Lotus claims its troubled 2014 car is often better than a Williams or a McLaren. Actually, the Enstone based team is badly suffering with its E22, plagued with issues related to the problematic Renault 'power unit'.
"We are still in the learning process," chief engineer Alan Permane told Germany's Auto Motor und Sport. "I suppose we need to make exactly the step that Red Bull made between the Bahrain test and Melbourne."
There was, however, a glimmer of hope for crisis-struck Lotus in Malaysia, when Romain Grosjean at least managed to finish the race, albeit outside the points. "For us it's a big step," Permane insisted, "even though we're not usually happy with eleventh. But the times in the second sector showed that our car is fast in the corners. Faster than a Williams or McLaren," he claims.
"In the other two sectors we are behind, especially in braking," Permane admitted. "We have a decent car, but we're lagging behind with the power unit, even compared with other Renault teams. But that's our fault," he said.
Permane admitted that skipping the first official test at Jerez has had consequences. "We are just behind in time," he explained. "We missed the opportunity to recognise the problems early on and sort them out. We will make a development step with the drivetrain in Bahrain, a major one in China and then another one in Spain," Permane revealed. (GMM)
Lotus 'faster than a Williams or McLaren' - Permane
- Published on 03 Apr 2014 12:07
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- By: Rob Veenstra
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
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Spain
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Bahrain
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Bahrain
Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
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Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
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Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
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Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
6 - Mar 8
Australia
Albert Park
13 - Mar 15
27 - Mar 29
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10 - Apr 12
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Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Apr 19
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1 - May 3
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Miami International Autodrome
22 - May 24
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Gilles Villeneuve
5 - Jun 7
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Monte Carlo
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Circuit de Catalunya
26 - Jun 28
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Red Bull Ring
3 - Jul 5
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Silverstone
17 - Jul 19
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
24 - Jul 26
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Hungaroring
21 - Aug 23
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
Driver profile
- Team -
- Points -
- Podiums -
- Grand Prix -
- Country France
- Date of b. Apr 17 1986 (40)
- Place of b. Geneve, France
- Weight 71 kg
- Length 1.8 m
3 members have this team as their favourite
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Team profile
- Team name Lotus F1
- Base Enstone, United Kingdom
- Daniel Ricciardo 3
- Kimi Räikkönen 7
- Romain Grosjean 8
- Kimi Räikkönen 9
- Romain Grosjean 10
- Pastor Maldonado 13
- Pastor Maldonado 13
- Kevin Magnussen 20
- Nico Hülkenberg 27
- Jolyon Palmer 30
- Esteban Ocon 31
- Carlos Sainz jr 55
- 65,124 comments on Lotus F1
- 17 members have this team as their favourite
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