Lotus F1 Team Reveal First Photos of 2010 Car

Lotus' wind tunel model

They may have been the last ones to receive an entry in the 2010 Formula One Championship, but Lotus F1 Team have moved quicker than anyone in terms of car development for the upcoming season. The team recently activated their official site and now issued the first pictures on their 2010 challenger.

Actually, the team showed the world how their real car will look like, as the pictures only focus on the wind tunnel model. Although there is still plenty of work ahead, Chief Technical Officer Mike Gascoyne believes the team is moving very well towards achieving their objectives for 2009.

“There is no escaping the challenges that we face simply to get the car ready for the first race of next season, but I am confident that we are up to the task in hand. Our target is to get the car ready for a roll out by the middle of February so that we can carry out pre-season testing in preparation for Bahrain in mid-March,” said Gascoyne in a press release.

In addition, the former Toyota and Force India employee confirmed the team's partnership with Cosworth for the upcoming season, as well as other deals that Lotus F1 Team has signed for 2010.

Lotus' wind tunel model

“We have been working with Fondtech to develop the aerodynamics, as well as with gearbox specialists Xtrac. We have an engine supply deal in place with Cosworth and we also have the support of engineering and composites teams in Malaysia who will play an integral role in developing the car,” added Gascoyne.

Finally, Gascoyne confirmed the team's strategy to field one experienced driver alongside a rookie one – probably Malaysian – but is yet to confirm the identity of either or them. According to British magazine Autosport, Jarno Trulli is the driver most expected to sign for the rookie team after the season finale at Abu Dhabi.

"We have been looking closely at the driver market to determine our best options for next year including Malaysian drivers, but no decisions have been made yet. We need versatile drivers. We need reliable and technicallyminded drivers who can help us develop the car during the season, but at the same time we need drivers who are hungry for results and who can extract every little bit of performance from the car at all times,” concluded the Lotus official.