Trulli and Kovalainen stay with Lotus for 2011

With Formula 1 governing body the FIA having released its first draft of the 2011 entry list on Tuesday afternoon, it has been confirmed that Lotus retains its line-up of Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen, although the eventual name of the Norfolk-based outfit remains to be seen.

At present, the squad is entered on the list as ‘Team Lotus’ although this is still subject to a High Court ruling involving the F1 team and sports car manufacturer Group Lotus, which has contested the label and since expressed an interest in the Renault F1 Team ahead of next season.

An official announcement on Trulli and Kovalainen is yet to be published although 2011 would mark the 15th F1 season for the Italian, who made his debut with Minardi in 1997 before winning for the first and so far only time with Renault at the 2004 Monaco Grand Prix.

Kovalainen, who debuted for Renault in 2007, picked up his sole victory for McLaren in the following year’s Hungarian Grand Prix and this week continues to recover from a heavy crash in Sunday’s Race of Champions which resulted in concussion after a heavy impact with a concrete wall caused by a stuck throttle and suspension failure.

Also in 2011, the Hingham squad will be powered by Renault engines – as opposed to Cosworth in 2010 – and using Red Bull Technology-designed transmission systems.