MOTORSPORT: New Lotus is unveiled (From thisisoxfordshire)
When It Happens Panel Get involved: send your photos, videos, news & views by texting 'OXFORD NEWS' to 80360 or email
MOTORSPORT: New Lotus is unveiled
11:54am Wednesday 30th January 2013 in Sport
Lotus this week became the first team to take the covers off their car ahead of the new Formula 1 season.
Via the team’s YouTube channel, drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean unveiled the E21 on the factory floor in Enstone after original plans to do so in a marquee were ended by freak winds.
The car has retained a predominantly gold and black livery witnessed last year, although with more flashes of red – notably on the engine air intake and sidepods – than was the case in 2012.
Despite the chance to mask the step in the car’s nose, deemed by many as ‘ugly’ when revealed by most teams at the start of last year, Lotus have opted to retain the design.
With Lotus a comfortable fourth in the constructors’ championship, and Raikkonen third in the drivers’ standings, team principal Eric Boullier concedes the team are pushing for much more.
Asked if a top-three finish was on the cards, Boullier said: “We will definitely try.
“Third place is definitely an achievement we would like to have this year.
“We would like to build on the momentum from 2012.”
