Caterham F1 Era End

maocheng

Sunday at Yas Marina                                                   

• Added: Sun 13 Nov, 2011

   
                        

Team Lotus Information

Distance from Abu Dhabi to Sao Paulo (approx.): 11,592 kms
Time spent at full throttle on RS27 engine between T7 & T8:14 seconds
Approx. number of AirAsia crew at work in the air on a typicalday across total route network: 550

Weather
Dry
Min / max air temp: 25˚ / 27˚
Min / max track temp: 28˚ / 35˚

Runplan
Driver: Jarno Trulli
Chassis: T128-03
1632: Car leaves for grid
Start on soft tyres
Lap 17: Pitstop 1 (soft tyres)
Lap 43: Pitstop 2 (medium tyres)
Finished 18th

Runplan
Driver: Heikki Kovalainen
Chassis: T128-04
1631: Car leaves for grid
Start on soft tyres
Lap 16: Pitstop 1 (soft tyres)
Lap 39: Pitstop 2 (medium tyres)
Finished 17th

Heikki Kovalainen, Car 20 - Chassis T128-04: "Another prettygood start and from there the whole race was straightforward. Ididn't have any issues for the whole race, the pitstops were goodand the strategy worked out exactly was we'd planned, so across thewhole weekend this has been another strong event for us. What seemsto be happening is that in the first couple of stints, as the racesort of settles down, we are able to keep up with the cars ahead,and that's obviously a sign of how we have progressed, and that'sagain what happened here. When we went onto the primes for the laststint the pace obviously dropped a bit but we had another strongpush to the end, with Senna losing time on his final set of tyres,and that points to us being able to fight much more closely nextyear. For now we have one race left, so we'll shift the focus nowto Brazil and make sure we finish the season as strongly as we havebeen doing since Singapore."

Jarno Trulli, Car 21 - Chassis T128-03: "I lost a few places atthe start with clutch slip, but within a few laps I had got passedthe cars we needed to fight and then focused on making sure I gotthe car to the end of the race. The second stint was pretty strong,but then on the last stint on the hard tyres I was struggling toget them up to temperature so I couldn't really push any more. Thishas been a bit of a tough weekend. I came here with a bit of afever and then losing time in FP3 obviously set me back as well,but now I want to make sure I have as good a race as possible inBrazil and help the team secure tenth place."

Thierry Salvi, Renault Sport F1 Support Leader: "I think wemanaged to get as much as we could hope for today. We have beenfocusing on giving the drivers the right mix of top-end speed,rear-end stability and good responsiveness in the low to mid-speedcorners, and I think Heikki's early pace showed that we keep goingin the right direction."

Mike Gascoyne, Chief Technical Officer: "A solid race for us andgood to see both cars across the finish line with no problems allafternoon. We opted for the same strategy on both cars, running thefirst two stints on the soft tyres and switching to the mediums atthe end and it worked out how we had planned it would. Jarno lostsome time at the start but he pulled some of that back with astrong middle stint but was then hit by the number of blue flagsthat he had to slow down for. At the end of the race Heikki wasonce again chasing down the Renault but just was not able to getpast him with the laps he had left. Now we move on to the last raceof the season in Brazil where we will be focusing on the season'snumber on goal - securing tenth place and giving ourselves theplatform we need to keep building for the future."

Riad Asmat, Group CEO: "We leave Abu Dhabi feeling pretty goodabout the way the weekend went for the whole team, particularlyseeing Heikki having another storming race and mixing it in themidfield for a good part of the afternoon. We keep edging closer totenth place, and while that is not a step forward for us inchampionship terms, compared to last year, it is vital for ourlong-term growth, and when we can carry over the step-up we havemade this year in the pitstops, in the factory and in our racepace, we are putting ourselves in the right place for next seasonand beyond. One more race to go and we will make sure we keep upthis level or performance in Brazil before the race team takes awell-earned break."

maocheng

TEAM LOTUS ADDS RODOLFO GONZALEZ TO ABU DHABI YOUNG DRIVER TEST

Abu Dhabi - 14th November 2011

Team Lotus has confirmed that Rodolfo Gonzalez will be joining Alexander Rossi and Luiz Razia for the Abu Dhabi young driver test at the Yas Marina Circuit, 15th – 17th November 2011.

Gonzalez will drive on the 15th, Razia on the 16th and Rossi on the 17th.

Riad Asmat, Team Lotus Group CEO: “We worked with Rodolfo last year at the same test and he performed well for us in the step up to F1. With Rodolfo, Alexander and Luiz we have three talented up and coming drivers who will be keen to learn as much as possible, as well as show us they have the pace and temperament to succeed in Formula One.”

Rodolfo Gonzalez: “I am really pleased to be back with Team Lotus again in Abu Dhabi. Last year I learned a lot in the time I had with the team, and another year on I am sure I can keep developing on and off track with this opportunity.”

maocheng

Abu Dhabi young                                                    driver test: Day 1                                                   

• Added: Tue 15 Nov, 2011

   
                        

Abu Dhabi young driver test: Day 1 - Tuesday 15th November2011

Driver: Rodolfo Gonzalez (VEN)
Chassis: T128-04
Best time: 1:44.022
No of laps completed: 87

Jody Egginton, Chief Engineer: "It was a good daytoday for Rodolfo and the team. We completed the full run planwhich is excellent for a young driver who was last in an F1 car ayear ago. This morning we focused on getting the driver used to thecar and reacquainted with the circuit and then ran an aeroprogramme, which all went to plan. In the afternoon we ran a tyreprogramme, testing the 2012 Pirelli tyres with all the other teams.For the last run of the day we put the soft tyres on and gaveRodolfo the chance to measure his progress on track and put in somefinal quick lap times.

"He performed very well all day and did not put a foot wrong. Hislap times came down throughout the day and I think he is pleasedwith what he has achieved today. He seems very happy with the carand gave good feedback throughout all his runs which is alsoreflected in his performance.

"The next couple of days will be a similar run plan, spending timewith the drivers to get them used to the car and that programmewill stay constant throughout the three days. We will also betaking a look at some new dampers and conduct more tests forPirelli, including some longer runs which have been requested bythem. There will be a number of other background items that we willrun, but the main thing is getting the drivers used to the car andgetting clear and valuable feedback from them."

Rodolfo Gonzalez: "We did a few runs in themorning so I could get used to the car which I found very usefuland it really helped to improve my style of driving. We ran someaerodynamic tests which took half of the morning, with many smalladjustments and set-up changes, and then ran tyre tests on the 2012Pirelli tyres. I'm very happy with the car, and the team have beenabsolutely fantastic and given me a lot of help today.

