Tag: lotus f1 team

F1 2013: Lotus’ Lopez talking the talk

Lotus chairman Gerard Lopez has scoffed at rumours that his Formula 1 team is in financial trouble.

Lopez purchased the Renault team in 2009 and is adamant that the reported 120 million Euro debt is being misunderstood. “On the €120 million debt, anybody half-smart can find out that number by going to Companies House records and will see that out of that, over 90 million is not ‘real’ debt but shareholder loans made to the company,” said Lopez.

He laughed off suggestions that staff had not been paid and denied any rumours of employees threatening a strike at the Enstone based factory. While Lopez has denied the lack of payment Lotus team principal Eric Boullier confirmed on a previous occasion that Kimi Raikkonen had been payed ‘a few days late’ by the team.

While vehemently denying these Lopez emphasised that the team has enough resources to keep up with the development of the E21 in the second half of the season. Despite the fact that the time for major upgrades have gone the team is believed to be bringing a new front wing to the Belgian GP. Lopez is adamant that the development will not end there.

“We are actually bringing a number of new developments throughout the season,” said Lopez. What is true is that, just like everyone else, a lot of the big stuff like the double DRS has already been developed but is going to be put on the car for the upcoming races.”

Lopez, the co-owner of Genii Capital, stressed the investments that have been made to the Formula 1 team since taking over.

“It had a 50 per cent windtunnel, now it’s 60 per cent. The team didn’t have a driver-in-the-loop simulator, it does now. It didn’t have a gearbox dyno, now it has. So it has a bunch of things that it didn’t have even as a works team. As they say in other sports, you do your talking on the field and I guess we do our talking on the track.”

August 11, 2013
Kimi Raikkonen furious over Lotus strategy error

Kimi Raikkonen seemed pretty furious after the Lotus F1 Team decided not to pit him under the final safety car for new tyres.

The retirement of Sebastian Vettel’s Red Bull 11 laps before the end of the British F1 Grand Prix brought out the safety car with Raikkonen running in second place behind race leader Nico Rosberg.

Behind the Iceman, both Mark Webber and Fernando Alonso took the opportunity to pit and although they both lost track position the fresh tyres allowed them to quickly pick off the cars ahead of them and finish in second and third place respectively.

Raikkonen eventually finished in fifth place and after the race made his feelings pretty clear about the team getting the strategy wrong.

“I don’t understand how we can get it so wrong,” Raikkonen said. “I asked the team, they said no and we had more than half a lap to make the
right call. I think we gave up second place today and I think it’s pretty simple. We had an easy P2 … it was absolutely the wrong call. It’s disappointing but not my fault this time.”

Lotus F1 Team principal, Eric Boullier, explained that Lotus didn’t expect the drivers who pit under the final safety car to gain such a performance advantage.

“It’s very easy after the race to look at it if you look at the three cars on a two pit-stop strategy which were Sutil, Ricciardo and us. We considered the pit stop, to be honest we were not expecting such a big gain in performance by switching to fresh tyres and that’s it, end of story. Alonso was lucky to pit before and Webber had to stop anyway so yes we should have stopped, no question.”

June 30, 2013
Lotus sells 35 percent stake to Infinity Racing

Lotus announced on Tuesday that they have sold a 35 percent stake in the team, to the investment group Infinity Racing Partners Limited.

Until now, Genii Capital, the investment firm co-founded by Lotus F1’s chairman Gerard Lopez, has owned 100 percent of the Enstone based team. Genii Capital will still retain a controlling 65 percent stake of the team and Lopez will continue to fill the role of Chairman. Genii CEO Eric Lux will also retain his seat on the Board of Directors.

Infinity Racing is an investment consortium made up of private investors including “an American hedge fund manager, an Abu Dhabi-based multinational business group and royal family interests of a major oil producing nation”.

