikki and Jarno to try and get into Q2. In the past few races there's been an inevitability that we're not going to get there, but today there was a real belief that we had a chance, which caused Heikki to push really hard. He spun, but that showed that he was pushing. So it's been good today - to be 2.3 seconds away from the best time in Q1 is something we should all be proud about. It's also important that the whole team is very pumped up, they feel like we're making progress every race and after six races morale is very high.

"Looking forward to tomorrow, anything can happen here - obviously from where we're starting we need to make up seven places to get a point, and that's quite a hard task, but who knows, we may be able to spring a surprise. The drivers are very pumped up, we're learning a lot about the car, and after six races we are clearly moving forward and closer to the pack. Well done to Heikki, Jarno and the whole team."

(Making his debut in a Lotus Racing press release) Jody Egginton, Chief Race Engineer: "I think the session went quite well today. Heikki obviously put in a good performance, putting in some good times at the end and I think with the changing weather conditions we did a good job. Jarno was a little bit unlucky unfortunately with an engine issue which prevented him from completing the program but we completed a good deal of work and I think we're now looking ok for Saturday."

Jarno Trulli (Lotus Cosworth T127-03: 30 laps, 21st, 1.19.902 / FP2: 13 laps, 21st, 1.18.667): "It was a bit frustrating today as I lost time in the garage this afternoon, and didn't really get the chance to push as I'd have liked on track. The times were coming down but unfortunately in Monaco every single minute you lose being on track is going to cost you a little bit throughout the weekend. Obviously I'm experienced, so on the driver's side it won't affect me but with the car we still need to find the right setup and the right balance. Despite this it's good to be here and to see Lotus Racing on track, as I know how much that means to a lot of the fans, and also to see that we continue to improve the car every time we get out on track."

Heikki Kovalainen (Lotus Cosworth T127-01: FP1: 31 laps, 20th, 1.19.606 / FP2: 48 laps, 19th, 1.18.184): "Overall it was a very good Thursday on track. We completed both sessions without any problems and managed to complete all our programs. As soon as I got in the car on Thursday morning it felt good and throughout the day we've been able to improve it step by step, so we're definitely going in the right direction. We tried both compounds of tyres and they're both working fine, and the long run with the soft tyres went without any problems, so that's also pretty encouraging. We ended up pretty close to the car in front and anything can happen here so I'm looking forward to qualifying and the race. I'm really pleased with today's performance and I think everyone in the team can be very happy with the job we're doing."

Mike Gascoyne: "Today was a reasonably good day. Jarno's program this afternoon was cut short with an engine problem, although the engine in question was a high-mileage unit that reached the end of the line today. Heikki had no problems completing the planned program, with a good long run at the end, so overall the team had a good day. The cars are in good shape, and we're pretty confident there's more to come for Saturday."

Graham Watson: "The challenge really begins as soon as the Spanish Grand Prix finishes as we have to pack up everything there and then get it all over to Monaco in time to try and finish setting up by Tuesday night. We have some very experienced truckies and mechanics in the team, who know their way around the confines of the Monaco paddock, and that definitely helps us make sure we can meet all our engineering deadlines, and have the cars ready to go out on track on Thursday morning. We may be one of the new teams, and we definitely don't have as much equipment yet as some of the more established names, but we're still able to pack in everything we need to cope with any eventuality over the weekend, including a composite and fabrication workshop on site, which hopefully won't be needed, but with the nature of Monaco in mind, are necessities here."

Mike Gascoyne: "Monaco is obviously a unique place. I enjoy walking around as you realise what a mad place it is to race cars! Engineering wise it's a major challenge – it's very bumpy with lots of slow corners and qualifying is critical as it's almost impossible to overtake, but I still love it! We should do ok here - we're good in the slow speed sectors and both our guys are experienced in dealing with the bumps and the traffic, particularly Jarno whose win here was very special, so all in all I'm looking forward to it."

Jarno Trulli: "It's something very special in Monaco. Whether you're driving or just walking around, you can almost breathe in how exciting it is. Every driver in the world wants to win here, and I was lucky enough to do so in '04, but the whole experience can be tough – it's important for us to concentrate on the race, and here you're under so much pressure it can be difficult to get the time to think, and concentrate on the actual race, but that's how it is, so we deal with it.

"Getting in a good lap is also a challenge, but if you can manage the traffic it's very satisfying. One of the most important parts of the circuit is through the swimming pool – you change direction at high speed, then brake for the next chicane, which is slow but you still need to get through it quickly. You jump over the kerbs there, not too much or you launch yourself into the wall, but just enough to carry the speed through. That's why concetration levels are important – get that right every time and you're ok – if not, you're out."