"I drove the T127 last year which is this car's predecessor and Ican really see the difference and improvements in the T128 andacross the whole team. Obviously the Renault engine and Red Bullgearbox play a big role in the change of the car, but overall itfeels as though it has more downforce and is smoother to drive. Therear end is also more stable which gives me the confidence to pushinto the corners and to get on the power early on the exits.

"It's my dream to drive in Formula One so I'm really very thankfulfor this opportunity. I think I've showed I have potential with thelap times I did, and am pleased with my times overall. I've provedI can do the job and have really enjoyed this experience in the carand learned a lot for my future."

maocheng

Abu Dhabi young                                                    driver test: Day 2                                                   

• Added: Wed 16 Nov, 2011

   
                        

Abu Dhabi young driver test: Day 2 - Wednesday 16th November2011

Driver: Luiz Razia (BRA)
Chassis: T128-04
Number of laps completed: 89
Best time: 1:43.944

Jody Egginton, Chief Race Engineer: "As with allthe drivers throughout the test, we spent most of the morninggetting Luiz used to the car and up to speed with the Pirellityres. We also spent the morning running some damper work, lookingat the correlation with our ride and handling models back at thefactory, and also looking ahead to next year. The programme thismorning was successful and we received some good feedback from thatsession.

"This afternoon we completed the second part of the Pirelli tyretest as part of the 2012 programme, running their three prototypesover short runs. Again, we received good feedback which we'll takeback to the factory and work on analysing with that data, lookingahead to next season.

"At end of day did we did a performance run on the supersoft tyres,but unfortunately a red flag meant we lost the quickest lap of thatprogramme. We sent Luiz out again to give him a few more laps,however the tyres were past their peak so we could not extract thetimes we wanted. But all in all it has been a good day and Luiz hasperformed very well and given valuable feedback without putting afoot wrong. A good day all round."

Luiz Razia: "This morning we did a lot of damperwork for the team looking ahead to the 2012 season, with manyadjustments and evaluation of each run. We also did a performancerun, which was very good as I was able to pick up speed quickly onthe first flying lap.

"Most of the afternoon was dedicated to the 2012 Pirelli tyreprogramme, and we did some evaluation on that, looking at how thetyres behaved. We also did some performance runs this afternoonwith a baseline setup, but unfortunately the red flag meant that Icouldn't complete the best lap possible. The car balance felt goodand I improved on my times so I'm quite happy. What I wanted toachieve was to do as many laps as possible so I was happy with 89laps in total.

"The last time I drove the T128 was in Barcelona; the car hasimproved a lot since then and I feel Pirelli have done a great jobwith the tyres. I feel that the car is easier to drive and I feltmore confident to push and get the most out of it that Icould.

"89 laps under the belt shows how much you can learn in just a day.Perhaps that's why the rookies struggle a little in F1 initially.There was so much to learn today, and an awful lot to think about!It's about trying to give good feedback and also think about what'shappening, and also get the best out the car, which of courseyou're not used to. So it's so important for us to have this test,and this opportunity doesn't come along very often, so I'mextremely grateful and happy to get the time in the car."

maocheng

Abu Dhabi young                                                    driver test: Day 3                                                   

• Added: Thu 17 Nov, 2011

   
                        

Abu Dhabi young driver test: Day 3 - Thursday 17th November2011

Driver: Alexander Rossi (USA)
Chassis: T128-04
Laps: 74
Best time: 1:44:283

Jody Egginton: "It has been another good day.Alexander familiarised himself with the car very quickly andadapted to the new tyres comfortably which meant we could makeprogress all day. Our initial runs were to get him used to the carand settled with the tyres and the team.

"Part two of the run plan was the second part of the damperprogramme that we ran yesterday, which provided us with some veryinteresting data and Alexander gave excellent feedback on thechanges we made. We also gained some good data regarding the rearsuspension work in general. We then progressed to working on someof prototype Pirelli tyres which reconfirmed what we learnedearlier in the week which was good. We then did some performanceruns on two compounds - on the supersoft tyres he put in consistentlaps although we felt we didn't extract the optimum time due to thered flag that was shown. He  has done a brilliant job on hisday's running and he now has a basis on which to build upon. We cansee a few areas where he can improve and there is a lot morepotential there. With another set of tyres on the final performancerun you could expect a half second improvement with Alexander's laptimes.

"The test session has been very useful overall. The variousdepartments at the factory gave us a big list of work to carry outand we accomplished the vast majority of that list which isexcellent and the boys have worked extremely hard throughout thetest. There were a number of rear end changes as we worked on thesuspension, so the team have done a fantastic job to turneverything around and so quickly. Reliability has been good and thedrivers have worked very well. I feel they have enjoyed themselvesand have provided us with clear, useful feedback and data, so allin all a very successful test indeed."

Alexander Rossi: "This morning we started off withgetting used to the car and finding my way with the T128, asobviously it's a big step up from GP2, and I felt comfortablequickly as we worked up to a good setup level. Then our focus wason the damper work for the team, which involved various runs andlooking ahead to the 2012 season, plus a few changes to the rear ofthe car and a few runs with the 2012 Pirelli tyres. In theafternoon we did some performance runs, which I wasn't entirelypleased with, as I felt I could have achieved more, however myfirst day in the car was positive, and I feel there is a lot morepotential to unlock.

"To get behind the wheel and have that much time was really good. Iwas surprised at how much you learn during a day's testing. There'sso much to take in, for example the briefing and debriefingsessions, it's a whole step up from GP2, so it's been an extremelyvaluable day.

"It was really good fun to drive the car, and this car and the teamare pretty special. Being able to work with the team as a driverwas brilliant as I was able to further my relationship with them,with the mechanics and engineers. I now know the team on a personallevel and it's really important to build those relationships. It'sbeen a good day, and I'm happy to get the experience behind thewheel and I think there is a lot more to come."

maocheng

Brazilian Grand Prix View                                                   

• Added: Fri 18 Nov, 2011

   
                        

Brazilian Grand Prix View

2010 Timing

2010 Qualify Result
P1  HUL 1.14.470 Q3  
P2  VET 1.15.519 Q3  
P3  HAM 1.15.637 Q3  
TL best  P20 KOV 1.22.250 Q1 (wet)

2010 Race Result
P1  VET 1.14.283 L70   
P2  WEB 1.14.047 L69   
P3  ALO 1.13.855 L69   
TL best  P18 KOV 1.17.161L69               

Quick description    
Fuel consumption and fuel effect are low compared to othertracks
Kerbs are not a problem and the track is no longer particularlybumpy
Hard race for the drivers with many compressions and a greaterlateral loads than most circuits
Low atmospheric pressure due to highest altitude of the season:~700 m above sea level
Top speed can be reached in T1 or T4 depending on windcondition

