Lotus aims for the top 5 in 2013

Tony Fernandes aims for his team to be in the top 5 teams within 3 years. The Malaysian businessman has brought the legendary Lotus name back to Formula 1 circuits, and the team is currently the best of the new outfits.

Heikki Kovalainen was the only driver from the 5 new teams to have finished the first 2 races (Bahrain and Australia) and also qualified ahead of his main rivals in Melbourne.

Fernandes intends for Lotus to fight to be in the top 10 for the next season, before taking another step in the following 2 seasons: «After Bahrain, I got the idea that we could be in the top 5 in three seasons and I hope we will reach the top ten this season.»

«I think it’s hard for them [the established teams] to find two seconds but very easy for us because we’ve had five months. We had built a car that was too heavy, we had the wrong radiators, etc. So I think we can catch up with them. We are not that far off the race pace, Heikki was ahead of Hülkenberg for part of the race, so I think we can reach the Sauber, Williams, Renault, and Toro Rosso. It sounds difficult even when I say it. A lot of things will happen over the next three years which I think will be easier for us. »

The Lotus boss, who provides the majority of the financial input, also believes that his team will not need a large budget to succeed in F1 in 2013: Toyota spent hundreds of millions of dollars and never succeeded.

And Fernandes has clearly stated that he is in Formula 1 for the long haul, not only to succeed, but also because he believes it makes financial sense.

Yes. You don’t do that if you’re in it for the long term. We’re here for the passion but also for the business, and we think it’s a good deal.