Team Lotus T128 Renault

[Lindz]

update in Barcelona: image

Are they using a asymmetric radiator exit or is it the camera angle

Looks like it's just a reflection of the right-side radiator exit.

[awizul]

update in Barcelona:
Previous design:

Errr engine cover for Melbourne.. Not the "Updated" 1?

[Hangaku]

Does anyone else think that the T128 looks fragile? The suspension arms look really skinny compared to other teams.

Could be a mystical optical illusion, mind you. OOooohhhh.

[H. Zedozil]

Does anyone else think that the T128 looks fragile? The suspension arms look really skinny compared to other teams.

Could be a mystical optical illusion, mind you. OOooohhhh.

Yes. Thats what the designers said during the car launch. They want to make the suspension light and they also said they push the "boundaries" especially for the front suspension.

[Robbobnob]

Interesting to see that lotus were still 4.5 seconds off the pace, was hoping they would have roped in some more of that time, but i guess emulating the CFD will take time to develop efficient models

[FW17]

yeah very disappointing. Was hoping they could beat at least one of the established teams but they still seem to be 3 sec behind them.

[Formula None]

[H. Zedozil]

Melbourne update - Longer nosecone and gills

before:

[nacho]

It's FP, I wouldn't write them off. What a shame Chandok putting the other car into the wall, wasn't very professional. I am not convinced it is a good idea anyways to have the reserve drivers having any track time during weekends, but if it pays the bills then they have to do it.

The gills were in Barcelona. I wondered about the nosecone before, it was a bit stumpy compared to others.

[piast9]

Well, it seems that they haven't managed to close the gap to the estabilshed teams. It's a shame...

[nacho]

They are saying the tyre temperatures are too low, maybe that is in line with the test in Barcelona that they weren't having so heavy degredation.

[King Six]

Well, it seems that they haven't managed to close the gap to the estabilshed teams. It's a shame...

It's a joke and travesty when other teams don't, when this team do it's a shame? Maybe this'll be a lesson for you all, having a good PR department and hijacking a tired old name brand that brings up fake nostalgia doesn't get you results.

[Figure8]

I know this isn't quite the correct place for just discussion, but I'll ask anyway, it may make for a interesting debate. Where do people think Lotus is losing almost 5 seconds, I can't see the obvious answer but maybe I'm being naive?

They say they can't switch the tyre's on does this sound viable or are their more fundamental issues at play here? I'd like to know people's opinions if it's OK to ask that here (if not I apologise - please move/delete as is your want)

They have a fairly decent technical team full of proven people with F1 experience and a decent amount of success:
Mike Gascoyne - Proven technical director
Elliot Dason-Barber - Working on Red Bull rear end right up to 09.
Lewis Butler - Force India designer, point and podium scoring cars
Mark Smith - Key player in the rise of Force India in recent years, held high profile technical roles at Renault and Red Bull
Marianne Hinson - Another respected Force India Aerodynamicist
Didier Gass - A key engineer at Toyota right up to 2009
Juan Pablo Ramirez - Glock's engineer at Toyota in 2009, now Kovalainen's
Gianluca Pisanello - Trulli's engineer at Toyota 2006-09, now his Lotus engineer
Jean-Claude Migeot - Helping with wind tunnel work and development I believe via Fondtech.

Add to that the same Renault engine that is sitting on pole position, as well as a proven race winning Red Bull transmission and gearbox. It seems almost illogical to me that the Lotus 128, which has been under development since early last season isn't at least on the back of the established teams but it's absolutely nowhere.

You would think they would be at least somewhere near Force India given they have the brains behind some of their most recent cars penned the 128 but the gap is a whopping 2.5 seconds.

Anyone have any idea what's going on here, is the car design itself a bit of a disaster, it looks fairly neat to me? I like to think I'm fairly clued up one F1 but I'm scatching my head to explain what's going on at Lotus?

Thoughts/opinions guys? Of course they could go on to show real pace in the race as they claim to have in the car but I'm struggling to believe it.

[nacho]

Yes it is disappointing. Tires are such an important factor that we could be talking about seconds there easily if they are totally out of range.

[ESPImperium]

Yes its a bit of a disappointment and a bit of a shame. But im glad this pill has came now and not in a few rounds time.

Transmission wise they are using the Red Bull 09 transmission, with a slightly altered gear case for the T128 to be more optimal in terms of set up. This is the same transmission that STR used for a season and a half as well, as STR switched to the Red Bull 2010 transmission towards the end of the season last year as they are running it this year, but altered for the Ferrari 056 power plant. The T128 should be a good car, however, i feel that theres some issues that need to be resolved, i don't think they are on top of the car mechanically, as this is a massive step from the T127. I can see the T218 being a car that once things have been ironed out and they fully understand it, it will start to fly, but i think it just needs a time of reflection and a time for calm, otherwise they will panic and we know what panic can do to a car.

What is clear is that they have made a step forward this year, not a leap as promised, but this step could lead to a leap in the next few events for all we know. The only thing i know is that the Team Lotus cars deserve the name and also deserve to be on the grid for this season and that isn't an argument.