Typical balance issue
Traction is usually the main issue

Gears ratio (1st gear/others)
1st gear not used on the track

Circuit particularity
Bumpiness: Medium
Overtaking chance: Low
Kerbs: Smooth
RH setting particularity: None  

Sensitivities   
Engine severity: Medium   
GBX severity: Low   
Lat/Long grip: Lateral   
Aero eff ratio:High               

Track and base setup
Track grip evo during WE: High
Aero settings: Medium / High
Brake wear severity: Medium
Brake cooling necessity: Medium

Team Lotus Partners   
Pirelli tyre compounds in Brazil: Medium /Soft   

Heikki Kovalainen, Car 20 - Chassis T128-04:"This has been a long, hard season and it will be good to bring itto an end in Brazil, but for me this has been one of the bestseasons I have had in motor racing. As the team keeps growing andkeeps developing I've just had to make sure I am driving as hard asI can, and every time I get out of the car I've been satisfied thatI couldn't get any more out of it, so I can't really do any morethan that. There is a great spirit in this team - we are definitelygoing in the right direction, so we will all look back on this yearas another step forward, and then make sure we keep that momentumup as soon as we hit the track in 2012.

"For Brazil there's no reason why we can't have another verystrong weekend. We have a new rear wing that should give us a bitmore quali and race pace, and we have the same medium and soft tyrecompounds we used in Abu Dhabi, so we should be able to put in thesame kind of performances we showed there and in several racesbefore."

Jarno Trulli, Car 21 - Chassis T128-03: "Brazilis a track I always look forward to but one I've never been toolucky at. It's one of the old style tracks, not the stop / startlong straight / tight turn we see at a lot of the modern circuits -it's the sort of place you can build up a good rhythm as it's a mixof high speed turns merging into slower corners and from inside thecockpit that feels good. I want to try and finish the season aswell as I can - the car has felt good in the races and with theupdate we have to the rear wing I think we can finish the seasonwith a step forward in qualifying, so let's see what happens."

Mike Gascoyne, Chief Technical Officer: "Wehead to Brazil in good spirits after a long year but we haveenjoyed a strong latter part of the season. We have been pushingahead since Singapore, and there will not be one person in the teamtaking their foot off the gas until we see both cars cross the lineon Sunday ahead of the teams behind us.

"Our progress on track has been clear to see and another sign ofour ongoing development this year is the fact we are bringing a newrear wing to Brazil. Our race pace has been good all season, but wehave not been able to match that in qualifying, and the update tothe rear wing is designed to help us do that by improving theefficiency of our DRS system. In simple terms, because DRS can beused anywhere on track in qualifying our performances in Q1 havenot matched our race performances where DRS usage is limited, andbringing a new wing that gives us more downforce and improves theefficiency of the system should see us being able to close the gapin qualifying to the cars ahead compared to the previous races.Last year we had stopped development on the T127 halfway throughthe season and this year we have new parts right up to the finalrace and that is how we will be operating next year and for manyseasons to come."

Tony Fernandes, Team Principal: "The BrazilianGrand Prix is a very important race for us for a number of reasons.On track we still have a fight ahead of us to secure our primarygoal of the season, and we will also be saying goodbye to TeamLotus.

"Our stewardship of Team Lotus will come to an end inmid-December.
In our short time as custodians of the brand we have had highs andlows but the fundamental point is that we brought Lotus back intoFormula One and we did it in the right style. We have built up ourFormula One team and all our associated businesses from a startingpoint of an empty factory in Norfolk in just two years, and now wehave secured our future and are in control of our own destiny, andtherefore we have achieved our first goal. After this race we willsay goodbye to Team Lotus with very fond memories and then we willlook forward to next year when the Caterham F1 Team will signal thestart of the next chapter of our very exciting story."

maocheng

Friday at Interlagos
Added: Fri 25 Nov, 2011
Team Lotus Information
Percentage of Brazilian GPs won by Renault engines: 25%
Total Team Lotus Facebook fans: 117,536
Maximum G level through Curva Do Sol: 4g

Weather
Dry, sunny
Min / max air temperature: 20˚ / 27˚
Min / max track temperature: 26˚ / 42˚

Fastest laps / positions
FP1
KOV: 19th, 1.16.514 (lap 32)
RAZ: 20th, 1.17.595 (lap 23)
FP2
TRU: 19th, 1.16.298 (lap 21)
KOV: 20th, 1.16.338 (lap 31)

Total laps
FP1
KOV: 33 / RAZ: 32
FP2
TRU: 36 / KOV: 48

Runplan
FP1: Luiz Razia
FP2: Jarno Trulli
Chassis: T128-03
FP1: Luiz Razia
1000 - 1003: Installation, 2 laps (Pirelli development tyres)
1003 - 1029: System checks, brake material change
1029 - 1041: Run 2, 8 laps (Pirelli development tyres)
1041 - 1054: Adjustments - rear wing change: new to old spec, front brake blanking
1054 - 1108: Run 3, 10 laps (Pirelli development tyres)
1108 - 1115: Adjustments - front wing flap angle
1115 - 1131: Run 4, 11 laps - brake temperature test (medium tyres)

FP2: Jarno Trulli
Adjustments: Front wing flap angle, front brake blanking, rear wing - old to new spec
1400 - 1411: Run 1, 8 laps (medium tyres)
1411 - 1422: Adjustments - rear ride height, front brake blanking, front anti-roll bar
1422 - 1429: Run 2, 4 laps (medium tyres)
1429 - 1447: Adjustments - refuel
1447 - 1454: Run 3, 5 laps (medium tyres)
1454 - 1500: Adjustments - front wing flap angle, front torsion bar
1500 - 1509: Run 4, 6 laps (soft tyres)
1509 - 1514: Adjustments - front wing flap angle
1514 - 1533: Run 5, 13 laps (soft tyres)

Runplan
Heikki Kovalainen
Chassis: T128-04
FP1
0959 - 1002: Installation, 2 laps (Pirelli development tyres)
1002 - 1027: System checks, brake material change
1027 - 1042: Run 2, 10 laps (Pirelli development tyres)
1042 - 1058: Adjustments - rear wing change: old to new spec, front brake blanking
1058 - 1114: Run 3, 10 laps (Pirelli development tyres)
1114 - 1117: Adjustments - refuel
1117 - 1133: Run 4, 11 laps (medium tyres)

FP2
Adjustments: Front wing flap angle, brake balance, front anti-roll bar
1359 - 1412: Run 1, 9 laps (medium tyres)
1412 - 1419: Adjustments - front anti-roll bar, brake balance
1419 - 1439: Run 2, 14 laps (medium tyres)
1439 - 1448: Adjustments - front wing flap angle
1448 - 1501: Run 3, 9 laps (soft tyres)
1501 - 1509: Adjustments - front wing flap angle
1509 - 1532: Run 4, 16 laps (soft tyres)

Luiz Razia, Car 21 - Chassis T128-03: "I'm really pleased with how my session went today. It was a very proud moment for me to be back on track in Interlagos, this time in an F1 car, a real dream come true, so I want to thank the whole team for the chance to drive here today. I'd had a good run in the car last week in Abu Dhabi so I felt comfortable pretty quickly, and I think my laptimes showed that. We worked through a busy programme, including comparisons with the new rear wing the team's brought here against the previous spec we used in Abu Dhabi - I could feel immediately what a good step forward that is and I'm pleased I could play my part today in helping the team keep progressing, right up to the last race here in my home country."

