A big part of why Lotus F1 Racing has been so successful in closing the gap on the established teams is obviously related to its drivers, as both Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen have been race winners in the series before joining the Norfolk team. Trulli was known for his great qualifying speed and his vast experience in F1, while Kovalainen was coming after an important 2-year experience with McLaren Mercedes.
That being said, despite rumors suggesting that Fairuz Fauzy – current reserve driver for the team – might switch to a racing seat in 2011, the team's technical director Mike Gascoyne sees no reason to change his current lineup.
“I think the intention is to stick with the drivers we've got. I think they're doing a great job. I think Heikki has gotten better and better, his confidence is back and there's a spring in his step and he's pushing him (Trulli) very hard,” said Gascoyne.
“That's the thing with experienced guys, if we give them the car, they can perform with it. Jarno has shown he can still pull the big laps out when he has a trouble-free weekend,” added the Lotus boss.
Consequently, a confirmation of Lotus F1's lineup for the 2011 season is expected at any time, although Gascoyne suggested that an announcement will be made sooner rather than later.
“I think we'd like to do that pretty soon,” said Gascoyne.
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