Lotus: Not Ferrari, Mercedes or McLaren but Ready to Fight

Appointed deputy director of the Lotus team on the eve of the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, Federico Gastaldi – formerly the business development director – is a new face at such a level of responsibility in the paddock. In an interview featured on the official F1 website, he shares his first impressions and explains how he envisions the team’s season.

Questioned about his experience, the Argentine explains his journey and describes his role: « It is true that I have been in Formula 1 for years, and in different roles. I have been with the « Enstone Team » since the Benetton era and there are many people from that time who are still on the team, which shows that it has strong foundations. I feel like part of the team and my goal is to give what I feel it deserves in terms of on-track results. That is my main objective here. I will always be involved in business development and in seeking new partners and investors. »

« My other goal is to try to bring together all the elements regarding the talented people in the team and ensure that we can achieve it. This is obviously not solely up to us: Renault Sport F1 plays a big role in this structure, so it’s about working together to achieve the best possible results, » he adds.

« I know that this team is one of the best in the paddock, there is absolutely no doubt about that in my mind. We have one of the most dedicated and experienced staff and they all have a winning mentality. »

Questioned about his first Grand Prix weekend in his new role, Gastaldi remains realistic: I think it’s fair to say that the start of the season has been a rude awakening for everyone. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy to start like this, and I’ve been in Formula 1 long enough to understand what was coming. The most frustrating thing of all was seeing the team work so hard; everyone pulling all-nighters but without great results on the track.

For him, as for Romain Grosjean – who covered the longest stint of the year with an E22 so far, with 45 consecutive laps of Albert Park, the race was mostly akin to an extension of testing: « After Sunday’s race, the feeling was that we had succeeded in our first real test because the two weeks in Bahrain were very frustrating. The Melbourne race was the first time we managed to do more consistent laps with both cars because free practice was very difficult. So, from that point of view, it was very hard considering the amount of work done by everyone to make it happen. »

On Romain Grosjean, by the way, the Lotus deputy director praises his commitment despite his frustration: « Romain has matured a lot in recent years. His approach to the team is very positive: he understands that we are all making great efforts, just as he makes great efforts in the cockpit. Like all of us, he is frustrated, obviously. However, he is very willing and wants to understand what he needs to do on his side to move in the right direction. The Australian Grand Prix was hard for him, with tricky free practice sessions and a disastrous qualification. The race was what it was, a test in short, but in the end, he is very positive: he knows he is in a good team that provides good cars and wins races. »

Regarding Pastor Maldonado, who arrived in the off-season from Williams with the financial backing of his personal sponsor – the Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA, the same determination is emphasized: « For Pastor, everything is new, but his approach has been extremely positive. His work ethic is very serious, and he is a hard-working professional. Obviously, like Romain, he feels frustrated. I think that’s natural! Romain has been here for a long time, and Pastor is interested in him and how everyone works throughout the weekend. Pastor has been very constructive, and kudos to him for giving his all in what is a temporarily difficult situation. »

When asked to respond to the skeptics, the Argentinean highlights the spirit that inhabits Enstone and its men and women: « I would like to say: wait to see what we can really achieve with the E22. If you look at it all logically, Renault is the reigning world champion engine supplier, so how could they be nothing? They will provide us with the right package which will allow Lotus F1 to be at the front once again. We are a small team, we are not Mercedes, Ferrari, or McLaren, but we have a pure, enormous racing spirit. This team has been around for a long time and we have people who were there during the glorious period, who have passed on the philosophy and genius of the team as well as the famous passion and spirit. We are ready to fight! »

On the objectives before heading to Sepang, Malaysia: « Continue learning. It would be getting ahead of myself if I said anything else! We have to keep learning, and if everything goes as planned, in collaboration with Renault, then we will be in a position to continue progressing for Bahrain and when the championship returns to Europe in May. »