Heikki Kovalainen, Car 20 - Chassis T128-04: "I had a good day today. The new rear wing is another step forward and it's encouraging to see that sort of update coming right at the end of the season. I got through a very good number of laps today and every change we made helped us find a bit more time on both tyre compounds, so with a bit more hard work tonight I think tomorrow and Sunday could be pretty good for us."

Jarno Trulli, Car 21 - Chassis T128-03: "I'm pretty pleased with my run this afternoon. We need to do a bit of work on fine tuning the balance, and I think there's more to come from the new rear wing, but the update is working and hopefully we can show in qualifying the sort of pace we've had recently in the races - that's the aim for tomorrow, and then to carry that over to Sunday."

Thierry Salvi, Renault Sport F1 Support Leader: "From the engine perspective I think we can be pleased with how today has gone. We have completed very decent mileage on both cars and have amassed enough data to help us progress more tomorrow around what is a pretty unique track. We have to find the right balance between strong driveability and top end power and give the drivers good responsiveness to maximise the lap times around Interlagos, and from where we finished today it looks like we are heading in the right direction."

Mike Gascoyne, Chief Technical Officer: "An excellent Friday for the team. In the first session we ran Luiz Razia and he did a really good job, completing his whole programme and apart from one small mistake on his quickest lap, which probably cost him half a second at the last corner, he can be very satisfied with his day's work. With the two race drivers we were evaluating a new rear wing which maximises the effect of the DRS system. That worked exactly as we had predicted and gave us a significant improvement in lap time which has helped us move another step closer to the cars immediately ahead so I think we can look forward to a good final weekend of 2011."

Riad Asmat, Group CEO: "That was a good last Friday of the season for us. This time last year we were racing a car that we had stopped development on in the middle of the season, and this year we have come to the last race with a new rear wing that has immediately paid dividends. That is a good sign of the continuing progression of our team and it bodes well for next year that the investments we have made in critical areas are giving us good returns right up to the end of the season. We have had a strong latter part of 2011 and I think we can push even more over this weekend, so we will aim to keep up this momentum tomorrow and see what we can do in qualifying."

maocheng

Saturday at Interlagos
Added: Sat 26 Nov, 2011
FP3 & QUALIFYING
Team Lotus Information
Engine performance deficit per 100 metre increase in altitude: 1%
Number of Caterham cars sold since 1973: 12,000
Go to www.teamdellracing.com to see how Team Lotus has the power to do more with Dell

Weather
FP3: Sun / Overcast
Qualifying: Sun / Overcast
Min / max air temperature: 28˚ / 30˚
Min / max track temperature:   36˚ / 41˚

Positions / fastest laps
FP3
TRU 18th, 1.15.843 (lap 23) / KOV 19th, 1.16.026 (lap 20)
QUALIFYING
Q1
KOV 19th, 1.15.068 (lap 10) / TRU 20th, 1.15.358 (lap 13)

Total laps
FP3
TRU: 24 / KOV: 22
QUALIFYING
Q1
KOV: 11 / TRU: 14

Runplan
Driver: Jarno Trulli
Chassis: T128-03
FP3
1100 - 1102: Installation, 1 lap (medium tyres)
1102 - 1115: System checks / Adjustments - brake balance
1115 - 1128: Run 2, 9 laps (medium tyres)
1128 - 1136: Adjustments - front inerter, front & rear brake blanking, rear wing gurney flap
1136 - 1148: Run 3, 8 laps (medium tyres)
1148 - 1152: Adjustments - front brake blanking, front wing flap angle
1152 - 1202: Run 4, 6 laps (soft tyres)

Qualifying
Q1
1359 - 1406: Run 1, 4 laps (medium tyres)
1406 - 1407: Refuel
1407 - 1414: Run 2, 5 laps (soft tyres)
1414 - 1415: Refuel
1415 - 1422: Run 3, 5 laps (soft tyres)
Finished: 20th

Runplan
Driver: Heikki Kovalainen
Chassis: T128-04     
FP3
1100 - 1102: Installation, 1 lap (medium tyres)
1102 - 1115: System checks
1115 - 1126: Run 2, 8 laps (medium tyres)
1126 - 1132: Adjustments - front wing flap angle
1132 - 1142: Run 3, 8 laps (medium tyres)
1142 - 1154: Adjustments - front wing flap angle
1154 - 1202: Run 4, 5 laps (soft tyres)

Qualifying
Q1
1359 - 1407: Run 1, 5 laps (medium tyres)
1407 - 1408: Refuel
1408 - 1413: Run 2, 3 laps (soft tyres)
1413 - 1415: Refuel
1415 - 1421: Run 3, 3 laps (soft tyres)
Finished: 19th

Heikki Kovalainen, Car 20 - Chassis T128-04: "That is a great way to end qualifying for the season, one of the really good laps. I've had a lot of good sessions this year but that really stands out as one of the best. Jarno has been strong here all weekend and I was just behind him after the first runs so I had to really pull out everything to beat him. We made a couple of adjustments to the tyres and it paid off with that final lap with seconds left on the clock. We've also finished here closer to the opposition than we have all season, and even though it's a shorter lap here it's still a very good sign that we've found quite a bit of time with the new rear wing and I think that will help us again tomorrow. The forecast looks like rain and that always makes it interesting around here, so I think whatever happens it'll be a good Sunday, and hopefully a great way to end the season."

Jarno Trulli, Car 21 - Chassis T128-03: "I'm reasonably pleased with how it went today. The second set of tyres weren't as good as the first and even though I improved my time I still couldn't really push - I've had a pretty good weekend so far but still haven't found a balance I'm really happy with, but the main thing is we've increased the gap to the cars behind us and moved closer to the teams directly ahead."

