Lotus: Significant Changes to the Single-Seater Expected in 2015

The Lotus season is a true nightmare. With numerous failures of the power unit provided by Renault, a completely failed car from an aerodynamic perspective, and the errors of Pastor Maldonado, who still hasn’t scored a single point in the championship, the men of Enstone must react next season.

In 2015, Renault is expected to give way to Mercedes in terms of engine supply. However, Lotus does not intend to stop there and has already planned numerous changes for the next car, which is not expected to resemble this year’s E22, as confirmed by Nick Chester, the technical director: « There will be a change in the rules regarding the front of the chassis and the nose, so all the cars will look different next year. Along with that, the installation of the engine in the chassis and the cooling exits will also be different, which means that the car will be significantly different in its design. »

On his side, Pastor Maldonado, who has been confirmed with Lotus for 2015, has already been able to glimpse the work done for the next season, which makes him rather optimistic for the future: “I am confident that we can finish the season in a good way, then we will focus on the 2015 season. From what I see and what I learn, the 2015 car is shaping up to be a very good package. There’s a lot to look forward to. Obviously, it has been a difficult year, but the important thing is that we are still united as a team and we will emerge stronger. The team at Enstone is more determined than ever to succeed and I can say 100% that I share the same vision as them.”

To date, Lotus is 8th in the Constructors’ Championship thanks to the 8 points scored by Romain Grosjean. However, the Frenchman has yet to indicate whether he will still be with the team next year, and the wildest rumors suggest a possible return of Fernando Alonso and Flavio Briatore to revive the team, which of course seems highly unlikely.