Lotus E23 breaks cover at Jerez test (Update)
 |
| Lotus E23 |
Lotus has publicly unveiled its Mercedes-powered E23 Hybrid on the second day of the opening pre-season test at Jerez.
Lotus released computer images of its new car last month but the E23 Hybrid was not fired up for the first time until Saturday.
That meant that the car did not arrive in Spain in time for the first day of testing, with it eventually reaching the track early on Sunday evening.
Lotus informed the media that its car may not run until Tuesday but Venezuelan driver Pastor Maldonado took the car out for an installation lap just over an hour into Monday's running.
02/01/15 Lotus F1 Team's 2015 challenger, the E23 Hybrid, arrived in Jerez today after firing-up for the first time at the team's Enstone base on Saturday January 31. The car is now undergoing its build program overnight and through Monday, with the first significant running expected for Tuesday February 3.
Nick Chester, Lotus F1 Team Technical Director:
"We have been pursuing a very tight and aggressive build program with the E23 Hybrid which is one of the most technically advanced cars to have come out of Enstone. We will take to the track with this car as soon as we are ready from an engineering perspective. We've fired-up the car at Enstone and we're now putting everything together ahead of the first laps on track. Everyone at Enstone is very positive with what we've seen of the E23 Hybrid so far and we're looking forward to it turning its wheels in anger for the first time later this week."