Heikki Kovalainen: "I obviously didn't get the chance in Barcelona to build on the step forward we took with the updates so I'm looking forward to getting back on track and pushing on. It's so busy on track in Monaco there's no time to relax, and there are no run off areas so you pay heavily for any little mistakes, but I really like street circuits as they reward good car control, and I think we'll be pretty good here from how the car felt in Spain. I've managed to get a round of golf in with Tony since we left Barcelona, and it's probably not fair to say how he got on… but generally it'll be good to get out on track again and keep up the momentum we've had all year."

Tony Fernandes : "I've been coming to Monaco ever since AirAsia first came into the sport as a sponsor, and it's somewhere I love coming to. It'll be great being here with Lotus Racing – pretty emotional as Lotus has so much history here. It'll be a special moment for me and a huge amount of fans to see the green and yellow on track again, so I can't wait for Thursday and to see the cars out there at what's almost their third home race!"

Jarno Trulli (Lotus Cosworth T127-03: 17th, fastest lap 1.29.564): "I'm pleased we finished comfortably ahead of Virgin even though the car felt a bit difficult to drive today. I don't really know why but it didn't feel the same as it did on Friday – despite that we achieved what we set out to today, showed good race pace and finished well."

Heikki Kovalainen (Lotus Cosworth T127-01: Retired): "We had a gearbox problem while we were firing up on the grid. The gearbox selected two gears at once - there was some sort of software issue which caused it to fail. It's unfortunate, because we have had such a good weekend, but these things happen. Next up it's Monaco, and I know we'll be stronger again there, so we can focus on the next race and hope the luck returns."

Mike Gascoyne, Chief Technical Officer: "It was a bit of a disappointing afternoon because we had a difficult race where we weren't really able to show our true pace. We had a gearbox problem on the grid with Heikki, which was caused by a procedural issue, not a reliability problem. That's frustrating as I think he would have had a strong race. Jarno made a great start, he had some contact going down into the first corner and throughout the race was struggling with the rear of the car. It was difficult for him in traffic, but he did a good job to bring the car home and get his first real race finish. Now we'll just have to go to Monaco next week and show what we know we can do."

Tony Fernandes, Team Principal: "It was a good day at the office today - disappointing for Heikki but on the positive side the reliability looks good and we had no hydraulic issues at all. We continue to have at least one car finish ahead of all the other new teams which has always been one of the goals and we learnt a lot again today. It's a shame Heikki wasn't there as it makes a big difference when we only have one car on track – both of them can help push us further ahead. We're all now looking forward to Monte Carlo and Turkey where we'll have all our upgrades together on both cars and build on the performance we put in during qualifying here."

Barcelona, Spain 8th May 2010

Saturday's Spanish Grand Prix qualifying session started with bright sunshine, and Lotus Racing enjoyed an excellent session, closing the gap to the midfield they've now set their sights on, and moving further away from the new teams they've led throughout the 2010 Championship. The team's in their performance was reflected in the comments made by all the key team figures.

Jarno Trulli (Lotus Cosworth T127-03: Qualified 19th, 1.24.674, 10 laps)

"A pretty good qualifying session today. The result itself hasn't changed, but we have significantly reduced the gap to the cars in front. Yesterday I had better pace, so I'm not that happy with my performance today, but we now have a good gap to our direct competitors, and can start thinking about taking on those in front, which is thanks to the guys in the team. We still have a lot of work to do, and I think there's even more to come from the car, so let's see what happens tomorrow."

Heikki Kovalainen (Lotus Cosworth T127-01: Qualified 20th, 1.24.748, 10 laps)

"I think it was a good session today and I'm happy. We achieved all the targets we set ourselves and we can see the gaps growing in the right direction – nearer those in front, and further away from the other new teams. We won't have these kind of upgrades every weekend, but I think the car will get quicker and quicker and we'll keep improving all the time. For the race tomorrow I think we can do well and I'm looking forward to being out there and seeing what we're like on a long run."

Mike Gascoyne, Chief Technical Officer: "It was an excellent session for the team today, and a very good job by both drivers. Jarno has been a bit less happy with the balance of his car today than in practice yesterday, but still put in a great performance, whereas Heikki felt the balance had improved. Overall, our times today show how the package we've brought to Barcelona has helped us move ahead, so we can all be very pleased. Now we're all looking to close the gap to the teams ahead, and take the race to them."