Lopez feels that sponsorship options for the team will be increased with the inclusion of the new part owners. “Infinity Racing’s principals have exceptional expertise and a proven strong track record in developing and delivering high quality technologies,” he said. “This partnership will enable us to increase Lotus F1 Team’s competitive advantage related to KERS technology as it becomes more central to Formula One’s push for environmentally sound racing, while also making Lotus F1 Team more marketable as a brand, opening up additional major sponsorship opportunities.”

Genii CEO Eric Lux has said that he believes the move is the start of an exciting journey for the team. “Genii Capital is delighted to announce this partnership between Infinity Racing and Lotus F1 Team as we continue to grow and compete for podium places,” he said. “Since Genii Capital took over control in December 2009, we have been focused on growing the value of the organisation and developing the infrastructure at its Enstone headquarters.”

“As Lotus F1 Team results have continued to improve every year, we have been waiting for the right investor who will help make the jump to the top spot in the Constructors’ Championship. In Infinity Racing, we have found a partner with the right connections in addition to technological expertise and a global reach in major markets with key sponsors to achieve this goal. We look forward to working with Infinity Racing as we continue on this exciting journey.”

June 18, 2013
F1 Canadian Grand Prix Preview Quotes – Lotus

Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean with their preview quotes ahead of the 2013 Formula One Canadian Grand Prix.

Kimi Raikkonen:
Q: What are your feelings after Monaco?
Kimi Raikkonen: We had a bad result on Sunday in Monaco; that was clear for anyone to see. It could have been even worse, but it could have been much better as well. We came out with one point so at least we got something back after losing the solid fifth place, but that’s not much consolation. The car felt good for qualifying and the race which is a positive as it was another circuit – and a difficult circuit – where we’ve been able to have the car pretty much as we wanted. We still lack just a little bit of speed in qualifying sometimes, but our race pace was good again; not that you can show that when you’re stuck behind slower cars like we saw in Monaco. We don’t know how the car will be in Montreal – we will have the answer to that question soon – but there’s no reason why we shouldn’t be competitive again.

Q: It was quite some fightback you made at the end of the race…
Kimi Raikkonen: Well, that was a bit different as I had fresh tyres and we should never have been in that position in the first place, but it was good to at least get a point at the end. In a way, it almost makes it more frustrating as when we had the clean air after the pit stop it was probably the first time you saw how quick our car really was.

Q: You were pretty frustrated after the race?
Kimi Raikkonen: No-one wants to lose so many points thanks to the actions of another driver, but that race is over; Monaco is just a distant memory and I’m all ready for Canada.

Q: What’s your opinion of Canada?
Kimi Raikkonen: I have won there which was pretty good, but I have experienced some setbacks there as well. Many times the race has been quite a lottery as there seem to be different things which affect it. The weather can change a lot, sometimes the tyres or the track aren’t working very well, sometimes there are a lot of safety cars, or sometimes another driver runs into the back of you when you’re waiting at a red light. As for the place itself, I’ve always liked Montreal. It is one of the nicest cities we visit all year.

Q: What do you need for a good result in Canada?
Kimi Raikkonen: A good car. Like at every circuit you need to get the set-up exactly right. You need a well-balanced chassis in the medium downforce configuration and you don’t want to be too hard on brakes as there’s a lot of aggressive braking there. It’s something I quite enjoy, the stop and go style of the circuit.

Q: Is Montreal another circuit where qualifying is crucial?
Kimi Raikkonen: Qualifying is important at every circuit, but not as essential as it was in Monaco to get a good result. It’s not easy to get past, but there are one or two places to overtake.

Q: What are your thoughts on the championship after losing ground to Sebastian Vettel?
Kimi Raikkonen: For sure we lost ground on the lead in Monaco, but it’s not over yet. It’s still early in the season and 21 points behind is not too much to catch up; especially if Sebastian has a bad weekend too at some point. The most important thing is that we return to our race level before Monaco to get things going our way as soon as possible.

