Lotus F1 Team 2015 Press Pack
LOTUS F1 TEAM 2015 PRESS PACK
CONTENTS
Lean Mix: Matthew Carter CEO Q&A (Page 2)
Opportunity Knocks: Deputy Team Principal Federico Gastaldi Q&A (Page 3)
Fighting Back: Romain Grosjean Q&A and CV (Page 4)
Bouncing Back: Pastor Maldonado Q&A and CV (Page 7)
Man Friday: Jolyon Palmer Q&A and CV (Page 11)
Stepping Forward: Nick Chester Technical Director Q&A (Page 13)
E23 Technical Specification (Page 15)
Statistics E23(Page 17)
Statistics Lotus F1 Team (Page 19)
Lotus F1 Team History in Numbers(Page 21)
The Socialites: Social Media Communications(Page 24)
Partner Features(Page 25)
Information on Official Team Partners(Page 28)
Information on Official Technical Partners(Page 38)
Contact Details(Page 48)
INTERVIEW WITH MATTHEW CARTER, CEO
Lean Mix: Lotus F1 Team CEO Matthew Carter outlines his vision
“We’ve reacted to the challenges and are set to surprise in 2015.”
Lotus F1 Team’s CEO, Matthew Carter, looks at the challenges for the season ahead.
How would you describe the 2015 specification Lotus F1 Team?
Lean and hungry to return to the kind of successes we’ve enjoyed in the past. We’ll get last year out of the way quickly; for a variety of reasons we didn’t deliver a performance near where we wanted to be and this has made us very hungry to deliver in 2015. We’ve addressed the issues we faced and with the benefit of the knowledge gained last year we know we are in a far better position in every regard.
What does the E23 Hybrid represent for the team?
The E23 Hybrid represents a new era for Lotus F1 Team, not only in the change to a Mercedes Benz Power Unit, but also it is the fruition of a busy winter behind the scenes. Improvements within our design, aero and simulation departments have all contributed to the development of a car which is a huge step forward. As a team we are confident that the new car coupled with additions to the race team will enable a huge leap forward and we are full of optimism going into the new season. It is time to put the disappointment of last season behind us and benefit from 12 months of hard work; we are ready to return to our rightful place at the pinnacle of the sport.
What are the main challenges facing the team for the season ahead?
On track we need to drag ourselves back up the performance ladder relative to our opposition, who are all working very hard to improve their performance too. We’re confident that we’ve made the correct decisions to enable us to be racing much closer to the front of the grid right from the start of the season and we have a good programme to ensure we can continue to deliver strongly throughout the year. We continue to evolve behind the scenes at Enstone to enable us to operate as efficiently as possible. We know we offer our sponsors a fantastic return for their faith in us and we expect to be rewarding them very well indeed with a much improved on track performance this season.
How big a change is it operationally working with a new Power Unit partner like Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains?
It’s a significant change and one we believe brings many benefits. There is a tremendous amount of talent at Enstone, so seeing the struggles we faced in 2014 was very difficult to take. It was clear we needed to make a fundamental change and everything points to this having been the correct plan of action. We’re very excited at all the benefits of our new partnership with Mercedes and we are working closer and closer with them as the relationship develops. There is tremendous potential.
After a difficult season like 2014, how do you maintain the DNA and appeal of the team?
The DNA of Enstone runs deep and the team has always had the ability to bounce back from a difficult season. We’ve seen that before and I’m confident that we will see it again in 2015. No-one liked the lack of results we achieved last year so rest assured, everything has been done to address this and perform far better over the season ahead.
What is possible from the year ahead?
Certainly far better race results than we saw last year! We expect to be back to regularly points scoring and we’re fighting to get back to being on the podium. We’re particularly focused and determined to achieve this aim and we have put all the pieces in place to enable this to happen. We have a great driver line-up with Romain, Pastor and now Jolyon joining us as Third Driver so everything is in place for us to deliver.
Opportunity Knocks: Lotus F1 Team Deputy Team Principal Federico Gastaldi marshals his thoughts ahead of the start of the season
“We have a fantastic opportunity.”
Lotus F1 Team’s Deputy Team Principal, Federico Gastaldi, gives his take on the team’s prospects.
What’s the potential for Lotus F1 Team in 2015?
It’s a very exciting time for us. We have a great looking new car with a fabulous new Power Unit and two race drivers who are very eager to get the results. 2014 shook up the order in Formula 1 so 2015 will be all about some teams trying to fight back whilst others try to maintain their positions. It’s going to be an interesting battle. We’re definitely a team set to fight back and we’ll be battling for every point available.
How are you expecting the team to start the season?