Tony Fernandes, Team Principal: "I'm really very happy. We've talked a lot about Barcelona, so turning that talk into results has been important and we have clearly made a big step forward. I think we're about a second and a half away from the established teams, and obviously pulling away from the other new boys, so hopefully that speed, with consistent reliability, will see us able to challenge higher up the grid. It's obviously good to see the results of the efforts that have been put in, and when you think where we've come from, about nine seconds off the pace when we first went out on track in testing in Jerez, it's a huge accomplishment to the whole Lotus Racing team.

"It's also great to see our profile continuing to rise across the world. We've launched our first range of merchandise here, and it's good to see flags in the stands, and shirts in the crowd, so we'll do our best to give the fans something to cheer for tomorrow."

Comments from both drivers and Chief Technical Officer Mike Gascoyne after the sessions reflected how the updates have helped both Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen push on track:

Jarno Trulli (Lotus Cosworth T127-03: 20 laps, 19th, 1.26.244 / FP2: 26 laps, 19th, 1.24.209)

"First day back in the car in Europe and I'm really happy with how we have progressed with the car. Obviously it's still too early to assess it properly, but as soon as I got out on track I could feel that we had taken a major step forward. We have solved a number of the issues we had and we're definitely in the right direction, so I'm really pleased for everyone in the team as they've put in a great effort to get us here.

"This afternoon we continued with the program and everything went really smoothly, on both the hard and the soft tyres. I must admit that I've been really pleased with the speed gain we've seen in the car and, again, that's down to the work the team have put in with the car - all I need now is a little bit of luck, and a trouble free weekend!"

Heikki Kovalainen (Lotus Cosworth T127-01: FP1: 17 laps, 18th, 1.25.329 / FP2: 22 laps, 20th, 1.24.984)

"I've been really looking forward to being back in Europe and particularly here in Barcelona. It's been great to see the grandstands already busy, and I've seen a load of Finnish flags out there. On track, this morning was a really good session and I'm very encouraged by the updates – they're immediately working like we'd hoped. The car feels better to drive, the high-speed stability especially is better, and that's what you get when the aerodynamics of the car improve.

"In the afternoon session it again went pretty well. There's a couple of things we need to have a look at, but it felt good on both tyres and I think the upgrades have worked so we can be very happy about where we are."

Mike Gascoyne: "Basically it was a good day's work. The drivers have been very happy with the updates and we've been making adjustment to the improvements on the cars throughout the day to help us fine tune the updates. There's a fair bit more time to come from the new package, and everyone in the team has worked very hard to get us to this point, so it's great to hear such positive feedback from the drivers. Now we're looking forward to building on this performance tomorrow and seeing where we are in qualifying."

Lotus Racing leads the way again as the first of the new teams to unveil its very cool range of clothes and accessories, available right now from http://shop.lotusracing.my and, starting at this weekend’s Barcelona Grand Prix, at racetracks around the world.

Among the items available in a range of sizes for men (with women and kids sizes available from mid-June), are:

* Team shirts and polo shirts – exact replicas of those worn by the race team around the world

* Heikki and Jarno tees

* Lotus Racing and 18 and 19 race number tees

* Polo shirts in the team’s already iconic green

And it’s not just about the clothes - a range of accessories is also out now, including lanyards, ear plugs, umbrellas and a team flag.

Prices start from £5.98 for the lanyard and go up to £69.98 for the team shirt, and wherever they are in the world, fans will be able to use a range of payment and delivery options to get their hands on whatever they want, with everything available in British Pounds, Euros, Dollars and Malaysian Ringgits.

Special offers and discounts will be introduced throughout the season, and from the British Grand Prix the expanded range will also include caps, a range of backpacks, more t-shirts for men, women and kids, drinks bottles, key holders, luggage tags and pens.

More information will follow…. Keep an eye on http://shop.lotusracing.my

Mike Gascoyne "Now the first four flyaway races are behind us and we're into the European season. All the teams will have upgrades for Barcelona, but we're hoping that ours is even more significant than our rivals because we received our entry so late and had to freeze the initial specification of the car very early in the design process. We do expect it to be reasonably significant – we have an aero package with revised sidepods, front wings and brake ducts, and a number of mechanical changes, but obviously we'll have to wait and see what step forward our rivals will also make. Straight after Barcelona we go to Monaco which is a totally different challenge. It's a unique place in terms of its configuration. Everyone runs maximum downforce and obviously it's a very tight, bumpy street circuit, but the experience our two drivers bring, combined with the progress we've made at the factory and on track, gives me confidence we'll put in a good showing at both races."