Romain Grosjean:
Q: It was an eventful weekend for you in Monaco… what are your thoughts now you’ve been able to reflect?
Romain Grosjean: It was certainly a rollercoaster, and one where we could have achieved a lot more with the pace of the car. No-one wants to make contact with the barriers at Monaco and it’s a fine balance between going fast and going too fast; there’s such a tiny margin for error as I found out. The positives are that we significantly improved the car again to make it more predictable over the weekend and that helped me a lot. I think we had the pace to be in the top three, but unfortunately we didn’t get the qualifying position we wanted and it’s almost impossible to move up the order in Monaco. I got caught out behind Daniel [Ricciardo] and will have to suffer quite a harsh penalty of ten places on the Montreal grid, but we’ll be working hard to devise the best strategy to work back up the order.

Q: You said you’d buy your crew some drinks for all the work they put in over the Monaco weekend; have you had a chance to do this yet?
Romain Grosjean: Not yet, but I’ll treat them to a special dinner later in the year; hopefully when we’ve got something good to celebrate.

Q: Last year you went from seventh to second in Montreal; can you repeat that kind of performance in 2013?
Romain Grosjean: Yes, last year we had a fantastic result at this race and we’ll certainly be trying for a fantastic result once more. For sure it will be a bit more difficult with the penalty, but we’ll take the challenge and do the very best we can.

Q: 2012 was your first time racing in Montreal, but you learnt the track pretty well?
Romain Grosjean: The track is interesting; not an easy one to learn, but as we say most of the time if you have a good result then you like the track! I’d certainly like to finish this year’s race on the podium again; that would be a good record to maintain. The city’s great too. People speak French, the place is lively, there are some great restaurants and everybody is really welcoming.

Q: Have you raced the circuit in any other form?
Romain Grosjean: It’s true that it’s my favourite circuit on the Xbox, though it’s certainly bumpier in real life than sat at home on your sofa!

Q: You like street circuits and were quick in Monaco; can we expect more of the same pace at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve?
Romain Grosjean: I enjoy the sensation of being close to the walls; although as I learnt this year in Monaco… I don’t enjoy the sensation of being too close to the walls! Montreal is different from Monaco as there are some long straights and big braking moments. The track surface can also present challenges as we’ve seen in past seasons, so it will be interesting to see what the grip level is like this year. Finally, the weather in Montreal can be quite changeable as we’ve seen many times. I’m sure it’ll be a challenging and exciting Grand Prix.

Q: Does the Canadian event present any particular challenges, being a long haul amidst the European season?
Romain Grosjean: I arrive a little earlier to help beat the jet lag. Sometimes the challenge of beating the jet lag and getting a decent sleep can be as hard to solve as finding the right setup for the car! I’ll be getting plenty of exercise and hopefully getting some good sleep at the right time too!

Q: It’s been a mixed season for you so far; how would you assess it?
Romain Grosjean: On paper it’s not as good as we would have wanted it to be, but I’m happy with all my performances so far except for Monaco. I have been doing my best every time, the pace is there and every time we manage to improve the car. I just have to keep doing my best and see where we go from there.

June 1, 2013
Monaco F1 Grand Prix Preview Quotes: Lotus

Here are the preview quotes from the Lotus Formula One team ahead of the Monaco F1 Grand Prix.

Kimi Raikkonen

You must be feeling pretty good with your championship position and the performance of the car this season?

Well, we’re not in first place so we can’t be too happy. For sure it’s not a nightmare, but we’ve still got a lot of races yet to come and anything can happen in Formula 1. Monaco’s a different challenge, so we’ll have to see what happens there this year.

Last year’s Monaco Grand Prix was not one of the team’s better outings, so you’ll be hoping for better this year?

We certainly won’t make the mistakes we made last time. There were a few things we didn’t do right over the weekend and we suffered because of that. Sometimes that’s the way it goes, but the important thing is not to make the same mistakes again.

How do you define the Monaco Grand Prix?

