Lotus is hitting back in the wake of reports it might be counted among F1's most struggling teams. Owner Gerard Lopez led the charge vocally late last year when fellow midfielders Force India and Sauber were railing against the unfairness of the sport's income distribution model. At the time, Lotus was also in a competitive crisis, having slumped from fourth overall in 2012 and 2013 to a woeful eighth in 2014.
Lead driver Romain Grosjean likened driving last year's car to trying to shoot baskets with a rugby ball, but Lotus has now switched to industry-leading Mercedes power and the first signs from the new E23 car were positive. "It reminded me of driving the 2013 car," Frenchman Grosjean is quoted by Brazil's Globo, "when it was common for us to be among the best ones. "There is now a process for us to get back to that stage, but I do not think it will take long," he added.
Not just that, Lotus is also painting a picture of more robust financial health, within memory of reports that staff, suppliers and even drivers went through periods of not being paid. Team owner Lopez told the French magazine Auto Hebdo this week that the Enstone team's deficit last year was "only $1 million", after key sponsors upped their deals. "We had an exceptional balance statement at the end of 2014 with a deficit of only $1 million," he announced. "These most probably are the strongest financial results of any privateers on the grid."
It means Lotus' technical boss Nick Chester has been given the green light to put the throttle down on turning the 2015-spec E23 into a frontrunner. "Our technical director has been given carte blanche to plan an aggressive development programme," Lopez confirmed to Globo. (GMM)
Lotus paints picture of more robust financial health
- Published on 19 Feb 2015 10:16
-
0
- By: Rob Veenstra
.
Trending news
-
Verstappen's Worst Season Start in Ten Years: The Numbers Behind the SlumpThree races in, Max Verstappen has twelve points and sits ninth in the world championship. By his own exceptional sta...
03 Apr 2026 16:14 -
Drivers' WhatsApp Group Has "Exploded" as GPDA Confirms Widespread Frustration With 2026 RulesThe discontent among Formula 1 drivers over the 2026 regulations is not a Max Verstappen problem. It is a paddock-wid...
03 Apr 2026 14:58 -
Windsor Predicts Verstappen Will Leave F1: "The Rules Have Reduced Him to an Ordinary Driver"Peter Windsor has gone further than most analysts in his assessment of Max Verstappen's future. The veteran journ...
03 Apr 2026 13:57 -
Reconstruction: Antonelli Is Creating a Verstappen-Style Culture Shock at MercedesFormula 1 appears to have a new prodigy. Andrea Kimi Antonelli has won his first two races in China and Japan, taken ...
03 Apr 2026 12:58 -
Argentina Is Seriously Pursuing a Return to the Formula 1 CalendarFranco Colapinto has done something for Argentine motorsport that no amount of marketing could replicate: he has made...
03 Apr 2026 11:56
Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Local time
-
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Local time
-
Friday
-
Saturday
-
Sunday
-
Friday
-
Saturday
-
Sunday
Test calendar
Circuit de Catalunya - Winter testing
-
Jan 26
I. Hadjar
- 1:18.159
-
-
-
Jan 27
M. Verstappen
- 1:19.578
-
-
-
Jan 28
A. Antonelli
- 1:17.362
-
-
-
Jan 29
G. Russell
- 1:16.445
-
-
-
Jan 30
L. Hamilton
- 1:16.348
-
-
Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
-
Feb 11
L. Norris
- 1:34.669
-
-
-
Feb 12
C. Leclerc
- 1:34.273
-
-
-
Feb 13
A. Antonelli
- 1:33.669
-
-
Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
-
Feb 18
G. Russell
- 1:33.459
-
-
Feb 19
A. Antonelli
- 1:32.803
-
-
Feb 20
C. Leclerc
- 1:31.992
-
-
World Championship standings 2026
Pos
Driver
Team
Points
Pos
Team
Points
Related news
Give your opinion!
Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Spain
-
Bahrain
-
Bahrain
Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
-
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
-
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
-
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
6 - Mar 8
Australia
Albert Park
13 - Mar 15
27 - Mar 29
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
10 - Apr 12
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Apr 19
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
1 - May 3
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
22 - May 24
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
5 - Jun 7
Monaco
Monte Carlo
12 - Jun 14
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
Driver profile
- Team -
- Points -
- Podiums -
- Grand Prix -
- Country FR
- Date of b. Apr 17 1986 (39)
- Place of b. Geneve, FR
- Weight 71 kg
- Length 1.8 m
3 members have this team as their favourite
Tweets about Romain Grosjean
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
- 16 members have this team as their favourite
- Tweets about Lotus F1
Replies (0)
Login to reply