LOTUS T128
Team Lotus launched its car, T128, online in the early hours of Monday morning, a move according with name dispute with their rivals Lotus-Renault which is also laying claim to the Lotus name. The car was originally supposed to be called the TL11 which, according to the team, was to simplify what could have been another point of contention with Renault over the use of the name "Lotus".
Lotus had always admitted that last year's T127 was a deliberately conservative machine built simply to get the team onto the grid in a very limited timescale, rather than with outright performance in mind. It halted development on the 2010 car early in the season to focus on the 2011 design, which is more in line with modern F1 practice, and features Renault V8 power and transmission systems from Red Bull.
The images released so far suggest the car features a more intricate front wing design, sharply sculpted sidepods, as well as a more conventional higher nose, and an airbox and roll hoop reminiscent of the 2010 Mercedes, suggesting Lotus has found a way around the rules that appeared to have outlawed such blade designs.
SAUBER C30
Sauber today present its new C30 car in Valencia, with the goal of providing greater consistency and more points finishes in 2011. The new C30 features a fully integrated blown diffuser, and the team has been able to sculpt the sidepods more aggressively through fitting its radiators more vertically. Sauber has also opted to use a single mounting for its rear-wing, rather than the twin-mounting arrangement it used on the C29.
Peter Sauber, team principal said:
"We want to finish in the points regularly and clearly improve our position in the FIA Formula 1 constructors' world championship. 2010 marked the 41st year of our company history and one of the most difficult. Never before had we faced such reliability problems, but we managed to overcome them in the second half of the season. We implemented some well-considered structural changes. The appointment of James Key as Technical Director already bore fruit last season, and he is now in charge of development of the Sauber C30. At the same time, we have managed to secure our business foundation for the 2011 season. In these economically straitened times that is something we can be proud of too."
Ferrari has launched its 2011 car, the F150, at its base in Maranello, Italy. It is the first new car to be launched this year and, weather permitting, will be in action this afternoon on the team's private Fiorano test track for promotional filming. The car carries the hopes of Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa, who finished second and sixth in the drivers' title last year.
Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali is well aware that the team lost vital ground in the early stages of last year, so he is keen for the F150 to be competitive from the off, he said:
"For 2011 our goals are very clear, that we are aiming to win both the titles, constructors' and drivers' titles, this must be the goal of our team. And so the expectations, that of being able to have a car competitive from the start, a reliable car, a strong car, and I have to say that we've seen this last year. If you're not perfect within such a competitive environment, with opponents that are so strong with teams, which also varied numerically, then it becomes difficult to win."
