Team Lotus seals a deal with Williams
Despite the relatively disappointing results of Team Lotus as mid-season approaches, Tony Fernandes' team, based in Norfolk, has just made two important announcements: one concerning a partnership for the use of the Williams team's wind tunnel, the other on the signing of a new partner.
Despite slightly improved performances in Canada, the T128 still struggles to reach Q2 during qualifying. That’s why Team Lotus continues to work on strengthening its technical and financial structures. The resources implemented by Tony Fernandes and his team should soon bear fruit.
A little more breath
Thus, a new agreement with Williams for the use of their wind tunnel has just been announced. This can only benefit the somewhat sluggish development of the single-seater driven by Kovalainen and Trulli. Mike Gascoyne, the technical director of Lotus, explained that the work would be carried out in total synergy with Aerolab (whose wind tunnel Team Lotus has been using from the start) in Italy.
« There are several reasons why we are thrilled to have signed this agreement, » comments the boss Tony Fernandes, « From a practical standpoint, we will gain obvious benefits from the increase of our activity in the wind tunnel. I am sure that the work done at Grove will immediately be an important help to Marianne Hinson (the team’s chief aerodynamicist) and her team in enhancing one of the key areas of the ongoing development of our team. »
Fresh money
Fernandes also managed to attract new investors, despite the fact that the T128s have yet to rise from the back of the grid. And it is none other than General Electric, which will appear on the cars and team infrastructure starting from Silverstone. To recall, GE is an American multinational, founded in 1892 and active in the field of technology and services. A 2009 Forbes report ranked General Electric among the most important companies in the world.
This agreement is therefore a great satisfaction for Team Lotus, as it guarantees them fresh funds for the development of their car and thus a significant margin for improvement. “We are already analyzing and examining a number of initiatives that will allow us to capitalize on this partnership in areas and markets related to racing and beyond,” explains Fernandes. “We have several areas to work on, with passionate people on both sides who are eager to put their own resources to work.”