Returning to the Lotus Racing factory in Hingham, Mike has seen a transformation in the team's UK base. "It's very gratifying to see the whole factory in full operation, with every department now nearly fully staffed but starting to work to their full potential. This means we can now look at more long-term development and R&D programmes, and start thinking about future cars. We're through the hardest part of the team's growth and we're on a very good footing for the future."

Heikki Kovalainen is now looking forward to the start of the European season having returned from China with the team on AirAsia: "I spent two nights at home in Switzerland then flew to Finland to see my family for the first time since Christmas. I've been doing various bits of work with my Finnish partners, relaxing a little and of course training like usual. I had some new golf clubs fitted by Nike Finland and have been practicing with them too, so my golf's definitely improving."

Looking ahead to the forthcoming races themselves he said: "It's always good to get to Barcelona as it's where most of the teams bring their first big updates. It's a very fast track and all the teams spend a lot of time there in pre-season, so we know it very well, but it's the complete opposite to racing in Monte Carlo. In Barcelona there are more chances to overtake but nowhere else has the same glamour or prestige as Monaco. It's so busy there on track there's no time to relax, and there are no run off areas so you pay heavily for any mistakes. I really like street circuits - you are rewarded for good car control so I'm looking forward to getting on track and seeing what steps forward we've taken with the updates."

Jarno Trulli is also excited about returning to Spain, and Monaco, the circuit where he wrote himself into the history books by winning in 2004. "I made it back home from China with a number of the other drivers, but we got back safely and I've been home with my family since then. I've managed to fit in a number of good training sessions, and am looking forward to getting back in the car. I think I've had a fair bit of bad luck so far, but I'm looking to put that behind me and see how much further forward we can go with the updates. I've kept in close touch with the team about the tests they've put the car through, and am encouraged by the results they've had. I think we'll take a good step forward in Spain.

"I like Barcelona - we all know every bit of it very well as we test there a lot, and have raced there for years. Monaco is obviously a very special place for me – a lot of my fans will be out in force, and I love going back to where I've won, so that'll be a busy, but good week."

Team Principal Tony Fernandes has been thinking about how the team has established itself, both on track and in the hearts and minds of F1 fans: "We're back in Europe and I couldn't be more pleased with the position we arrive in. The first phase of Lotus Racing's life is now behind us, and the next challenge starts here. We've proved all the doubters wrong, and have shown that the hard work everyone in the team puts is making the dream we share come true. I remember the immense pride I had when I first saw the cars run in the pre-season tests in Spain, and in Barcelona we're back, ahead of the other new teams and with a new package that will help us push on closer to the next goal, which is to take on the midfield. Ultimately it's about taking Lotus Racing to the front of the grid and this marks the next step in that journey.

"On a personal level I've always loved coming to Spain, and with Monaco straight afterwards I'm very excited about seeing how our fanbase is growing into the traditional heartland of Formula One™. We've broken new ground in Australia, Asia and China and now we're back at the scene of some of the most famous moments in the Lotus history."

Having already helped the entire team escape the masses trying to leave Shanghai on Monday night, Tony and his Air Asia team performed miracles to ensure all 55 members of the team, as well as key figures from Cosworth and a number of F1™ journalists and photographers, first made it safely to Malaysia, Air Asia's home country, to be ready to jump on the first flight to the UK when the airspace finally reopened. At the same time, the team's freight has also been winging its way to England, and is now en route to Lotus Racing's Norfolk factory, where it will all be unpacked and inspected before the focus turns to the upgrade packages being applied to the cars for Barcelona.

Talking about the efforts made to get the team home was Tony Fernandes, uniquely placed in F1™ as both a Team Principal and Group CEO of Air Asia, the only airline flying directly from South East Asia into Stansted: "I'm delighted everyone's made it back to Norfolk safe and sound. The Air Asia team in KL worked extremely hard to ensure we could get everyone on the first flight out, and with the extremely tight timelines they're working to between now and the departure dates for Barcelona, it was vital we could get them all home as soon as possible. We were fully prepared for the journey back, and when I gave the team a tour of the Air Asia Academy at Sepang on Tuesday, I showed them the simulators where our pilots had been through rigorous training for flying through volcanic ash. Tough times often produce amazing results, and the team has bonded even more closely through these trying times, both internally and with the Air Asia team who helped them out. They knew they were in safe hands and it's great we could get them back ahead of most of the grid!"