Thierry Salvi, Renault Sport F1 Support Leader: "The challenge for us here has been to help maximise the potential of the new rear wing and DRS system on the cars. The update is a big step forward for the team and it means we have had to work on the ratios and find the right balance between the settings we use for qualifying and the race. That is what the top teams ahead have had to do all year and for us that is the first time we really had to work in that area this season, so it has been a good challenge, and a sign of how far the team has come. It looks like it has worked out because the feedback from the drivers has been positive and the result today is what we were hoping for, so this goes down as a good result for the whole team."

Mike Gascoyne, Chief Technical Officer: "That was a strong end to qualifying for this season. This morning we were having some issues getting the pace out of the soft tyres but this afternoon we turned that around and Heikki in particular got everything he could out of the car. Jarno was a little less happy with the balance but for me this is a good way to finish qualifying this year. Throughout the second half of the season we have moved closer to the group in front and that was particularly evident today, so the aim for tomorrow is clear - have a strong race and give ourselves a successful last race of 2011."

Tony Fernandes, Team Principal: "What a great way to end the last qualifying session for Team Lotus. We were within a second of cars right up to 11th place, and just over 0.4 off Williams, so to bring to an end our qualifying for 2011, having made up that amount of time, is a real achievement. People forget that we do not have KERS this year. If we had KERS, as we do next season, would clearly be fighting in the midfield, so I am very happy with how far we have come in such a short amount of time. Our next qualifying session will be as Caterham F1 Team and that is a whole new chapter for us, something we are all very excited about and if we can maintain the progress we have shown in our first two years we will be right on course to achieve our long-term goals."

maocheng

Caterham Group                                                   

• Added: Sun 27 Nov, 2011

   
                        

Caterham Group has today officially been confirmed as the parentcompany name for the range of automotive, motor racing, technologyand innovation companies that sit within a single group businessunder the stewardship of Group CEO Riad Asmat.

Caterham Group Chairman Tony Fernandes gives his overview of theorganisational structure in an exclusive first look at how thefuture Caterham Group strategy is being activated: "We have beentalking for some time now about our plans for Caterham in all itsguises, from the road car company to Formula 1 and GP2, and in thetechnology, design and innovation fields. Now, with theannouncement we made last week about the rebranding in Formula Oneto Caterham F1 Team for 2012 and beyond, we are in a position togive a much more in-depth explanation of how the Caterham Group istaking shape.

"Under Riad's guidance, there are currently four main areas ofthe business, and we will be adding more in the future. I will gointo more detail about each arm of the Group, but in simple termswe have Caterham Cars, Caterham F1 Team and other motor racinginvestments including our GP2 team Caterham Racing, CaterhamTechnology and Innovation (CTI) and Caterham Composites. The rangeof businesses interests we have gives us a very strong foothold ina number of growth sectors, staffed with teams of people with astrong mix of experience, youth, creativity and passion. In short,we have all the right ingredients in place to do some incrediblyexciting things in markets that are ripe for innovation and newideas.

"I will start with Caterham Cars, under which all our road carinterests sit with Ansar Ali as CEO. This has been such a busy yearthat it feels like we made the announcement we had purchased thecar company a long time ago, but in fact it was only a few monthsback, and since then the team in Dartford and in Surrey have beenvery hard at work maintaining the growth of the existing line-upand working on an ambitious new product range that will see thefirst car launched in 2014. Alongside that they have also beenfocusing on establishing new markets for Caterham Cars, and therecent announcement about Caterham Cars India is the first fruit ofthat project. They are now looking at similar ventures in theMiddle-East and across Asia and the level of interest they aregenerating bodes extremely well for that area of our business.

"Caterham F1 Team is the new and permanent incarnation of ourFormula One investment. On and off track we continue to invest inpeople, infrastructure and technology and 2012 is a critical yearin our development. Underneath the F1 team sits Caterham Racing,the new name for our GP2 team, and then we have our driverdevelopment programme that encompasses various motor racingformulae from karting, GP3, World Series by Renault and right up toF1 - a staircase of talent that gives opportunities for drivers,engineers, mechanics and all the associated skill-sets across themotorsport industry the chance to learn, develop and reach the top.This is also complimented by the various Caterham Cars racingseries, currently with approximately 700 cars competing in seriesaround the world and now given a new impetus by the direct links tothe F1 team and all our associated motor racing interests.

"Then we have CTI - Caterham Technology and Innovation. Welaunched CTI in September and they are working closely withCaterham Cars on the development of a completely new line ofaccessible and affordable sportscars inspired by the lightweight,minimalist philosophy of the Seven, as well as drawing on theadvanced technologies and materials from the Group's Formula Oneand Caterham  Racing GP2 motorsport operations. In addition tothe next generation of Caterham Cars, CTI will undertake advancedprojects for external companies operating within the automotive andaerospace sectors, including a current project looking at a radicalnew in-flight entertainment system."

"Completing the Group is the newly formed business CaterhamComposites. Mike Gascoyne will combine his role as CTO of CaterhamF1 Team with that of CEO of Caterham Composites and will head up acompany specialising in the composites industry. They are alreadyworking on projects across the aerospace, nautical, motorsport androadcar industries and will work closely with all our associatedcompanies to provide their market-leading experience in thecomposites field to complete the Group's interests.

"With those four arms in place, and more to be announced in duecourse, we have a dynamic group of businesses already workingtogether that gives a clear vision of what our long-term strategyis in their respective fields, and as one entity under CaterhamGroup. The group will be based across a number of centres ofexcellence - Caterham Cars, Caterham F1 Team and our motorsportinterests will be based in one location that we are close toannouncing, and our technology and composites interests will bebased in Norfolk. With those plans now complete we have thefoundations in place for long-term growth and success, and now weare in complete control of our own destiny. We have a very excitingfuture ahead of us and are all looking forward to seeing therewards of our hard work pay off for many years to come."

maocheng

Sunday at Interlagos
Added: Sun 27 Nov, 2011
Team Lotus Information
Distance from Sao Paulo to Hingham (approx.): 9,584 kms
Number of people who connect via Dell servers every day: > 1 billion
Approx. number of AirAsia crew at work in the air on a typical day across total route network: 550

Weather
Dry, sunny
Max air temp: 28˚
Max track temp: 40˚
Runplan
Driver: Jarno Trulli
Chassis: T128-03
1331: Car leaves for grid / 2 laps
Start on soft tyres
Lap 22: Pitstop 1 (soft tyres)
Lap 42: Pitstop 2 (medium tyres)
Finished 18th

Runplan
Driver: Heikki Kovalainen
Chassis: T128-04
1330: Car leaves for grid / 2 laps
Start on soft tyres
Lap 17: Pitstop 1 (soft tyres)
Lap 31: Pitstop 2 (soft tyres)
Lap 49: Pitstop 3 (medium tyres)
Finished 16th

Heikki Kovalainen, Car 20 - Chassis T128-04: "Thank you to everyone for another excellent weekend for the team where I don't think we could have got anything more from the whole package. All afternoon the car felt great and we managed to make the most of the performance we put in yesterday in qualifying. I had another great start today, they've really been excellent for some time now, and from there I got straight into a good rhythm right throughout the whole race. I had a few issues with the blue flags towards the end, with so many cars coming around it kind of messes with your own race, but that's just something you have to deal with. All year we've kept on progressing and we've finished on a real high with that tenth place so we're set us up perfectly for next year where we can take another step forward in the development of this team."