It’s useless to put races in different categories, because all of them are as important as each other if you want to win a Championship. However, as a real special race there is nothing like Monaco; there is no better feeling than to get things going well there. To race in the streets of Monte Carlo is really different from everywhere else and it’s a challenge I look forward to every year. It is very, very difficult – almost impossible in fact – to have a clean weekend down there.

You won in Monaco in 2005; how did that feel?

I’ve only managed to get it right once before and you really experience the greatest feeling you can get by winning it. My win in 2005 ranks up there with my most memorable, so to win it again would be just as special.

What’s the challenge behind the wheel?

It’s such a narrow, twisty track; you have to be extra sharp and focused through every single metre. It gives such a good feeling; a fast lap around Monaco. Overtaking is almost impossible, so to really enjoy racing there you have to be in the front.

What about the atmosphere?

Monaco is always special. It’s an interesting place to go to, with a lot of fans and a lot of parties going on; or so I’m told. It’s a completely different atmosphere from anywhere else.

What’s your approach to the weekend?

We have to focus on qualifying. It’s a difficult place to race as it’s so narrow and – as I said before – passing is nearly impossible. I was stuck behind Rubens [Barrichello] in 2009 and we had KERS then, but you just couldn’t get past. We’ll have to see how the tyres perform and if there are any good strategies to be made, but the most important thing is to qualify well. It’s difficult to know how good the car will be in Monaco as you can’t simulate its characteristics; certainly not at any of the circuits we’ve visited so far this year anyway. We can say the E21’s been fast everywhere else so let’s hope it’s also fast there.

With qualifying so important, is it a worry that this doesn’t seem to be one of the E21’s strongest areas?

We’ll do the best we can, but of course everyone will be trying to be on the front row. It’s not impossible for us, but we won’t know how good we are until we get there. We know that tyre changes have to be made so there are opportunities if you run a different strategy to your rivals, but it’s certainly more difficult here than anywhere else.

Romain Grosjean

How frustrating was the Spanish Grand Prix?

I can’t lie and say I wasn’t frustrated! As a driver you want to race every lap possible, especially when you’ve got a good car. That said, at least with a technical problem like we experienced it’s easier to move on as it was immediately obvious that it was a component failure rather than being caused by a mistake, contact or driving off the track. In the race itself, I didn’t make the best start but after that I was on the pace and we know we’re able to have strong race strategies, so there was potential for a good result. The car was feeling pretty good until the issue with the rear suspension.

When did you feel there was something wrong?

It was a sudden sensation that something was wrong, and it was clear straight away that we wouldn’t be able to continue in the race. I returned to the pits and that was the end.

What do you do after a short race like this?

Get out of the car, speak with your engineers to confirm if there’s anything more which can be done, then you join the crew to watch the rest of the race. Sometimes you can give some extra information to the engineers on the pit wall which might assist them. After the chequered flag you have a quick debrief as you would after a race where you’ve completed all the laps, though if there are only eight laps to talk about it doesn’t take too long. The full post-race analysis takes place with the engineers afterwards, back at Enstone.

Monaco next, a track you really love…

It’s going to be fantastic to be racing there again. It’s like a home race to me and it’s a circuit I really love. We were quick there last year so I hope we’re quick again. It’s a crazy week with all the focus and attention, but everyone loves Monaco. I’ve got a week to get some rest before it all starts. I can’t wait.

What is so special about Monaco?

Monaco is a very special event in its own right, and the atmosphere is quite crazy! As a driver you have to stay calm and relaxed and try to do your job. It is a track that doesn’t allow any mistakes. You have to respect it and that is the key there. For me it’s fantastic for there to be so many French fans, and I’m looking forward to their support.

It’s a very particular and distinct track; how do you think the E21 will perform there?

Well this is what we will discover. Monaco is quite a specialist track and it is very difficult to say if a car will be suited to it or not. It’s bumpy on the straights and it’s a very low grip surface. All these things mean that you never know what to expect. On a more normal racetrack you know more what you are going to get. I hope we will have a pleasant surprise and that the car will suit Monaco’s unique challenges. That would be nice.