Mike Gascoyne, Chief Technical Officer, was back in the office early on Thursday after the 14 hour flight back from KL landed just before midnight, and was going through the plans for unpacking the freight and turning round the cars in time for the departure to Barcelona: "Firstly I want to say thanks, on behalf of the whole team, to Tony and Air Asia for literally taking us under their wings and getting us home so quickly. With their help, we've faced minimal disruption to our travel plans, and have minimised the impact it could have had on our ability to work to our pre-Barcelona timetable, and it was a great effort from everyone in Malaysia to help us out. We will go through our normal proceedures to unpack all the freight that's arrived from China, and will then turn our attention to applying the Barcelona update package to both cars. All in all, we're just glad to be home and able to focus on our jobs again, rather than worrying about the forces of nature!"

Heikki Kovalainen (T127-01, car no. 19, fastest lap 1.47.141): "This was a great way to round off our first four races. I think we had the correct strategy today in what were pretty tricky conditions. The pace was good – we were again ahead of the other new teams, and this time had a good battle with Williams. The decision to stay out early on dry tyres was made by me and the team together – it wasn't wet enough to come in and as soon as the race started I could see the rain had calmed down so we agreed it was the right call to stick with the plan. The other cars on wet tyres were obviously struggling so that worked out very well. It might not always work out like this for us, but today it showed we're a good team who make the right decisions, so I'm really pleased, for everyone in Lotus Racing, and all our fans.

Jarno Trulli (T127-03, car no.19, fastest lap 1.49.675): "It was a tough day out there from the start, which is a shame because we'd had a trouble free weekend and I was able to push for quite a few laps. The conditions weren't too bad and I was enjoying myself , but I had more hydraulics issues which brought me in on lap 18. The team did a good job to get me back out again but unfortunately the problems struck again and I had to retire. We've got a bit of time now before Spain to work on the new upgrades, so let's see what happens when we reach Barcelona."

Mike Gascoyne, Chief Technical Officer: "Whilst I'm obviously pleased I want to say first how disappointed I am for Jarno. He's had a lot of bad luck so far - it seems all our bad luck has been on his car, so apologies to him, but it was a fantastic race from Heikki. We judged all the calls correctly and were on the right tyres all the way through, so congratulations to the whole team for that. I'm also very pleased to see our race pace was very good, especially at the end on the wet conditions. These first four races were always going to be tough, but we've achieved what we set out to and now we're looking ahead to Barcelona and seeing how the updates we've been working on help us move forward."

Tony Fernandes, Team Principal: "I'm really happy today as we've accomplished what we said we'd do. We wanted to see at least one car cross the line for the first four races, and we've done that, but it's kind of bitter sweet today. It's obviously a great result for Heikki but a real shame for Jarno as he seems to take the brunt of the issues – it's a bit odd as it does seem to be just his car. The conditions today made it very tense out there and it's very satisfying, and shows how we're progressing, that today we were racing Williams, who we beat on track."

"Another great thing for me was to see how the Lotus Racing dream is spreading, in China, Asia and across the world. We saw a load of Lotus Racing flags in the stands, and this time next year let's hope we see even more fans out there cheering for us – we'll do our best to give them something to be very proud of!"

Both Lotus Racing drivers were out early in the session and despite an early spin for Heikki, settled down well, staying best of the new teams until the dying seconds of the session. After a strong showing in all three practice sessions the team looks in good shape for tomorrow's race and will be looking to put on a good show for the growing numbers of their local Chinese fans, and the fast expanding Lotus Racing army across Asia and around the world.

Jarno Trulli (T127-03): "It was a shame because I think I could have gone quicker, but the strong wind played a part and it wasn't easy out there. It was a very gusty and I struggled a bit with that but having had three good practice sessions I'm expecting a better race tomorrow."

Heikki Kovalainen (T127-01): "It was ok today but I couldn't quite get the perfect lap. The first two sectors were ok but just before the back straight I couldn't quite get the exit right and I think I lost about three tenths there. The wind has played its part today – in some braking zones at the back of the track there's a tailwind which unbalances the car, but the second to last corner is into a headwind and it felt really good under braking into there but it's no big deal – it's just one of those things! The race tomorrow will be better for sure. The car has felt good all weekend on heavy fuel so let's see what happens then."

Mike Gascoyne, Chief Technical Officer: "It was the classic mixed bag today. We've been strong in practice and if it wasn't for Heikki's final sector we would have finished best of the new teams, but sometimes it doesn't go according to plan. We were satisfied with the setups on both cars and while it's been a bit disappointing I'm confident the work we put in throughout practice, on long runs with heavy fuel, will pay off for us tomorrow."

Tony Fernandes, Team Principal: "First of all I'm just really pleased to be here in China! It was a very close shave - I think I was about an hour ahead of the airspace shut down and this is one of the races I've been really looking forward to coming to with the team. The spectacular growth of China over recent years is an inspiration to me and the whole Lotus Racing team - it shows how high we should be setting our sights and how we can reach the top by working hard to achieve your dreams. Seeing the fans' banners for us in the stands makes me very proud, and shows that Lotus Racing has a real significance for Chinese motorsport fans, who know a good thing when they see it!"

