The plans for all 2010 teams to launch their cars at the same time in a common launch have been scrapped.
The issues with the possible joint launch due to be held in Valencia next month were that it was thought that certain teams would get more coverage than others, and some teams like Lotus said that they would not have a car ready by the time of the common launch.
The idea has not been scrapped forever however, as FOTA will re-evaluate the concept for the 2011 season.
Lotus have today confirmed their drivers for the 2010 Formula 1 season – Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen in race seats with Fairuz Fauzy the team’s third driver. The announcement was made by Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Najib Tun Razak in Kuala Lumpur.
Trulli was left without a drive when Toyota left F1 at the end of the 2009 season. He is a veteran of 219 races, collecting 246.5 career points but just one win since his first race in 1997. He has driven for Jordan, Renault and Toyota.
28-year-old Kovalainen has been in F1 since 2007 where he raced for Renault before moving to McLaren for 2008 and 2009, before being replaced by Jenson Button for 2010. Kovalainen has raced in F1 52 times, collecting 105 points but only one race win.
Fairuz Fauzy, a Malaysian driver now on a Malaysian team at Lotus. 27-year-old Fauzy is a veteran in the formulae below F1. This year Fauzy finished 2nd in the World Series by Renault.
Today it has been announced that all 13 Formula 1 teams who will compete in 2010 will have a joint car launch.
This cost-cutting initiative is likely to take place at the Ciudad de las Artes y de las Ciencias complex in Valencia on January 30, and is backed by most teams.
Mercedes Chief Executive Nick Fry said;
“We’ve agreed among the teams to do a joint launch. It’s a demonstration of how we’re working together.”
The boss of the new team Lotus – Tony Fernandes said that the supposed launch on January 30 2010 is too soon for his team, who plan to roll out their car in February. He joked;
“I won’t have a car at that time. I could come with a Matchbox car.”
Former F1 driver Alex Yoong has been assigned a senior role at the new Malaysian backed team Lotus.
The 33 year old Yoong who raced 18 times in F1 for the Minardi team from 2001-2002 has been assigned the role of running the team’s young driver development programme.
Team boss Tony Fernandes said;
“These new senior appointments will be a great boost. The team have achieved many important milestones and we are on track to be on the grid in Bahrain next year.”
Lotus F1 have announced today that they have signed their first driver for 2010, however have yet to release the name of said driver.
Tony Fernandes, via social media website Twitter announced:
“One Malaysia formula one team aka lotus has signed it’s first driver. Public announcement soon. The dream continues.”
In recent weeks Jarno Trulli has been strongly linked with a move to the new team, since Toyota’s demise, and CTO Mike Gascoigne hardly denying that they were interested in the driver. Lotus have also stated that they’re looking for experienced drivers in order to move the team forward with development, rather than cheaper rookie drivers.
Recently unemployed Toyota driver Kamui Kobayashi has expressed his interest in taking a seat with upcoming team Lotus F1 in 2010. Kobayashi, who impressed many in the F1 paddock in the final 2 races of the 2009 season when replacing injured Timo Glock, was linked with a permanent drive with Toyota. That was, until they suddenly quit the sport earlier this week.
Kobayashi spoke with TheF1Times, telling them,
“Obviously my seat there is gone, I was close to signing the contract for that season only, but with four new teams, and a couple of current ones with no confirmed drivers, there are options, but to the current teams, I am a ‘risk’, which isn’t very good for my morale really”
This would suggest Kobayashi and his management team have already had discussions with some of the key players in the paddock, not very successful ones. On Lotus specifically Kobayashi said,
“I do believe I’ll get a seat, if I had to choose a team, I’d choose Lotus. The name is enough really… I think for me, my options are the four new teams really.”
Whilst Kobayashi may be eyeing up a Lotus seat, he’ll likely find it a little difficult after Mike Gascoyne of Lotus F1 recently said that the team were focussed on experienced drivers only, specifically stating “We are not looking for pay drivers or new drivers”, of which Kobayashi is clearly the latter.
That said, his ex team Toyota are doing all they can to try and secure him, and his fellow Japanese driver Kazuki Nakajima a race seat for 2010, since Nakajima has also lost out after being replaced by Williams test driver Nico Hulkenberg.
Kobayashi also recently revealed that if it all falls through in his F1 bid, he’ll be back to making sushi in his father’s restaurant. Our view: not the best way for a talented Formula One driver to spend the rest of his days!
For more information on the Formula 1 driver lineup for 2010, check out our Ultimate Guide.
Jarno Trulli is slowly emerging as a clear favourite to sit in a race seat for Lotus F1 in the 2010 season. Trulli recently became unemployed when his current team Toyota, pulled out of the sport due to economic reasons. Speaking with Autosport recently, Chief Technical Officer Mike Gascoyne told them on Trulli,
“He is one of the guys we would like to. Jarno has, over one lap, always been sensational. That is even more important in a new team because you need to know where you are on a Saturday. Jarno can always give you that.”
Gascoyne had previously stated that they’re aim is to get 2 drivers in the car with experience under their belt,
“We are not looking for pay drivers or new drivers. We think that is very important for the team”
With the team having a lot to learn about their brand new car when they finally get it on the track, the best they need is real, solid, experienced feedback from the drivers, something a rookie is unlikely to give them.
With a number of other experienced drivers currently on the market due to the departure of BMW Sauber as well this season, Lotus could easily find 2 highly qualified drivers for their outfit – if they can afford them.
Malaysia’s Lotus Formula One team has today announced they have appointed Riad Asmat as chief executive who will oversee the team’s motorsport programme.
Asmat who is 38, was a general manager at Proton prior to this appointment, will work with the new Malaysian backed F1 team Lotus, whom are aiming for a roll out of the new car in mid-February to test it before the season opener in Bahrain in March.
Team principal Tony Fernandes said:
“Riad’s expertise, which is a good blend of both corporate experience and motorsports knowledge, will provide the dynamic and success-oriented leadership that the Malaysian team requires,”
“I’m confident that his knowledge of motorsports coupled with vast experience will contribute to the success of the 1 Malaysia F1 Team.”
“All of us in the 1Malaysia Formula One Team understand that this is a very important first step for the nation,”
“We’ll make it our key objective to build a very strong and robust foundation moving forward.”