What do you want to achieve in the sixth race of the season?

I have to be honest and say I want to be on the podium again. I experienced it for the first time last season, and it felt just as good this year too. A podium result in Monaco would be amazing.

May 21, 2013
Fernando Alonso commands the Bulls in Barcelona – Spanish Grand Prix Results

Fernando Alonso brought the Spanish crowd into sheer ecstasy when he beat the rest of the field to take the win in Barcelona.

He finished ahead of Kimi Raikkonen with what really was a commanding lead.

Team mate Felipe Massa finished third to take the final spot on the podium for his first podium of the season.

Here are the full Spanish Grand Prix Results.

Full race review to follow.

May 12, 2013
Kimi Raikkonen Q&A

Despite being on or near the top of the time sheets all weekend in Barcelona Kimi Raikkonen qualified fourth ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix today. Here’s what he had to say to reporters after qualifying.

Q: Kimi, you’ll start from P4 tomorrow – one of your best qualifying result so far this season. What do you make of that?
Kimi Raikkonen: Well, I have to make a good start and then I take it from there. What else do you expect I do? Mercedes have not been as strong in the races as they have been in qualifying so everything seems possible.

Q: After the morning session had you hoped for a spot on the first row of the grid?
Kimi Raikkonen: It’s been pretty good all weekend long, but unfortunately during qualifying it was a bit more windy than it was in the morning session and that made it a bit more tricky in Sector 3. For sure we didn’t have the speed of Mercedes, but we have seen that before so I am open for anything in the race.

Q: Did you have had any idea before qualifying where you would fit in?
Kimi Raikkonen: After I made it into Q3 it could have been P1 or P10. Everything is pretty tight, so I am satisfied where I am as it was the best qualifying result in quite a while.

Q: A penalty points system for drivers has been spoken about recently. Sebastian Vettel clearly said in the FIA press conference that he is not in favour of it. What is your opinion?
Kimi Raikkonen: Why should I make a comment over something that is not finalized yet? Nothing has been decided and I am sure there will be changes made to the proposal. We always had penalties when a driver did something wrong – now they are looking at a new catalogue for handling misbehaviour. The best way to avoid being confronted with any penalties? Do nothing wrong, don’t break the rules – then you’re fine!

Q: Do you expect Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso will be in close combat tomorrow? Alonso sure wants to put on a show in front of his home crowd…
Kimi Raikkonen: How would I know what’s on Alonso’s agenda! Go and ask him.

Q: Do you think that you can do one stop less than the others or will it be an equal playing field?
Kimi Raikkonen: We will sit down and discuss our strategy this evening. And you would have to tie me to a stake to get a word out of me! All I can say is that we will see a very interesting race tomorrow and that is what fans want to see.

May 11, 2013
No more playing the James card for Lotus – James Allison departs as technical director

News broke earlier today that Lotus technical director James Allison is leaving the team.

Allison, highly regarded in the F1 paddock, is very much considered to be the mastermind behind Lotus’ speed and as technical director had become a vital member of the Enstone based team.

Allison joined the team in 1991 while still in its previous guise of Benneton. He had spells at both Larrousse and Ferrari but returned to Renault in 2005 after which he was appointed the technical director in 2009. News of his departure came as a surprise too many, especially in the midst of a season for which Lotus has high hopes.

Naturally, it remains to early to speculate on what effect Allison’s departure will have on the team but losing such an integral and important member of the team will certainly have some impact. Team owner, Gerard Lopez was quoted as saying that only ‘shock events’ could potentially derail Lotus’ quest for a top three finish in the championship – does this qualify Mr. Lopez?

The announcement of Allison’s departure will further intensify rumours that Kimi Raikkonen may be looking elsewhere for a race seat in the near future. Lotus’ biggest drawcard for retaining Raikkonen has been the potential to deliver a race-winning car and with the leaving of James Allison that potential has significantly decreased.