Chief Technical Officer Mike Gascoyne: "It was a satisfying day today and we achieved everything we wanted to on both cars, despite the fact grip levels were very low in the first session and both Jarno and Heikki were struggling slightly with rear grip. Jarno lost a front strake on his first run of the day and we replaced that quickly for his second run. Over lunch we changed the gear ratios on both cars and sent them out for the beginning of the afternoon session on hard tyres. Heikki pulled over after 30 laps as he had a low oil pressure warning and he stopped the car, but it's not a problem and we're looking forward to getting out again tomorrow."

Jarno Trulli – FP1 22 laps, 1.41.531, 18^th / FP2 35 laps, 1.39.624: "A trouble free day today which is good, and hopefully the whole weekend will go without any issues. I'm still struggling a bit with the setup, finding a balance that really lets me get the best out of the car, but we tested different tyres today and focused mainly on our setup for the race, so I'm reasonably happy. Grip levels improved throughout the day and our lap times showed that by the end of the day the circuit was really bedding in."

Heikki Kovalainen – FP1 23 laps, 19^th, 1.41.779 / FP2 30 laps, 19^th, 1.39.947: "It was good today, apart from the small problem we had at the end of the day which was nothing major. The engine switched itself off because we had an oil pressure warning but we got through the whole program today and I think we're in good shape for tomorrow and for the race."

Mr. Dominique Bussereau, Secretary of State for Transport of France, conferred the title on Tony in a ceremony held in Paris and attended by some of the biggest names in European business.

Officier of the Legion d' Honneur is the highest rank of honor that the government of France can award to a non-French citizen. The Legion d' Honneur was established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802 to recognize outstanding service to France.

AirAsia has contributed largely to the French and European economies by supporting the European-owned and Toulouse-based Airbus, an EADS company. AirAsia has placed firm orders of Airbus aircraft including 175 A320, 25 A330 and 10 A350 aircraft. AirAsia also has an option to purchase 50 more A320 and five more A350 aircraft.

AirAsia uses Airbus aircraft extensively for its flights. It has an all-Airbus fleet for its Malaysia-based operations. Its Thailand- and Indonesia-based operations will have all-Airbus fleets within this year.

AirAsia, which has hubs in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, has democratized travel in the ASEAN region. It connects all 10 ASEAN capitals and more cities with "sky bridges", linking and benefiting countless communities. By promoting travel in the region through low fares, an extensive network of destinations and great flight frequencies, it has helped the region achieve economic growth.

Tony Fernandes co-founded AirAsia and has led the airline in its transformation from a loss-making Malaysian airline into the ASEAN airline that it is now. AirAsia, Asia's leading and largest low-cost carrier, also connects the ASEAN region with China, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Australia. Through its low-cost long-haul affiliate AirAsia X, it connects the region with more destinations in Asia (China, Taiwan and soon India), Australia and Europe (through the United Kingdom).

Under the leadership of Fernandes, in only eight years, AirAsia grew its fleet from two aircraft to 92, its staff from 250 to 7,000, and its routes from one to more than 132. It has to date flown more than 85 million guests.

Team Principal Tony Fernandes on seeing Lotus Racing on track for the first time in China: "I'm delighted we've arrived in China and can't wait to see the fans' reaction to us here. It's an honour to be in Shanghai as China is the home of the new world and has been a very important market for AirAsia, so it's somewhere I'm always excited about coming to. We are thrilled that we are bringing Lotus Racing, a uniquely Asian - British team, to the Shanghai Grand Prix, particularly as we have a number of people within the team with Chinese heritage who are very proud to see our team here for the first time. I know the whole team will work hard to put on a good show on and off track, and I hope that this demonstrates that we can provide a very good platform for universities, commercial partners and future drivers across China to work with a team whose heart beats close to our Asian home."

Chief Technical Officer Mike Gascoyne's thoughts turned to the challenges Shanghai will present, saying; "It's just a couple of weeks since Malaysia and the last of the early season fly-away races so we're focusing on getting both cars across the finish line here before we turn our attention to the upgrade package we have planned for Barcelona. The guys back at the factory have worked very hard on the parts we sent back, and have done a great job to turn around everything in time and get it sent back out here. Our car's race pace has been good so far, and I think we'll see that again in Shanghai – it's a technical circuit that will bring out the best in both our drivers, and I think their experience will see us build on the solid start we've had so far."