I think there’s the potential that we could surprise a lot of people. We have the pre-season tests first, when every team will run different programmes so you won’t necessarily get a true reflection of where everyone stands in the pecking order, but once we get to Melbourne we should be ready to give a glimpse of the strong potential we offer.
How important is it to show well in testing?
Testing’s primarily for the engineering department to learn, refine and develop the new car. The drivers are integral to this through their feedback. We know there’s always a lot of focus and speculation about testing at the start of the year, but there are no points for being fastest and no penalties for being slowest at any test; it’s when the season starts and you’re at a Grand Prix that the lap times and the car’s reliability is crucial. We’ll use testing to run through our programmes with the target of being as competitive as possible in Melbourne.
There are big changes in the team in terms of a new Power Unit supplier, but continuity in terms of the driver line-up. What’s your appraisal of this combination?
We have two great race drivers who know the team well and work in a very positive fashion together. We do have something of a revolution on the power supply side of things and putting these two factors together gives us all a good feeling heading into the start of the year. There’s great potential.
The team has a new Third Driver with Jolyon joining the squad. What does he bring to the party?
Jolyon is a fabulous talent who comes from a strong motor racing background. He won the GP2 Series championship last year in impressive fashion and we know from our two race drivers – both GP2 Series champions themselves – that GP2 is a great proving ground. Jolyon will be our Third and Reserve driver and will spend a lot of time in our simulator. He’ll be at every Grand Prix, in every driver debrief and meeting and will also be driving the car for a significant number of Friday practice sessions.
What do you expect the excitement to be when we get to Melbourne?
There’s going to be a lot to look out for. It’s a fabulous city and a great place to start the season. Everyone will want to know how improved the reigning champions will be and how much of a fightback the rest of us have been able to make. It’s always a fascinating time of year, the first few races, as it is an important part of how the entire season plays out. There’s going to be a lot to look out for. It’s a fabulous city with a great race; very well organized by our dear friend, Ronald Walker, and his excellent team of collaborators; indeed a great place to start the season.
DRIVER INTERVIEWS & BIOGRAPHIES
Fighting Back: Romain Grosjean, Race Driver, No. 8
“I’m really excited about 2015.”
After the highs of 2013, the lows of 2014 tried to deliver a sucker punch to Lotus F1 team’s Romain Grosjean. Our Swiss-French driver is made of pretty stern stuff and is ready to remind people of how good he can be with a nifty set of wheels under him.
What’s Romain Grosjean’s plan for 2015?
To get the most out of myself, get the most out of our new car, the E23, and get the most out of the team so we can all return to the podium in 2015, hopefully on the top step! We had a tough season last year, but we’re fully focused on fighting at the very front of the grid as soon as possible.
You are going into your fourth season as race driver for the team; how should this continuity benefit performance?
The time certainly passes quickly! We all know each other very well and this enables us to get straight down to business. Our first date was a long time ago and we know how to get the best out of each other! I’ve been working very closely with my engineers for so many races with some great results and some difficult races so we have a lot of knowledge between us. This helps when we arrive at a race track or are learning a new car. For this year I have new race engineer, Julien, who I know well from working with him over the past years when he has been in a different position. My previous race engineer, Ayao, has a new role with the team as Chief Engineer. We’ve had three wonderful seasons together and enjoyed nine podiums so I can’t wait to enjoy more success with him in 2015!
With a tough season like last year do you have to reappraise and re-evaluate your approach?
You always want to do the best job possible and achieve the very best results whether you have the best car on the grid or are fighting at the end of the field. Certainly, we pushed very hard last year – I would say I drove some of my best races in 2014 – even if the effort is not rewarded with a strong result. Of course, this season I intend to be giving my best once more, and achieving great results again!
Are you happy with the direction of development for the E23?
There are some elements I’m very happy about and it’s no secret that I can’t wait to sample the Mercedes power under my right foot! The car looks good on the outside and it looks good under the skin too. The aero department is talking positively about the figures delivered in the wind tunnel so there’s a lot to be excited about in that regard too. Though the points didn’t come on strong last year, we learnt so much and it’s great to see so many improvements in this year’s car relative to where we were this time last year.
How is your mind set coming into the new season?
I feel good. I’m positive about our potential for the year ahead and I’m looking forward to getting out in the E23 for the first time and adding to its development as we undertake the pre-season testing. I can’t wait to be in a Grand Prix again. it seems ages since the final race of 2014 and I am really looking forward to being in what should be a car far more reflective of the talents of everyone at Enstone than we saw last year. I’ve had a good couple of months where I’ve been able to relax with my family and recharge my batteries as well as do lots of training – even when it involves getting outside in the cold and wet of a British winter around the factory!
