Lotus E20 launch

[prisonermonkeys]

January 25 – Caterham CT01
February 1 – McLaren MP4-27
February 3 – Ferrari F2012
February 3 – Force India VJM05
February 5 – Lotus E20
February 6 – Red Bull RB8
February 6 – Sauber C31
February 7 – Williams FW34
February 7 – Toro Rosso STR7
February 21 – Mercedes W03
February 21 – HRT F112
March 1 – Marussia MR01

Lotus is the next team to launch their car. Photos will be released to the internet tomorrow, with a full unveiling before the press coming on Monday at Jerez.

 

[GOTMAXPOWER]

AUTOSPORT will be the first place you can see the video unveiling of Kimi Raikkonen's new Lotus F1 car on Sunday afternoon at 4pm GMT (5pm CET)

http://www.autosport.com/

 

[Liquid]

Oh, of Kimi Raikkonen's Lotus? What about Grosjean's?

Stop the brown nosing, Autosport.

(Isn't it because one of Lotus' sponsors owns Autosport or something? They're crazy for Kimi at the moment)

 

[Jav]

No pictures yet?

Edit: Why am I a day ahead of myself??

 

[GOTMAXPOWER]

Oh, of Kimi Raikkonen's Lotus? What about Grosjean's?

Stop the brown nosing, Autosport.

(Isn't it because one of Lotus' sponsors owns Autosport or something? They're crazy for Kimi at the moment)

Nah Autosport are biased toward McLaren at the moment, deleting articles, tailoring them to look nice on McLaren and their drivers, etc.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Oh, of Kimi Raikkonen's Lotus? What about Grosjean's?

Grosjean's is being launched in August.

 

[Liquid]

Yeah, he's using an RS01 until then. Or even a Lotus 107.

 

[astrosdude91]

They'll just stick him in an old Lotus Excel for the time being.

 

[RTSolvalou]

 

[jcm]

 

[Peter.]

I understand the hype and attention a driver at a level of Raikkonen would recieve making a comeback, but Autosport could be a bit more professional about it, while giving it just as much hype and attention.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

With Dany Bahar's insane if-it-moves-paint-it-black-and-gold strategy, I wonder if the E20 will be accompanied by the Lotus ART (now "Lotus Grand Prix") GP2 and GP3 cars, a Lotus DW12 like the one Simona de Silvestro was seen testing at Sebring, the Lotus-sponsored Lola B12/80 car entered in the World Endurance Championship, the Lotus Evoras rumoured for the GT World Championship and the Lotus Exige R-GT that is supposedly being prepared for the WRC. It would be a real marketing opportunity to include all five or six (I'm not sure about the Evora and Exige models) cars in the one photoshoot. I bet it doesn't happen, though.

 

[jcm]

With Dany Bahar's insane if-it-moves-paint-it-black-and-gold strategy

What do you have against the colors black and gold.



I don't like the way the Enstone-based team has been with drivers lately (Kubica, Petrov, Senna, Heidfeld, Sutil), and I hope their car is very slow. That said, I like the Lotus name. Perhaps they can be just behind the old-Lotus (now Caterham) team.

 

[Prince.M5]

I don't like the way the Enstone-based team has been with drivers lately (Kubica, Petrov, Senna, Heidfeld, Sutil).

Did I missed something but Sutil? Is it because of Eric Lux?

I don't think he signed with Lotus and then got kicked out like the rest of the drives you've listed (except for Kubica)... Owkey, well about Kubica I don't think Lotus could do anything about that really.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

Did I missed something but Sutil? Is it because of Eric Lux?

I don't think he signed with Lotus and then got kicked out like the rest of the drives you've listed (except for Kubica)...

Yeah Kubica just had his contract run out, I think the Sutil bit is because of Lux though M5.

 

[jcm]

It's believed that Lux started a fight Sutil which led to Sutil glassing him. Also, even if Kubica is able to return Lotus probably won't re-sign him (although nothing is official about that as far as I know.)

 

[Prince.M5]

Yeah Kubica just had his contract run out, I think the Sutil bit is because of Lux though M5.

Yeah mate, as I expected.

Also, even if Kubica is able to return Lotus probably won't re-sign him (although nothing is official about that as far as I know.)