Heikki Kovalainen is a big fan of China, and is looking forward to the all aspects of the race: "I feel really good coming into the Chinese Grand Prix – I've had a few days of solid training and a bit of golf since leaving Malaysia and I love coming to China. We have some great fans out here - they wait at the hotel all night just to get an autograph and always give us really good presents to take home. Last year some girls took a taxi and followed us to the hotel with a Finnish flag hanging out the window all the way! The country has great food and a deep culture; every time I come here I see something new.

"The Shanghai track itself is a good challenge for the drivers. The two straights both provide overtaking opportunities and there are some nice high speed sections. The hospitality area has a fantastic atmosphere and it looks like nowhere else on the calendar, so all in all I'm very excited about being out here."

Jarno Trulli agreed, saying; "China's one of my favourite races on the calendar – I've not had the best luck at the track over the years, but I like it as it rewards a well balanced car and encourages you to push hard, particularly in the high speed corners. We've proved we have good reliability in the car so I'm looking forward to bringing it home and giving the Chinese fans something new to cheer for. The fans here are great – they're very passionate and I've always had great support here, and now with Lotus Racing they have a British team with an Asian core to cheer for so I'm expecting even more support over the whole race weekend."

After a visit to the garage from the Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, and the Badminton World Number One player Datuk Lee Chong Wei, both cars were poised and ready when the red lights went out. Heikki Kovalainen, who started in 15th place after a very good qualifying session, had a tricky race. Off the grid his Lotus Racing Cosworth T127-01 was caught in a tussle with Lucas Di Grassi which caused a left rear puncture, leading to a quick pit stop on lap 12. 20 laps in he had to pit again with a hydraulics issue but his pitcrew were determined not to give up and he was soon back out on track to complete the race.

Heikki Kovalainen: "It was still a very positive race for us, despite the issues. My start wasn't fantastic and it meant I dropped immediately to the back. After that I got into a good rhythm, but started to see some issues on the dash. I tried to make a move on Di Grassi, but clipped his front wing when I was going past and damaged my left rear tyre, so had to come in to pit. Even with the problems we had the car was competitive and I was very comfortable. Compared to the other new teams our times are very competitive indeed, so I'm not going to let this race trouble me – we learned a lot and now we'll move on and look ahead to China."

Jarno Trulli, in 18th position at the start, was in an early tangle with Timo Glock, but he managed to push through, finishing the race in 17th place. "We made a good start, but then on the second lap I was hit by Glock, which made me spin, and from then on my race was compromised. Despite that I got the car home to the end and that shows our focus on reliability has been worth the effort."

Mike Gascoyne, Chief Technical Officer: "The beauty of sport is that you have highs and lows, and after the high of yesterday, with Heikki in Q2, it was a bit of a low today. Jarno had some handling problems due to damaged bodywork at the rear, and did a great job to bring the car home. With Heikki, he had some very high temperatures which we managed to fix in the pit, and as soon as he was out again he was very competitive, took the car to the flag, and really showed what the car was capable of. So it was disappointing, but at least we managed to get two cars to the flag. We've learned a lot and are looking to move on and be on good form for China."

Team Principal Tony Fernandes: "It was good to get two finishes; obviously we're unhappy with the position, but as we've always said it's a major achievement just to finish. And we did - as you could see later Heikki's car had good pace, so that's encouraging. We take a lot away from this weekend, and we'll take everything we have learned with us to China, and from Barcelona, as we've always said, we'll be looking to build on the very solid start to the season. I'm proud of the effort the whole team put in today in tough, hot conditions, and we're here to fight another day."

Saturday's qualifying session saw Lotus Racing's sunny faces beaming through the rain as another important milestone was achieved, with Heikki Kovalainen going into his first Q2 with the team and finishing 15th (1.52.270) after a clever strategy took advantage of the heavy rain that started falling just before the session began. Jarno Trulli (18th, 1.52.884) narrowly missed out on Q2 but was satisfied he did all he could in tricky conditions.

Heikki Kovalainen (T127-01): "I'm so pleased! I really like these conditions – it's very hard to judge your speed and you really have to take some risks, and all the time you're feeling like you might lose the car, but that's the challenge and I love it! On some parts of the track it was very wet and raining hard, and on others it wasn't so much. Getting to Q2 really exceeds expectations for me and the whole team – yes of course we've been a little bit lucky today for sure, but it means we beat the other new teams, again! Although we were lucky, we played our strategy just right -if you look at the McLarens and Ferraris they didn't think it was going to rain that much and look what happened. They missed their window at the beginning of the session and we took full advantage of it. Now I can't wait to race tomorrow!"

