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[scotty]

Yeah, i guess this thread was always coming sooner or later. Are there any other Lotus (and in my case especially Raikkonen) fans here??

I find myself conflicted about this season based on testing. Some days created good impressions then other days were utterly dire. I don't know where the team are gonna end up, but i am hopeful for the same ballpark as last season. Another season with one win would be good in my view, it's better than going backwards.

Here's something i read today:

The Finn had already missed the third day of the Barcelona test due to illness and was replaced in the E21 by reserve driver Davide Valsecchi and Romain Grosjean.

And he completed just seven laps during Sunday morning's running as the team investigated a problem with the gearbox and then opted to change it.

When asked by AUTOSPORT whether he was worried about the possibility of unreliability derailing a potential title campaign, Raikkonen said: "Not really.

"The few times that problems have cost us many hours, it's always been the same thing. And we don't expect it to happen when it's warmer.

"When you have these problems, you can never be 100 per cent that it won't happen again.

"But we had some problems in testing last year and then found the racing was OK. I think it will be the same story again."

Lotus technical director James Allison said that despite the loss of track time, Raikkonen's afternoon, which revolved around a number of four to seven lap stints on medium and soft tyres, had given the team reason to be optimistic for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

"Today was something like this entire test in microcosm; we spent too much of the day in the garage, but when we did get out on track we made good progress.

"A definite positive is that we are not finding it difficult to be on the pace, and we haven't had to resort to low-fuel runs at any of the tests to get a good time out of the car."

I do worry about reliability (a lot now) but that last sentence isn't a bad thing to read...

[bud]

Yes the last sentence is not a bad thing at all.

[LewEngBridewell]

I wonder if Lotus will expand on the sole victory Raikkonen got for them last season?

[IheartKimmi]

Kimmi supporter here I am a MacLaren supporter and my dream team was Kimmi and DC. I have been a fan of Kimmi since he first came to F1 as a fresh faced youth I really hope Lotus do well this year with Kimmi up there on the podium. He is great!

[Hammer278]

Kimmi supporter here I am a MacLaren supporter and my dream team was Kimmi and DC. I have been a fan of Kimmi since he first came to F1 as a fresh faced youth I really hope Lotus do well this year with Kimmi up there on the podium. He is great!

Same here! That pairing was the last time I supported McLaren as a whole team though.

I hope Lotus goes well too, at least they know what their problem is and the car ended last season being respectably quick, and seems effortlessly quick again during testing. I predict at least 2-3 wins for Kimi this season.

[LewEngBridewell]

The days of RedBull on pole then being two seconds out front by the time DRS is enabled are over.

[LewEngBridewell]

I'm pretty sure we were having a conversation recently about which teams are in it for the long run, and which team's long-term commitment would be in doubt in the event of a prolonged dip in form. Eric Boullier offers his thoughts on the situation:

Lotus team boss Eric Boullier is confident his squad will out-last many of its current Formula 1 rivals even though owner Genii is still looking for a partner. Boullier told AUTOSPORT Lotus had plenty of financial security even while the search for new investment continued.

He said that the Enstone squad's set-up as a pure racing team made it more likely to stay in F1 long term than a manufacturer outfit or even champion Red Bull.

"Mercedes is selling cars. Red Bull is selling [drinks] cans. Ferrari, McLaren, Lotus or Williams, we're all teams, our core business is Formula 1. So we should be here for a long, long time."

Pretty much sums up what was said before.

[What's Burning?]

I think the name of Lotus being thrown around as a "team" that's been around F1 is rather laughable.

I think we may wind up having multiple constructors willing races this year, once again. Maybe not so much because of the rubber roulette we had last year but more so because there are many more evenly matched teams that will get an optimum set up for a weekend and be just as able to challenge for a win as the top teams. I see a strong Lotus as good for the sport, the same way a strong Mercedes is good for the sport and fully expect both of them to be able to get more wins than they did last year. or as in the case of Lotus, be right there to pick up a win when someone up front falters.

[Hammer278]

Sorry, but Lotus is one team which doesn't even have a real identity on the grid. Lotus is merely a name or an extension which Group Lotus forced into F1 due to Tony Fernandez sporting it earlier...and if I'm not mistaken, this "lotus" team is owned by Genii Capital? And they use Renault engines...probably the most disjointed team in F1 IMO. But hey, if their manager says they are in for the long haul, who am I to argue.

[bud]

Lotus F1 team have a branding partnership with Lotus Group owned by Proton.

[1Lemon]

Their more Team Enstone with some Lotus branding over the top.

[What's Burning?]

Ferrari, McLaren, Lotus or Williams, we're all teams, our core business is Formula 1.

No disrespect to the team and the statement is technically accurate. The laughable part however is that this "core business" he's referencing under the name of Lotus has been around for ONE year.

[scotty]

You can all say what you want but that team is being run pretty damn well at the moment.

[What's Burning?]

I said no disrespect to the team! Coupled with the fact that they're also building a pretty good marketing machine as well as a competitive car.

[Mikess]

My question is like I know Grosjean is a really successful driver but he is a bit reckless on the track, so will he be able to control it on the track as i think this could be his downfall

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhiGfZK53ug