Jarno Trulli, Car 21 - Chassis T128-03: "For me it was a pretty standard race. I didn't have a great start but was easily ahead of the cars we needed to beat today and it was really just about getting the car home in one piece so we could seal our place in the championship. I want to thank the whole team for the work they've done this weekend and all year. We keep on progressing and it's great to be part of something that shows real signs of where it can go."

Thierry Salvi, Renault Sport F1 Support Leader: "That was a good race for us. Both drivers were able to maintain their positions which was not such an easy task because of the amount of activity on track, but they finished where we aimed for and that was what was all important. What I do want to talk about is the relationship between Team Lotus and Renault Sport F1. We have had a very good year in terms of how our partnership has developed. The whole team were very easy to work with right from day one and we have put ourselves in a very good position to keep moving forward next year."

Mike Gascoyne, Chief Technical Officer: "I think that is a great way to end the season and secure tenth place. It was a tense afternoon for us with all the possible weather changes, but the conditions held off and we had the sort of race we have been putting in for much of this year. Both drivers were pushing all afternoon - with Jarno we put him on a two stop race which meant he had to look after his tyres. That might have ended up costing him some time, but with Heikki we ran a three stop race and he brought his car home where we thought he could. Really though today is about doing the job for our shareholders and our partners, in particular Renault Sport F1 and Red Bull Technology who have played such a key role in today's success. Congratulations to our shareholders for the rewards we have now gained from finishing tenth for two seasons running. They deserve this success for the incredible support they give us every day and we will keep working hard to make them proud."
Tony Fernandes, Team Principal: "Almost tears for me today! I am absolutely overjoyed. Two years of hard work have paid off today and it was great to see both cars home safely, helping us win tenth place. The icing on the cake was beating a Renault - that meant a lot to me as I have always said the good guys do win. We have a fantastic little team here, and some incredible partners in GE, Dell, Intel, APC and CNN and I know how much it means to each and every person associated with us to have finished this season where we wanted to. Now we look forward to our new life as Caterham F1 Team and we say goodbye to Team Lotus. Colin - we hope we did you proud and we hope you keep an eye over us as Caterham F1 Team. We know we will do you proud there as well."

maocheng

TEAM LOTUS CONFIRMS JOHN ILEY APPOINTMENT

Hingham, UK - 8th December 2011

Team Lotus has today confirmed that John Iley, one of the leading aerodynamicists in global motorsport, has joined the team as Performance Director, heading up all aerodynamics, CFD and related activity for the team and reforming the successful partnership he previously enjoyed with Mike Gascoyne at Jordan and Renault F1.

John joins from Vodafone McLaren Mercedes where he was Head of Aerodynamics and will start with the team, which will be running as Caterham F1 Team from December 14th 2011, in June 2012. A graduate of Imperial College, London, John made his start in motor racing with Brun Technics, a British design office working for the Eurobrun F1 team and worked on the design of the Brun-Judd C91 sports car during 1990. Early in 1991 he was hired to be the aerodynamicist on the Allard J2X sports car and then joined Jordan Grand Prix in 1995 as an aerodynamicist. By 1998 Mike Gascoyne had also joined Jordan and promoted John to Chief Aerodynamicist where they worked together on the team’s most successful F1 chassis before he and Mike moved to Renault F1 in 2002. From there he moved to Ferrari and finally McLaren before making the move to Caterham F1 Team in 2012.

Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Team Principal Martin Whitmarsh said: “John greatly contributed to the aerodynamic capability at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes but has taken the decision to accept an offer from Caterham F1 team for 2012 and beyond. We enjoyed working with John and wish him well for the future.”

Riad Asmat, Caterham Group CEO added: “We are absolutely delighted that John has taken up the challenge we have offered him, to help take us to the next level on and off track in one of the key areas of performance in Formula 1. It is a real sign of our growth and development as a serious contender for long-term honours that we can attract someone of John’s calibre and we are all very excited about the contribution he will make to our future success from the moment he starts work with our team.”

maocheng

Caterham F1 Team and Caterham Racing Confirm Proposed Move To Leafield                                                                                                 Hingham, UK - 18 January 2012                                                                                                 Caterham F1 Team and its GP2 team Caterham Racing have today confirmed that they are proposing to move their operational base from their current site in Norfolk to a new home in Leafield, Oxfordshire, in August 2012.                                                                                                   Team Principal Tony Fernandes explained how the proposed move will help both teams continue to establish themselves as serious contenders for long-term honours in the FIA Formula One World Championship and the GP2 support series: “The factory in Hingham has been our home since we were first granted our entry into the F1 World Championship in September 2009 and it has served us extremely well, giving us the perfect platform to establish both the F1 team and our GP2 team in the first stages of our development. However, as both teams grew, and in the planning process we went through when acquiring Caterham Cars and establishing the wider Caterham Group, it became clear that we needed to house the car company in the same facility as our racing operations, to give us the best chance to meet our future goals on and off track. We began looking for a site that could be adapted to suit the future needs of our racing and road car operations and Leafield quickly became the obvious choice.                                                                                                   “We propose moving the F1 and GP2 teams to the new site in or around August 2012, giving us ample time to build up the infrastructure required to house all the critical elements of both teams, and propose moving Caterham Cars into a new, bespoke development and production facility on the same site in due course. We are able to build the new home for Caterham Cars from the ground up on the Leafield site, giving us a permanent home in the perfect location for two of the primary arms of the Caterham Group. We will be consulting with all our team about the proposed move before we make any decisions about exactly which functions will be located to the new site."                                                                                                   “The factory in Hingham is where the dream began, and we will continue to develop that site into the new permanent home for Caterham Composites. We have cutting edge technical and production facilities already in operation in the factory, now focused on the F1 and GP2 teams, and we will be expanding those facilities to help meet the future demands of Caterham Composites’ clients in all the markets that company will operate in, continuing to provide jobs and investment in Norfolk in world class, cutting edge technology. Caterham Technology and Innovation will also remain in Norfolk, demonstrating our long-term commitment to our first home.                                                                                                   “While it will obviously be sad if the F1 and GP2 teams move on from Hingham we are not saying goodbye to Norfolk. This will be the next chapter in the development of both our motor racing teams and our road car company and gives us the best chance to keep progressing on track and, in future, on the road with Caterham Cars.”                                                                                                 Ends

maocheng

  

maocheng

Caterham F1 Team has today confirmed that Dutch driver Giedo van der Garde will be the team's official Reserve Driver in 2012.



