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From GMM
Gerard Lopez, the Lotus team owner, has played down suggestions the Enstone squad is still grappling with financial problems.
The team's problems of late last year, when Kimi Raikkonen went unpaid and crucial negotiations with the Quantum group faltered, are well known.
But Lopez said that the decision not to test the new car at Jerez recently is not because Lotus had no money.
"We said that there would be some (technical) trouble and it was actually the case," the Luxembourger, referring to the Red Bull-Renault crisis, told France's Infosport Plus.
"I know we had a lot of criticism, people said we lack the budget but that is wrong because it cost us the same to go (to Jerez) a week later," Lopez insisted.
Lotus gave its new E22 a successful rollout at Jerez on Saturday, a week after the other Renault powered teams, notably world champions Red Bull, faltered so badly.
"We were very well prepared. No problems, no overheating, nothing -- the car ran like clockwork, which was quite surprising when you look at what happened at Jerez the first time. We are ready to go to Bahrain and start running in the first hour.
"Maybe we are better prepared. Maybe our strategy to wait and work at the factory was the better one. We will see in Bahrain. We will not mention the others, or at least not as much as they mention us," said Gerard Lopez.
Gerard Lopez, the Lotus team owner, has played down suggestions the Enstone squad is still grappling with financial problems.
The team's problems of late last year, when Kimi Raikkonen went unpaid and crucial negotiations with the Quantum group faltered, are well known.
But Lopez said that the decision not to test the new car at Jerez recently is not because Lotus had no money.
"We said that there would be some (technical) trouble and it was actually the case," the Luxembourger, referring to the Red Bull-Renault crisis, told France's Infosport Plus.
"I know we had a lot of criticism, people said we lack the budget but that is wrong because it cost us the same to go (to Jerez) a week later," Lopez insisted.
Lotus gave its new E22 a successful rollout at Jerez on Saturday, a week after the other Renault powered teams, notably world champions Red Bull, faltered so badly.
"We were very well prepared. No problems, no overheating, nothing -- the car ran like clockwork, which was quite surprising when you look at what happened at Jerez the first time. We are ready to go to Bahrain and start running in the first hour.
"Maybe we are better prepared. Maybe our strategy to wait and work at the factory was the better one. We will see in Bahrain. We will not mention the others, or at least not as much as they mention us," said Gerard Lopez.
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| Pastor Maldonado and Romain Grosjean at Enstone. (Photo: Lotus F1 Team) |