Team: Nick Chester (TD), Matthew Carter (CEO), Gerard Lopez (TP) Drivers: Romain Grosjean (8), Pastor Maldonado (13), Charles Pic (Reserve), Marco Sorensen (Reserve), Nicolas Prost (Reserve)
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We’ve got further improvements on engine mapping, which should give us another step forward. We’ve got a new cooling and bodywork package coming - quite a big upgrade - plus some updates to the rear wing and various other bodywork parts. All of the developments that we’ve brought for the car so far have been an improvement, which is highly satisfying and validates the hard work being done back at the factory. We also received more horsepower from Renault Sport F1 in China and I hope we’ll get a further step-up in Barcelona, which will make a massive difference.
Lotus Technical Director, Nick Chester, has confirmed that the Enstone based team will bring its first major improvements for the E22 this season at the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend.
Many teams are expected to bring updates to the Spanish Grand Prix and Lotus will be one of them after a tough start to their 2014 season by scoring no points.
Nick Chester is hoping that the team will finally be able to show what the E22 can do in Barcelona. He said: "We had a huge amount to get through [in China] because we hadn't run much in the Bahrain test. We assessed over half of the new parts, which is a positive, and we have a lot more lined up for Barcelona. We've got further improvements on engine mapping, which should give us another step forward."
He went on to say what updates were in line for the Renault powered car: "We've got a new cooling and bodywork package coming - quite a big upgrade - plus some updates to the rear wing and various other bodywork parts. All of the developments that we've brought for the car so far have been an improvement, which is highly satisfying and validates the hard work being done back at the factory. We also received more horsepower from Renault Sport F1 in China and I hope we'll get a further step-up in Barcelona, which will make a massive difference. There are a lot of aero improvements we want to bring to make the car more predictable for the drivers."
Chester touched on how the tyres cope on the E22: "We also want to do more work on tyre temperatures. The latest generation of tyres are quite hard in compound and it can be difficult to keep them in the optimum operating window. The E21 was very kind on tyres as we know, but we are still really discovering the E22, so it is difficult to know for sure [how they will react]. What is certain is the fact that the left fronts at Barcelona will be key because of the long constant radius turn three."
He summed up the improvements and looked ahead to what the team can expect from the next few rounds. He said: "On the other hand, braking is definitely better now. We've made some good improvements in terms of how the drivers can control the brakes and manage the power unit during braking. Power is always important, but it plays a smaller role than at other circuits so we are expecting to be reasonably competitive at both [Barcelona and Monaco]."
Sounds interesting. I hope that this weekend we will see what the E22 is really capable of.
Last edited by Steven on 06 May 2014, 12:24, edited 1 time in total.
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"...and there, very much in flames, is Jacques Laffite's Ligier. That's obviously a turbo blaze, and of course, Laffite will be able to see that conflagration in his mirrors... he is coolly parking the car somewhere safe."Murray Walker, San Marino 1985
"...and there, very much in flames, is Jacques Laffite's Ligier. That's obviously a turbo blaze, and of course, Laffite will be able to see that conflagration in his mirrors... he is coolly parking the car somewhere safe."Murray Walker, San Marino 1985
I dont understand how all that asymmetry can work.
1. Nose
2. Side pods
3. Exhaust
4. Center pylon for rear wing
It obviously isnt a terrible car so it must be working to some extent, but i (armchair engineer) question if a more simple approach would be a better platform to build upon.
It's ore or less the same sidepod exit since Melbourne FP...
Skysports has briefely showed the new left hand exhasut/left sidepod coolers during the free practice 2 broadcast. Anyone got a screenshot?