Giedo will participate in the pre-season tests and will take part in a number of FP1 sessions throughout the season as a core part of the team's driver line-up.



Tony Fernandes, Caterham F1 Team Principal, said: "We are delighted to welcome Giedo into the family as Reserve Driver. He is a very exciting prospect that we have been monitoring since the early days of our team, and we are all looking forward to seeing how he can help us develop throughout the season as we take our next steps towards the established midfield teams ahead.



"His performances in GP2, particularly in 2011, mark Giedo out as one of motorsport's brightest prospects, and securing him as Reserve Driver is a real coup for our team. I am sure he will flourish on and off track, and we wish him all the best as he takes the next step into Formula 1 with us."



Giedo van der Garde said: "I'm very happy to become a part of the Caterham F1 Team family today and I'm very excited about the next step in my career within Formula 1. The team is fresh, with some fantastic people here. Tony Fernandes is extremely ambitious and he has brought in a lot of very good people in to help grow this team for future success. I'm looking forward to learning and moving forward with the team in and out of the car.



"It's great for Holland that we again have a Dutch driver who is connected to Formula 1. Being the only Dutch driver now is very good for the sport in Holland, as the interest was perhaps on the decline since the Verstappen years, however I hope to generate the same excitement for my country and really bring Formula 1 to them.



"I feel that the team as a whole is very ambitious, they appear to be very positive people and I think they are building up, growing and developing very quickly. I think this year they will be strong contenders. We'll see after the test but I really have a feeling that it's a big family here and they are pushing very hard to move up the grid.



"I feel very strong now, I'm fit and I'm mentally ready. I've spent a lot of time driving with guys who are now in Formula 1 and I feel I'm ready for this. I'd like to thank McGregor and everybody who has supported me in my career for helping me to take this next exciting step."

maocheng

Chassis (all days): CT01-#2

Tuesday 7th February: Heikki Kovalainen

Wednesday 8th February: Heikki Kovalainen

Thursday 9th February: Giedo van der Garde

Friday 10th February: Jarno Trulli

maocheng

Tuesday at Jerez
Added: Tue 7 Feb, 2012

T01 Jerez - Day 1, Tuesday 7th February 2012


Driver: Heikki Kovalainen
Chassis: CT01-#2
Total laps: 28
Best lap: 1.23.178



Heikki Kovalainen: "It's good to be back at work after the winter break and great to see how up for the season ahead the whole team is. We were first out on track this morning and the early feeling I had from the car was good.



"It's far too early to tell how much we've progressed but it already feels like we're going in the right direction. We obviously didn't want to end early today but we couldn't sort out the starter shaft issue in time to get back on track. I'm reasonably pleased with what we have achieved today and I know the team will put in the work tonight to get us back out on track tomorrow and pick up where we left off today."



Mike Gascoyne, Chief Technical Officer: "It is always a good feeling to see the new car out on track for the first time after all the hours everybody in the team has put in over the last few months to get us to this point. We had to bring day one to an early end after damage to the starter shaft meant we were unable to start the engine, which is a shame because it is an unusual issue.



"We had enjoyed a positive morning, working through the usual day one system checks and running without any reliability issues on the car until that point. Heikki's early feedback on the car is good and there is plenty to come from this car so we are looking forward to a positive next three days in Jerez."



Riad Asmat, Caterham Group CEO: "First I want to thank everybody back at the factory and here in Jerez for the incredibly hard work they have all put in to help produce the first Caterham F1 car. We passed our crash tests early, we were first on track today and it is a sign of how far we have come in just two seasons that we can turn up with our new car at the first test and run from the moment the lights go green.



"The fact we had an issue that brought the day to a premature conclusion is something we will look into - we have not had that problem before and totally unexpected issues are always one of the risks with a new car, but we will fix that and progress tomorrow."

maocheng

Wednesday at Jerez                                                   

• Added: Wed 8 Feb, 2012

   
                        

T01 Jerez - Day 2, Wednesday 8th February 2012

Driver: Heikki Kovalainen
Chassis: CT01-#2
Total laps: 139
Best lap: 1.21.518

Heikki Kovalainen: "I feel very happy with thework we have completed today. Yesterday we had a problem that wasnothing to do with the car, so today was our first real day oftesting and we had a trouble free day, completing most of what wewanted to on day one and day two and working through a variety ofset-up changes.

"We ran on each of the tyre compounds and I'm really starting toget a feel for the car. Basically it's good news because itconfirms what I thought yesterday. This car is a lot better thanthe 2011 car, it's quicker and everything works as we want it to.We've made very solid progress and I feel really good physically,so I think there's a lot more to come."

Mike Gascoyne, Chief Technical Officer: "Anexcellent day of testing and I want to congratulate Heikki and thewhole team for the job we have done today. We ran KERS for thefirst time and completed everything we had planned with thatsystem, so thank you to Red Bull Technology and Renault Sport F1for helping make that part of the program run so smoothly.

"Today we were concentrating on the set-up program, using longruns to really start understanding what this car can do. Havingcompleted 139 laps we have made a huge amount of progress,particularly compared to last year, and now we have to make sure wekeep up this sort of momentum for the rest of the tests."

Riad Asmat, Caterham Group CEO: "That was thesort of day that makes this job so enjoyable. We were reliable,quick and we learnt a huge amount about the car. Quite a contrastto yesterday when we had to deal with a problem that we had neverencountered before, but the team worked very hard and had it allrectified last night.

"Today we completed more laps than any other team and had noproblems at all. That enabled us to make up the ground we lost andgive the engineers and the team back at the factory a huge amountof data to work on tonight in preparation for Giedo getting intothe car tomorrow. We want more days like this as it is the hardmiles we put in now that will put us in the best possible shape forthe season ahead."