I think there's a reason why Lotus not signing Kubica back even if he's fine because by then no one will ever know if he's fit enough and can be as fast as he used to be. I'm not disrespecting him but it's a common sense. He might have got away all these while but this one hit him the hardest. We can't blame Lotus for not signing him back unless Lotus wanted to take Kubica for a test and see if he's any better. Otherwise, it'd be a waste if they're signing Kubica when he's no longer what Lotus was expecting.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

It's believed that Lux started a fight Sutil which led to Sutil glassing him. Also, even if Kubica is able to return Lotus probably won't re-sign him (although nothing is official about that as far as I know.)

There are many stories from the entire thing, also why was Sutil found guilty as read from the final verdict there was evidence that pointed to Sutil starting it. Sexuality, over a girl and driving are all some of the things claimed to be fought over. Yet only those two know, so yeah I wouldn't cout Sutil a driver who back in October thought he was going to still be at Force India.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

What do you have against the colors black and gold.

I don't have any problem with the colours. It's Bahar's marketing strategy of sponsoring cars and teams in every series he can think of that is something of a problem - Lotus is spending millions on it, but they don't have much in the way of an income stream.

 

[Raikkonen1337]

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Given that the media are obsessed with Kimi Raikkonen's return (for shame, Autosport, for shame), I have decided to give Romain Grosjean his due and have renamed the thread accordingly.

Elsewhere, Gerard Lopez reckons the title isn't going to be possible for another three or four years.

 

[RTSolvalou]

The guys making the decisions on what tyres go on at what stop, and when those stops are scheduled for, are part of the reason it will take them some years.
2011 was painful to watch and I was glad that Petrov came out and reaffirmed that we weren't just being armchair experts on the pit-stop strategy disasters, he doesn't want him racing for amateurs either.

Props for the thread name change.

 

[ZEROX]

The title makes me laugh.
Anyway, this is one of the 6 cars that i've been anticipate on. I wonder what kind of car will Lotus give to both of their new driver.

 

[Liquid]

Given that the media are obsessed with Kimi Raikkonen's return (for shame, Autosport, for shame), I have decided to give Romain Grosjean his due and have renamed the thread accordingly.

I confer points to you, sir.

 

[gorsad]

I think the black and gold livery on the 2011 lotus/Renault looked messy rather then smart. I hated the red end plates on the front and rear wings

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

I think the black and gold livery on the 2011 lotus/Renault looked messy rather then smart. I hated the red end plates on the front and rear wings

It wasn't that bad and since total obviously have a major role with the team hence Grosjean this year to prove it further, there is a reason for them.

 

[Bram Turismo]

I've highly anticipated for this car, but I'm wondering whether there's any point. Lotus seems to be going down the same road as Williams, changing out drivers constantly. I doubt we'll see the Lotus team do any better than last year, but I hope otherwise. The driver line-up certainly isn't as good as it was at the start of last year's season. Then again, none of us knew of Petrov's improvements.

 

[RX-7_FD3S]

It's believed that Lux started a fight Sutil which led to Sutil glassing him. Also, even if Kubica is able to return Lotus probably won't re-sign him (although nothing is official about that as far as I know.)

Actually, Lotus was very nice with Kubica, they always said he would have a place in there team if he was coming back, they even pushed back the announcement of the drivers for 2012 until they know for sure that Kubica isnt returning, if it's not nice I dunno.
The Petrov and Senna case is something else, Lotus want to beat Mercedes and for that they need better drivers than Petrov, Senna or Heidfeld. Maybe you like them but they arent top notch drivers and that's what Lotus was wanting. Also since they were pretty young there's also a part that we dont see, it's the feedback to engineer, that's really important in F1.
As for Sutil he started the fight with Lux and was punish for that nothing Lotus could do about it.

 

[PAWEL17]

So close now.
I'm really upset that Kubica had that crash, i want to see Kimi and Robert together, my two favourite drivers.
I hope the car is good enough for kimi to snatch a podium this year.....and hopefully it looks nice, unlike the Ferrari.

I've highly anticipated for this car, but I'm wondering whether there's any point. Lotus seems to be going down the same road as Williams, changing out drivers constantly. I doubt we'll see the Lotus team do any better than last year, but I hope otherwise. The driver line-up certainly isn't as good as it was at the start of last year's season. Then again, none of us knew of Petrov's improvements.

Well, Alonso left for Ferrari, Kubica had an accident, and Petrov/Senna performed poorly, i reckon they should have kept Heidfeld(as he is of Kubica's caliber). But i agree to an extent, that constantly changing drivers is not always best, but hopefully they have made a good choice.

 

[Seismica]

Has the stream started yet or am I an hour early? The website is just showing the teaser video for me.