Quote from Becky Rose :

My point was that if they want to be competitive they're a long way behind already, they've no run time experience with the car at all if they're still at the early mock up stages. You don't get anywhere in F1 with an unreliable car, these new teams need to have rigs out there clocking up laps and their engineers learning already - perfecting the aero package later.

I think you are reading a LOT into the fact that these pictures have just surfaced. It seems there are a few investors involved and the money required to run an F1 team is significant. Therefore those who are providing the money will be diligent enough to ensure Lotus are doing at least the obvious to be competitive.

Quote from Mustafur :

they obviously know next year is a lost cause but it will be a learning experience none the less.

I disagree, the people involved in the Lotus team won't be going into their first season thinking it will be for learning purposes. Imagine going to your investors and saying... "don't expect anything from us from the first year, we'll still be developing the car..." That sort of attitude would've never let Brawn get on the grid in the first place.

Quote from yeager :

I disagree, the people involved in the Lotus team won't be going into their first season thinking it will be for learning purposes. Imagine going to your investors and saying... "don't expect anything from us from the first year, we'll still be developing the car..." That sort of attitude would've never let Brawn get on the grid in the first place.

But Brawn didn't start from scratch.

I think every realistic privateer team will know they will be playing catchup, probably spend months just smoothing out the operation, that's always the case with privateer teams in F1. Probably 1 out of 6 will have some success and survive in the sport, that's just how it is.

Quote from Jakg :

Ok that post was tongue in cheek, but Proton have "made" (i.e. bought from Mitsubishi and dropped it in their cars) a 2L V6 Saloon (Perdana, pimpalicious if I do say so myself. - very rare in the UK).

For "real" cars they did a (shit) version of mine with a 1.8, the Satria GTI (which was ACTUALLY tuned by Lotus and so didn't handle that bad) with a 1.8, the same engine in a Coupe / Putra, and then something a little different in the Proton Satria R3 (basically a homogolation model, which isn't in the UK due to emissions).


</Proton Geek>

The fact the average age of a Proton driver (here at least) is about 75 probably doesn't help.

I have driven two protons and i have to say they are absolutely rubbish. The engine is seriously underpower, the ride is rubbish, the interior is rubbish (and has wayy too much plastic), the brakes are rubbish, its too noisy in the cabin, not enough room........

Quote from yeager :

I disagree, the people involved in the Lotus team won't be going into their first season thinking it will be for learning purposes. Imagine going to your investors and saying... "don't expect anything from us from the first year, we'll still be developing the car..." That sort of attitude would've never let Brawn get on the grid in the first place.

Brawn didn't even design there car.

Quote from Mustafur :

Brawn didn't even design there car.

They did, just that they were under a different name.

Quote from JJ72 :

They did, just that they were under a different name.

and honda money and facilities.

Quote from Mustafur :

and honda money and facilities.

Honda was able to do same than Brawn,but theire engine failed soooooo bad

Quote from SidiousX :

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/1 ... racing-gears-up-for-2010/

Pics of their wind tunnel test.

That car looks familiar, but I can't think why.........

Oh yes that's right.


hmmmm....

they look nothing alike.

It has four wheels, two wings, sidepods and an airbox, obvious similarities!