Lotus F1 Fights for Millions in 2010

Though most of you are thinking that all the three newly entrant teams are fighting for nothing in 2010, as their plans for the ingoing season of Formula One is to create a functional, well-prepared organization in the series, it seems some millions of euros are actually involved in their fight for the 10th place in the manufacturers' standings.

Since beating one of the established teams in the series seems improbable for the time being – grabbing a point is close to impossible – their sole aim for the 2010 season is to finish 10th overall, meaning the best of the new entrants. As revealed by Lotus' technical director Mike Gascoyne, that position is equivalent to millions of euros from the FOM, as part of the financial benefits secured through the Concorde Agreement.

Needless to say, we now understand Lotus' enthusiasm after the season opening Bahrain Grand Prix, when seeing both their cars cross the finish line. None of the other cars prepared by the new teams – Virgin Racing and HRT F1 – managed to get to the chequered flag.

“At the next three races, it is important just to finish. For now we focus on reliability. To score points is not realistic, but tenth place in the constructors' is the goal, because it is worth a lot of money,” said Gascoyne, according to Dutch Formule 1 Race Report.

“There will probably be no points (for the new teams), so the finishing places will be important -- so one eleventh, twelfth or thirteenth place may eventually yield millions,” added the Lotus technical.

Prior to the start of the 2010 season, Lotus announced a multi-year partnership with world’s leading news network CNN, consequently securing their first major sponsor in F1. Additionally, as rumored in the media during the past few days, it seems that Brazilian oil company Petrobras is on the verge of signing a deal with Lotus F1 Team also, with an announcement expected to surface before the Spanish Grand Prix in May.