Coming into Austin Team Lotus was optimistic. For one thing, they love hats and they love boots, so much so they have a blog post about them on their website. Their flare for fashion aside, Team Principal, Nick Chester, had mentioned on several occasions that he felt like things were starting to really come together for the team. The mistakes that had plagued the team in the last few races, according to Chester, had been identified and dealt with. Moreover, the team would be testing the new nose of the E23 in FP1 and, despite the controversy surrounding the current financial status of several teams, and Formula 1 itself, Team Lotus was feeling positive about the weekend.
Hats, Boots, and a Great U.S. Grand Prix for Lotus
As both practice and qualifying unfolded, that optimism was proved to be well founded. The team experienced some of their best runs this season. A revised qualifying format and a more solid car saw Pastor Maldonado earn his best qualifying position ever of 11th place. Maldonado then received an extra place when Jenson Button was given a grid penalty and Maldonado moved into 10th place. Romain Grosjean had a solid car as well, however, he had an issue with tyre locking that found him in 18th place to start the race. Overall, both drivers were comfortable and pleased with the set up heading into the race.
The race started with an early collision that put both drivers in overdrive as they carefully wove their way through. After the debris was cleared up and the safety car off the track and back in place, it was determined that both drivers had actually benefited from the wreck with Maldonado then in eighth and Grosjean in tenth. Maldonado, however, did not have smooth sailing. He was pulled into the pits for penalty after it was decided he had been speeding while following the pace car. In the meantime, Grosjean had climbed all the way to fifth before finding eight was a more comfortable fit for the car.
It appeared, at least for a short time that both cars would be in the points for the first time this season. However, a late race bump from Jean-Eric Vergne disrupted the balance of the car and Grosjean found it much more difficult to drive. Despite the damage done by the contact with Vergne, Grosjean was able to bring the car home in eleventh.
Maldonado, despite his own challenges, overcame his five second penalty to finish tenth, and earn his first ever point. At the end of the day Pastor was excited about the race saying, “It was a great fight from the very beginning; it felt good, the strategy was good and the car pace was surprisingly good,” said Pastor. “We were fully focused, keeping the pace and managing the tyres. Let’s keep pushing like that; I think we can do a good job in the next two races.” A sentiment echoed by the team, and their fans, across the globe.
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