Buzzin F1 – Formula One Blog

Lotus 91-10 (1982)

The new Lotus F1 Team have confirmed their drivers for the 2010 season as Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen along with third driver Fairuz Fauzy.

The team which is being backed by the Malaysian government, made the announcement today in Kuala Lumpa with the team boss Tony Fernandes stating that he had secured the perfect blend of experience, youth and ambition to get the Lotus name back in the limelight.

Trulli said;

“It was quite a difficult situation at the start of November with my former team withdrawing from Formula One, but I was convinced I would stay in the sport.  I was in contact with Gascoyne about the possibility of joining the new Lotus team and it became quickly clear that it would be a very good opportunity for me. I have been in Formula One for many years but there is something extremely motivating about helping to build a team from the ground level up.

We have to set realistic targets for the first year.  We are one of the new teams, so we have to prove ourselves and to gain respect in the paddock. We have to establish ourselves as the best of the new teams and see what gap we have between us and the rest. Only then will we really understand what gains we need to make during the season. The points system has changed to reward the top ten drivers, so I would like to see us making progress towards the top ten by AbuDhabi.”

Kovalainen said;

“For me there were a couple of major factors [behind moving to Lotus].  Tony Fernandes [team principal] and Mike Gascoyne being the two leading figures in the project and the backing behind the team were both very important. Having spoken to both of them I became aware that the whole operation has a lot of potential, and a very good chance of being a successful team in the future. I saw Lotus as the best choice for me to progress my career, after considering several other options that were available to me.

I always race to win and I will do everything as if I was preparing to put the car on pole, but of course we have to be realistic and keep the focus on developing the team to a state where we can operate like any other current top F1 team. It will not be easy and we will have tough times at the beginning, there’s no question about it, but as long as we keep improving all the way through the year and have the earned respect of the other top teams on the grid, then we can be pleased about the first year.”