While it looks likely that Allison may join Ferrari, Lotus have appointed Nick Chester as its new technical director.

May 8, 2013
Spanish Grand Prix Preview Quotes: Lotus F1 Team

The Lotus F1 Team’s Spanish Grand Prix Preview Quotes. Lotus are chasing another good result and better pace during qualifying.

Kimi Raikkonen:
Q: Yourself and the team currently occupy P2 in both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships; are you pleased with how things are going?
Kimi Raikkonen: For sure it’s an okay start and we’re in a better position that this time last year, but there’s a long season ahead and it’s too early to say if we can fight for the Championships right to the end. It’s going to be hard to catch Sebastian [Vettel] if he keeps taking good results so we need to start taking more points from him, but you never know what can happen. We’ll keep pushing to improve the car and see where we end up.

Q: What’s required to bridge that gap to P1?
Kimi Raikkonen: Some more wins! To catch the leaders, we have to work twice as hard as they are. It’s no secret that we want more speed from the car in qualifying; it’s so tight up there at the front and we really need to be on the first two rows to fight for victories every time. It’s good to be able to start the European season where we are as this is when you see teams starting to push on with lots of new parts for the cars. It’s still early days, but to have scored strong points since the start of the year is obviously better than not having them. We need to keep scoring points in the same way; even if it’s a bad weekend for us, we need to keep finishing as well as we can. That’s how we will fight to the end of the season.

Q: How is the Circuit of Catalunya for you?
Kimi Raikkonen: I have won twice in Barcelona and I was on the podium there last year too, so I really look forward to going there again; hopefully to end the weekend with another good result. It’s a circuit where you have to get everything exactly right to be at the top. All the teams have tested many times at this circuit, so to get an advantage there is not very easy. The set-up is crucial as the track changes with the wind and temperature so there’s plenty of work for the engineers too.

Q: Is it good to be racing in Europe again?
Kimi Raikkonen: I really like racing in Europe. We don’t have to travel that far so all your energy is saved for the weekend itself. Traditionally the real season starts when coming back to Europe. For me, it’s great.

Q: The Circuit de Catalunya is the only circuit at which you’ve tested the E21 so far; does that help matters?
Kimi Raikkonen: That’s true, but you have to remember that was at the end of February and the beginning of March so conditions were very different compared to what we hope to see in May. It was very difficult to get the tyres working properly when we were last there, but it was the same for everybody. We all start from zero again in FP1.

Q: The team didn’t get so much mileage at Barcelona during testing, but reliability doesn’t seem to be so much of a concern now the season is underway?
Kimi Raikkonen: I didn’t have that many laps there in testing as there were problems with the car and I also missed a day as I was unwell. That said, me and the team know the track pretty well so I don’t think we’ll be too surprised about which way the track goes or what setup to use on the car. Even though I didn’t get a lot of mileage in pre-season, the main thing was I felt good in the car the whole time. Our car seems to be good at every circuit so far…

Q: You were quite reserved after the podium finish in Bahrain; were you happy with the result?
Kimi Raikkonen: You’re never really happy if you don’t win, but I suppose second place is as close as you can get. We could maybe have been a few places higher in in qualifying which would have made things easier, but I drove to the maximum and luckily we found the pace in the car that was missing in qualifying. Let’s hope I’m happier in Spain.

Romain Grosjean
Q: After a start to the season which fell short of your high expectations, why did everything come good in Bahrain?
Romain Grosjean: It’s no secret that before Bahrain my feeling hasn’t been right with the car. It wasn’t the chassis, the aero or anything like that, but we took a while to get everything to my liking and that’s been frustrating. We managed to put our finger on the issue and I feel much more comfortable now. I really had a good sensation behind the wheel on Sunday in Bahrain, and a podium position at the end of the race was the result. I could put the car more or less where I wanted which is all you want as a driver. Third place was a deserved reward for everyone after all our hard work.