Giedo van der Garde has his first taste of the Caterham F1 TeamCT01 tomorrow as he takes over from Heikki Kovalainen all day.During his seat fit at the factory last week he recorded a shortvideo interview which can be watched in our Caterham TV section

maocheng

Jerez Day Three
                                               
                                                Circuito de Jerez, Spain - 9th February 2012
                                               
                                                        Driver: Giedo van der Garde
                                                       
                                                        Chassis: CT01-#2
                                                       
                                                        Total laps: 74
                                                       
                                                        Best lap: 1.23.324
                                                       
                                                        Giedo van der Garde: “That was a good day. I’m happy because I put in a lot of time in the car and that was the first time I’ve been on track since Monza last year, so I had to spend a bit of time this morning getting back into the groove, but that came pretty quickly and then we got down to work. I’m very pleased because by the end of the day I was getting starting to get used to all the new things about F1 – there’s a lot to learn but I know what I need to focus on so next time I’m in the car I’ll definitely be able to get on the pace more quickly.
                                                       
                                                        “There are a couple of real areas that I know I can work on – the first being the brakes. I’m used to a stiffer pedal on the GP2 car so I had to adapt my style a bit to get used to the F1 car, but that came quite early. The other area is getting the most out of the new tyres. The quickest lap time is pretty much straight out of the box and that means being on it as soon as you leave the pits. We used both DRS and KERS today and I felt pretty comfortable with both. DRS started to come naturally by the end of the day and with KERS there’s more to come. Jarno will be working on maximising that tomorrow so I think the team will have more for me to work through on that system next time I’m in the car.
                                                       
                                                        “Basically I enjoyed myself today. The team has been great with me – the engineers and the mechanics have all been working really hard to help me acclimatise, so thanks to them for today and now I’m looking forward to my next run.”
                                                       
                                                        Mike Gascoyne, Chief Technical Officer: “Another useful day of testing, this time with Giedo in the car for his first runs with us. The plan today was to acclimatise Giedo in the car this morning and then start running through more systems tests and KERS evaluation and he did a very solid job for us, making sure we could get through the whole program. Reliability was again good for us today and tomorrow we will give Jarno his first taste of KERS, run through tyre evaluations and start exploring more of the car’s performance potential.”
                                                       
                                                        Riad Asmat, Caterham Group CEO: “A good first day for Giedo and a decent way to introduce himself to the team. He had a lot to take in on his first day with us on track and he acquitted himself well all day. He made a small mistake late on but every driver will have an off sometime, so he’ll learn from that and next time he’s in the car he’ll be able to use the experience today to keep progressing.”

maocheng

T01 Jerez - Day Four
                                               
                                                Circuito de Jerez, Spain - 10th February 2012
                                               
                                                Driver: Jarno Trulli
                                               
                                                Chassis: CT01-#2
                                               
                                                Total laps: 117
                                               
                                                Best lap: 1.22.198                                                                                                        Jarno Trulli: “My first impression of the car was that it is good – a definite progression from 2011 and a good basis for us to work on for the season ahead. Its reliability has been demonstrated all week here in Jerez and we have generated a lot of data, particularly on KERS and the 2012 tyres which will help us improve setups for the next couple of tests.
                                                       
                                                        “We know there’s a lot more to come in pure pace – perhaps we were the only team to run without dropping the fuel but we wanted to focus on running through the development program and making sure we completed the plan each day.
                                                       
                                                        “For me there are a couple of real positives from today. I hadn’t used KERS before, and despite the extra buttons it means on the wheel, it’s pretty simple to get used to it quickly and I think we’ll see the benefits of that more and more as we keep learning how to get the most out of it. Also, for me the car felt balanced pretty much straight away. The power steering is good – we can keep fine tuning it, but I think it’s basically a good package with a lot of potential for us to work on. A good way to start the season.”
                                                       
                                                        Mike Gascoyne, Chief Technical Officer: “I think we can be very pleased with how the first test has gone. Apart from an issue on day one with the starter the car ran absolutely faultlessly throughout the whole test which is a real tribute to the work put in by the whole team. We completed the whole test program, working with KERS for the first time and for me this has probably been the best first test I have ever been involved in throughout my career.
                                                       
                                                        “We have been running the car rather conservatively in Jerez but for the next test we will be bringing aero updates and looking to run the final race one specification at the third test. Overall we are in a much better position going into the season than we have ever been before, so that is the first goal achieved.”
                                                       
                                                        Riad Asmat, Caterham Group CEO: “The first test of the season has been a good one for us. Jarno ran another very impressive number of laps today and when you look at the total mileage we have accumulated here we have clearly started the season with a good, reliable car. We know there is pace to come but we also know we have a lot of work ahead of us to make sure we arrive in Australia in the strongest possible position. This week we have had the best start to a season yet in our three short years so we will move on to Barcelona in good spirits, with more new parts to come and in good shape to keep unlocking this car’s potential.”
                                                       

maocheng

Mike Gascoyne Appointed Caterham Group Chief Technical Officer



Mike Gascoyne has been appointed Caterham Group CTO with immediate effect. Reflecting the ongoing evolution of the Caterham Group, and its determination to continue to develop and provide new opportunities for its staff at all levels, Mike will now be responsible for creating, supporting and coordinating key technical initiatives in Caterham Group's motorsport activities (F1 and GP2), Caterham Cars, Caterham Composites and Caterham Technology & Innovation. He will report directly to Caterham Group CEO Riad Asmat and will coordinate overall strategic technical projects across each of the Caterham Group companies.



In day-to-day terms, Mike will now assume directorial control of Caterham Technology & Innovation, in addition to the role he is already undertaking with Caterham Composites. As a result of Mike's increased workload across Caterham Group, Mark Smith, Caterham F1 Team Technical Director, will now lead the F1 team's technical division day-to-day, reporting directly to Mike, and will increase his presence at races throughout the 2012 season. Mike will continue to attend races in 2012, adding his wealth of experience and knowledge to the team when it is required.



Mike Gascoyne: "This is a very proud moment for me. Tony, Kamarudin, Nasa and Riad have established Caterham Group as a serious force for future development in a number of very exciting sectors. My new role will now give me the chance to help drive value across the whole group through the creation and delivery of new projects in all the sectors we are already working in, and opening up new opportunities for each of the Group's companies to embrace.



"Mark Smith is exactly the right person to step up to the broader role he will now be taking on in the F1 team, and I am looking forward to working even more closely with Mark Edwards at Caterham Technology & Innovation, Phil Hall at Caterham Composites and Ansar Ali at Caterham Cars. This is a big challenge but one I am extremely excited about and I want to thank our shareholders for this opportunity."



Tony Fernandes, Caterham Group Chairman: "We are all delighted that Mike has taken up the challenge we have presented him, to lead technical direction across the whole Caterham Group. His experience, knowledge, enthusiasm and creativity give him the perfect skill set to help us achieve the ambitious goals we have set for all the group companies, and I know Mike is excited about what lies ahead."