It’s no secret Lotus has been struggling this season. Pastor Maldonado has been entangled in several mishaps and Romain Grosjean has struggled to find his groove in a car that has not responded well to the changes F1 has undergone this season. That being said the team has an optimistic view of the second half of the season, with both drivers focused on gaining points by focusing on one race at time.
Lotus Belgian GP Preview
Improvements have been made on the E22 as well. After struggling with getting a handle on the sweeping changes the sport has undergone this season, the technical talent at Enstone has been hard at work with new improvements for the car. According to Technical Director, Nick Chester, there has been, a “fair amount” of technical development including new bodywork and modifications to the chassis that will allow for some additional benefits in downforce. Wings changes are also in the works and both the front and rear wings at Spa. Chester also says the E22 has some “sensitive areas” in which tremendous gains can be found and progress made. These, according to Chester, are where they will be focusing as they prepare for the race. Revised mechanical parts, including new springs and beefed up suspension, will be found on the E22 as well when it arrives with Spa, along with all the positive vibes the team can send it.
Spa is notorious for temperamental weather, a fact not lost on the Lotus crew as they prepare to set up and run their cars. Both Grosjean and Maldonado are solid rain drivers, though the rapid changes could have an effect on even the most seasoned F1 pilot. The team struggled with weather at the GP of Hungary but feel confident on their ability to better manage the tire situation and avoid the troubles they had with Intermediates in Hungary, which they attributed more to track surface that problems with the car or its set up.
The fact that the team from Enstone feels comfortable with the car’s set up is a good thing, a very good thing. Much of Spa is spent with the cars wide open and the necessity of being able to handle them and make them perform is monumental. The downforce must be managed to get the most out the car when it’s time to turn it loose and yet dial it back when hitting sector 2, which is a slower sector. Chester feels confident they can find the compromise that will help both drivers be able to push forward for more positive finishes and more points gained.
Both Grosjean and Maldonado seem positive about their chances at the epic track. Grosjean says he is eager to get some good points in Spa and is optimistic that the changes made in the car will do the job. He is also quick to say championships are won one race at a time and his focus is the race in front of him. This is a sentiment Grosjean’s teammate, Maldonado, echoes. He focuses on the race in front of him and says he has a “special relationship” with the track that has meant so much to him over the years and throughout his racing career in Formula Renault.
All this being said, what can we look for from Lotus at the historic track at Spa? How about cars more dialed in to the track and their drivers. Cars that have been tweaked over the summer break in order to make the most of the rule changes that have upended the sport. Chassis, front and rear wing, springs, and other mechanical aspects of the cars have been reworked to get the most out of the cars. Both Grosjean and Maldonado are eager to get back in the car and experience the changes their team was hard at work making for them. Will Lotus make enough of a change to put their drivers near the top of the field and earn some desperately needed points? The weekend will tell, but one things for sure, they are approaching this race with potential for improvement and positive vibes.
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