What’s the potential of Romain Grosjean and Lotus F1 Team in 2015?
We can do well. If I was a betting man I think I’d have a look at the odds available on us for getting strong results in the year ahead as I’m pretty sure we could surprise some people. Last year was not a true reflection of what we’re capable of and I know we’ll be achieving far better over the season ahead.
GoRoGro: Romain Grosjean CV
Romain Grosjean enters the 2015 season eager to put the frustration of last year behind him and return to the level of results seen in his fantastic 2013 campaign. It will be his fourth full season with the team having also completed a partial season in 2009. Romain enjoyed considerable success on his path to Formula 1, winning titles in the Swiss Formula Renault championship, French Formula Renault 2.0 championship, Formula 3 Euro Series championship as well as the GP2 Series and GP2 Series Asia championship. He also was a Formula 1 test driver for Renault F1 Team and Lotus Renault GP.
In Formula 1, 2013 was the standout year for Romain, who was the most improved driver in the field, able to deliver consistently with six podiums (five times third place and one second place) as well as looking like he was in the hunt for victory more than once. The success of 2013 came after a 2012 season where Romain demonstrated exceptional pace but seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time to mount a strong season-long campaign.
Romain made his return to Formula 1 with Lotus F1 Team in 2012 having previously contested the final seven Grands Prix of 2009 for the Enstone outfit [at the time known as Renault F1 Team]. Prior to that, the Frenchman had secured the 2007 Formula Three Euroseries championship and won the inaugural GP2 Asia Series championship in 2008.
After his 2009 Formula 1 foray, Romain contested the inaugural FIA GT1 World Championship in 2010, winning the opening race of the season whilst also competing in his first Le Mans 24 Hours. It wasn’t long before he returned to single seaters, with partial campaigns in the Auto GP and GP2 Series championships that same year before taking both the GP2 Asia Series and GP2 Series championship titles in 2011.
Key Details
Date of Birth: 17 April 1986
Place of Birth: Geneva, Switzerland
Nationality: French
Official Website:
Official Twitter Feed:
Official Facebook Fan Page:
Grands Prix Contested: 64
Podiums: 9
Fastest Laps: 1
Key Dates
2014:A Tricky Season
Romain entered the 2014 season buoyed by his 2013 showing on track and hopeful that the change of regulations would provide opportunities to continue a run on strong results. Unfortunately, the results weren’t to come the way Romain or the team wanted and the highlight of the season was qualifying in fifth position and finishing eighth in the Spanish Grand Prix.
2013: Coming of Age
2013 saw Romain establish himself as one of the strongest all-round drivers in Formula 1. His pace was harnessed and strengthened by an acute awareness of the tactical acumen required to get the best out of car and tyres in all conditions. A maiden victory looked to be very close more than once in a season where his performances just got better and better.
2012: Back in the Big Time
Having impressed during his two test sessions the previous year, Romain was handed a return to the Formula 1 grid by Lotus F1 Team for the 2012 season. The team’s faith in the Frenchman was soon justified, with a second row start at the season opening Australian Grand Prix followed by a string of impressive qualifying performances and three podium finishes throughout the season.
2010 – 2011: Regroup and Refocus
Romain contested the inaugural FIA GT1 World Championship in 2010, winning the first Championship Race whilst in that same year, he also made a return to single seaters, scoring a first and second in his debut event in the Auto GP series and taking the title within three further races. In July he returned to the GP2 Series, which proved a precursor to a full-time drive the following season. Later in the year, Romain also became Pirelli’s test driver.
2011 proved to be highly successful, with the GP2 Asia Series and the GP2 Series titles won and a return to the Formula 1 cockpit with Friday runs in Abu Dhabi and Brazil for Lotus Renault GP.
2009: GP2 Series, Renault F1 Team Test and Race Driver
2009 was to prove to be a year of opportunity for Romain. He started the season as test driver for Renault F1 Team as well as contesting the GP2 Series. By the European Grand Prix he was a full-time race driver for the team, starting seven Grands Prix as team-mate to Fernando Alonso.
2008: GP2 Series and Renault F1 Team Test Driver
In 2008, Romain combined his responsibilities as test driver for Renault F1 Team with campaigns in the GP2 Asia Series and GP2 Series. He won the Asia series, taking four wins along the way. Romain was also a frontrunner in the main Series, winning two races.
2006 – 2007: F3 Euroseries
Romain finished 13th in the F3 Euroseries, which included two wins during the British F3 Championship rounds. For 2007, he took the title in impressive style in a closely-fought series with a total of six wins, six podiums and four pole positions.