Formula 1
Lotus' Alan Permane: The Lotus E20 is clearly a nice package
Lotus press release
Published: Feb 14, 2012, 2:48 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
EVERYONE IS STRAIGHT BACK TO WORKING HARD IN PREPARATION FOR THE NEXT TEST
With the first test at Jerez now behind us and Barcelona coming up next week, what’s happening here at Enstone during the break?
This week we’ll be building our second car up. So it’s chassis two that will be going to Barcelona, while chassis one will be rebuilt and taken to the seven post rig in our research and development facility for suspension development work.
Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus Renault F1 Team
Photo by: xpb.cc
Having time to reflect on the event in Jerez must be a welcome break before Barcelona. Have the team had a chance to relax before heading back to Spain?
It’s given some of us the chance to have a weekend off which is always nice after an intense few days at the circuit. Having said that, while we’re not quite experiencing the full-on 18 hour days of last week, everyone is straight back to working hard in preparation for the next test. The engineers will be analysing set-up options, reflecting on what we learned in Jerez and how we can apply that knowledge in Barcelona and throughout the season. There’s a long list of improvements we’re looking to make. We had a few minor issues with radiator leaks and so on but nothing major, and certainly nothing we won’t have fixed in time for Barcelona.
After an encouraging first outing in Jerez, have you noticed a difference in terms of the atmosphere back at Enstone?
You can definitely feel the effects around the factory. Everyone seems to have a smile on their face. Having said that, we’re not going to try and run before we can walk. We’re very conscious that there’s a long way to go. The car is certainly reliable and well balanced, but it’s too early to say any more than that at this stage. It’s impossible to predict performance after just one test.
Everyone seems to have a smile on their face
Alan Permane
There were clearly a lot of positives last week. What would you say is the most important thing we can take away from the first test?
I would say there are two things. I really can’t separate one as being more important than the other. The first as we’ve mentioned before is the reliability of the car, which has been very impressive so far. Although we had a few niggling issues there was nothing that stopped us running for a significant length of time. The second is the way the car responds to set-up changes. The E20 is clearly a nice package. When we make changes to the car the drivers can feel it, whether it be positive or negative, which means that further down the line it will be a much easier car to set up and dial pace into.
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Force India Q&A with Paul di Resta
Next article Kevin Magnussen moves up in McLaren Young Driver Programme
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Kimi Raikkonen
David Coulthard explains why Robin Raikkonen's rise resembles Max Verstappen's
Formula 1
Formula 1
Spanish GP
David Coulthard explains why Robin Raikkonen's rise resembles Max Verstappen's
On this day: Michael Schumacher wins… and stuns tifosi with F1 retirement
Formula 1
Formula 1
Italian GP
On this day: Michael Schumacher wins… and stuns tifosi with F1 retirement
Red Bull signs Kimi Raikkonen’s son as junior driver
Formula 1
Formula 1
Italian GP
Red Bull signs Kimi Raikkonen’s son as junior driver
More from
Renault F1 Team
“I went back to the car and cried” – Esteban Ocon opens up about his unexpected year on F1 sidelines
Formula 1
Formula 1
“I went back to the car and cried” – Esteban Ocon opens up about his unexpected year on F1 sidelines
You Ask The Questions: Robert Kubica
Formula 1
You Ask The Questions: Robert Kubica
On this day: Michael Schumacher’s final unsportsmanlike manoeuvre
Formula 1
Formula 1
Monaco GP
On this day: Michael Schumacher’s final unsportsmanlike manoeuvre
Latest news
Ross Chastain and Shane van Gisbergen to race for JR Motorsports again in 2027
NASCAR O'Reilly
NOAP NASCAR O'Reilly
Phoenix II
38 min
Ross Chastain and Shane van Gisbergen to race for JR Motorsports again in 2027
NASCAR legend Fred Lorenzen first driver diagnosed with CTE after donating brain
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup 55 min
NASCAR legend Fred Lorenzen first driver diagnosed with CTE after donating brain
Max Verstappen defends Chris Lulham after online abuse
GT World Challenge Europe Endurance
WCEE GT World Challenge Europe Endurance 59 min
Max Verstappen defends Chris Lulham after online abuse
Mercedes: “We had people who hadn’t done a live pitstop for 15 years” in Singapore GP
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Singapore GP
1 h
Mercedes: “We had people who hadn’t done a live pitstop for 15 years” in Singapore GP
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe