Lotus: Alan Permane remains positive
As Lotus experiences a challenging start to the season, Technical Director Alan Permane explains that several upgrades will be made to the car starting from the Chinese Grand Prix.
After a complicated start to the 2015 season, Lotus must continue its efforts to find its way back to scoring points. During the 2014 season, Lotus finished 8th in the Constructors’ Championship, but during the off-season, the team showed that the E23 was a good car.
During the Australian Grand Prix, Lotus had to retire within the first few kilometers of the race. In Malaysia, while Maldonado had to withdraw due to a brake problem, it was Romain Grosjean who was close to scoring the first point of the season. However, the French driver ended up with a frustrating 11th place finish.
The technical director, Alan Permane, remains positive despite a difficult start to the season. He explains to *Autosport* that a series of developments will be implemented for the upcoming races: « It is fair to say that after a challenging year last year, we are struggling to find our footing. We have several upgrades that will be implemented in China, including a new wing, and we will have a new nose at the Spanish Grand Prix ».
Pastor Maldonado, for his part, explains that Lotus has the potential to fight in the top 10: The potential clearly exists, particularly in the race where the car’s pace is very competitive. As soon as we have a trouble-free race, we will be able to fight for points.