Q: How good was it to get that podium after your tough start to the year?
Romain Grosjean: The race was really enjoyable with a lot of overtaking. There were a couple of tense moments where maybe things got a little too close, but it was a lot of fun! To come from P11 through to the podium is really satisfying. I saw P4 on the board and Paul [Di Resta] was not too far ahead, so I thought “come on, this is the podium, let’s go!” I knew I had fresher tyres but it wasn’t easy as I had to push but at the same time look after them, which is hard for a driver when you have another car in your sights. Luckily we managed to get past near the end, pull out a small gap and maintain it until the flag!

Q: How do you feel the E21 is evolving?
Romain Grosjean: We’ve been able to see progress with the lap times so we know that the upgrades being brought in are working. Last year’s car was already very competitive – we achieved a total of 10 podiums in 2012 – so it’s good to see the team has retained and developed the best performing areas of the 2012 car for the E21. For me, after Bahrain, I’m feeling much more at home with the car and I hope that there will be many successes to come in 2013.

Q: What are your thoughts on the topic of tyre management?
Romain Grosjean: Tyre management has always been part of the qualifying and race strategy. I don’t know about others, I just know that I always push as much as I can to obtain the best result possible. Of course, if you drive a certain way or adapt yourself you can get more out of the tyres than if you don’t, but that’s just part of being a racing driver; you always have to adapt to extract maximum performance.

Q: What will be the key to a good weekend in Spain?
Romain Grosjean: In Barcelona it will be important to qualify well as it will be much harder to overtake than in Bahrain. As a team, this is an area where we can still improve a little bit, but we have some ideas of how to do that and hopefully we’ll be able to make the front row.

Q: What are your thoughts on the Circuit de Catalunya?
Romain Grosjean: Everyone knows Barcelona very well from testing. The first four corners which make up the first sector are pretty fast, then there’s the slow final sector with between turns 10-15. Out of turn 15 you need a good rear end of the car with strong traction. It’s important not to overheat your rear tyres and managing degradation will be important – even with the harder tyres which are now allocated – as when you reach high degradation levels on your tyres you are nowhere on lap time. Tyre management will still be the key area for a good performance in the race.

Q: What do you need to keep getting podium results?
Romain Grosjean: To keep finishing in front of the competition! We’ve had consistency already, finishing every race in the points, but now it’s the big results we’re chasing and getting the car as I want it has been a vital ingredient. Now I have the tools that I want at my disposal I can really push. In some ways you can say my season starts now! My podium in Bahrain was a very good start to that challenge. If we keep working the way we have been so far this season as a team I’m sure we can achieve great things.

May 4, 2013
No bullshit with Raikkonen as team mate, says Vettel

In the aftermath of the Multi-21 saga and with speculation around Red Bull considering Kimi Raikkonen as a replacement for Mark Webber next season, Sebastian Vettel has told Sport Bild that he would be happy if that were the case.

“I don’t care who my team mate is. If you want to win, you have to beat everyone” said the German world champ.

“If Kimi was my teammate, fine! We have no problem with each other and we’re mature enough to deal with it even in a difficult situation. I get along well with him,” said Vettel. “He’s just very honest. There’s no bullshit with him.”

Raikkonen also only has good things to say about Vettel but has been very careful not to give away anything about his future plans beyond his contract with the Lotus F1 team.

“We trust each other in a duel to not do anything stupid,” said Raikkonen.

“We’re both open and honest. If we were to crash, we would probably complain about each other, but that’s just normal.”

There is no confirmation from Red Bull regarding the potential move but rumours continue to circulate and there is clearly no love lost between Vettel and Webber so it is doubtful whether Webber will continue with the team.

Eric Boullier has commented that Kimi would be better served staying with the Lotus F1 team where he would not need to play second fiddle to Sebastian Vettel.

April 29, 2013