Jarno Trulli: "It was disappointing because I was doing very well. Unfortunately on my quickest lap a car spun in front of me, which impeded me through the second and third sector so I couldn't close my fast lap; and then the rain was getting worse, so there was no chance to improve on lap time. Still – we'll do our best tomorrow and we'll see what happens."

Mike Gascoyne: "Obviously we're all very very pleased to get a car into Q2 and Heikki did a tremendous job to get us there! I'm disappointed for Jarno as he got traffic on the lap that would have got him in. I think we got all the calls on the tyres right on the pit wall and in Q2 we ran the whole session on intermediates, which was clearly the thing to do. We made a change five minutes before the end, and Heikki got in a good clear lap to get P15. Well done to the whole team, and especially to Tony, for such success at one of our two home races – I know he's very very proud."

Team Principal Tony Fernandes was almost lost for words: "I'm speechless! What a day! To get 15th place in our home country, in front of our home crowd is amazing. I'm over the moon and just so excited. We gave the Toro Rossos a run for their money today and Jarno was just unfortunate to get blocked, otherwise he'd have been in Q2 as well. Tomorrow's another day, and we'll see what happens, but it's a good step forward. Today we'll enjoy it, and we'll live for the day, and we'll see what happens tomorrow."

Whilst replacing Heikki Kovalainen for the session he completed 19 laps with a best time of 1.40.721 in a good run in the morning heat. Jarno Trulli completed 21 laps and finished ahead of the other new teams on 1.39.460.

Before Fairuz saw the green light Tony lent into the cockpit to tell Fairuz how proud both he and the whole country was of this landmark moment. After the session was completed Tony said "It's just unbelievable! I woke up at 6am today as I couldn't sleep I was so excited. I'm just really pleased to see Fairuz out there with Jarno and the rest of the household names that make up the grid.

"It's great that F1™ gives the chance for developing teams and developing countries to come to the fore and grab this sort of opportunity. It shows that the combination of British and Malaysian skills can dare to dream of competing on a global level, and can do so in an innovative, fresh way. Fairuz is a lad who has climbed the motorsport ladder - from his local roots at the kart circuit his Father built in Kuala Lumpur, to being on track in F1™ in a car built in the UK and competing all around the world. For me that's a very clear sign of how well our Anglo-Malaysian collaboration is working, and long may that continue."

Fairuz himself said "I feel very good, very motivated and this is really a special day for me as it's our home run. It's great to be back again. The last time I was in Barcelona, which is a long time ago! I've always said that I'll be ready and fit, but it's still great that I was on the pace immediately. I'm happy and I hope we can do well this weekend – the car feels great, and I think it's faster than it was in Melbourne. It's going to be an exciting weekend – in Malaysia, anything can happen! If it rains and we can get an advantage out of it, then that's good.

Jarno Trulli: "It started off as a difficult day but I managed to do some good setup work and it was a positive two sessions. It seems we are competitive when compared to the other new teams but as we are ultimately aiming to fight with the top teams we are looking to get ourselves into a position where we can work on detailed setups, and that will start from Barcelona. I am pleased that today's sessions, when compared to the previous two races, both went faultlessly and I'm very glad about that. I like the heat – I like racing in the heat as it tests fitness and I've always performed well here, so I'm looking forward to tomorrow and the race on Sunday."

Heikki Kovalainen: "I'm really pleased with the car – obviously I didn't get much time to practice today, but it felt good and I'm feeling very confident with it. I'm looking forward to the race ahead – I think we're in really good shape. We tried a different set up with my car, and it took a few laps to get into it, but really I was very pleased and happy and looking forward to getting in the car again tomorrow. Weather wise, it is very hot and humid, and it's difficult conditions here, but I'm feeling good and am very fit for the race."

Mike Gascoyne: "All round a very successful day. It was good to have Fairuz in the car this morning and he was able to complete his entire program. Heikki took over the car in the afternoon and was also able to finish his planned program - evaluating the tyres and the race pace of the car. We had no mechanical issues on either car and in general I'm very pleased with the progress we're making, so well done to the whole team."

Rounding off the day in Malaysia was Tony Fernandes who said "Great day – we did everything we wanted to do and I'm extremely pleased. We're getting better and better so let's hope we continue this tomorrow in qualifying. We are being realistic though – points aren't in my mind. I just want to finish the race, get both cars home and keep our feet on the ground. Of course I'm still dreaming – I put Colin Chapman's cap on the pit wall to remind everyone of what we're aspiring to, but we'll get there in the right way, and the dream continues."