[Auto Blog] F1 driver Jarno Trulli takes the wheel of Lotus Evora Cup

News Bot · February 15, 2010

Jarno Trulli shakes down the Lotus Evora Cup racer - Click above for high-res image gallery

It's not at all unusual for Formula One drivers on teams that have connections to consumer automakers to spend some of their off time developing road cars for those companies. Countless Ferrari street offerings have been tweaked by Michael Schumacher. Last week, as Jarno Trulli was waiting for his first crack at the Lotus T127 F1 car, he spent some time shaking down the new Evora Cup racer at the Snetterton circuit in the UK.

Trulli and race engineer Gianluca Pisanello spent two days working on suspension, aerodynamic and engine calibrations. The Evora will be used in a new single make series along the lines of the long-running Porsche Cup. The car is also eligible for GT4 class racing against the likes of the Audi R8 LMS and Porsche 911s. The 4.0-liter Toyota based V6 has been bumped up to 400 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque and given a dry-sump lubrication system, and its light weight will be a necessary ally in the battle with more powerful cars. While you wait for the series to get cranking, you can slake your curiosity on our high-res gallery below and the press release after the jump.

Gallery: Lotus Evora Cup