Coming into the Brazilian Grand Prix, Lotus was enjoying a feeling of optimism and hope previously not experienced during the season. The optimism and excitement Lotus felt coming into Interlagos, however, was quickly lost as the weekend got underway and it became clear that the strategy they had originally come in with wasn’t going to work. Instead, the team scrambled all weekend, battling tyres, broken parts, and a solid strategy gone awry.
Lotus Brazilian Grand Prix Review
Tyres were one of the biggest issues of the race. Both Romain Grosjean and Pastor Maldonado seemed to be able to somewhat manage the tyre issues that were plaguing other teams. Tyres seemed to be devoured by the track at Interlagos, but Grosjean and Maldonado seemed to find a way to work their tyres that allowed them to stretch them for greater lengths. Moreoever, Grosjean was about to get 24 laps out of his medium tyres, which proved to be the greatest stint of the race.
Strategy was another key part of Lotus’s struggles in the Brazilian Grand Prix. For Grosjean, the idea seemed to be to work the track and his car and stretch them as far as he could. This allowed him to garner good track position, especially as his car was running strong and he could hold his own in the upper positions. Maldonado, on the other hand, was on a strategy that mostly outlined the acquisition of the time and places he lost after a difficult start. The multitude of pit stops each team experienced at Interlagos could have potentially caused a great deal of problems for the team. However, Maldonado and the team managed to make it work and the Venezuelan soon found himself in 12th place.
By the time lap 55 was turned Grosjean and Maldonado were in position to garner some points. Grosjean was in 11th and Maldonado in 13th, so close to points winning places that they could almost taste it. Five laps from the end, however, Grosjean experienced a Power Unit problem that forced him to bring the car into the pits, ending his day. Maldonado, while managing to clamber his way into 12th was unable to make it any further up the grid, unable to take possession of the points he, and the team, so desperately desire.
Trackside Operations Director Alan Permane felt the number of pitstops were costly, “We were hoping to capitalise on better tyre life than our rivals, and although we were able stretch more durable performance from the medium compound than some, it was insufficient to secure fewer pit stops for us which meant no advantage.” The team had come into the weekend with high expectations and high hopes. The track at Interlagos, was not, however, inclined to be generous and Lotus left the Brazilian Grand Prix a little bruised and a little beaten up, but engines still turning over and eyes turned toward the vast desert of Abu Dhabi.
Thank you for reading. Please take a moment to follow me on Twitter – @tfaby3. Support LWOS by following us on Twitter – @LastWordOnSport and @LWOSworld– and “liking” our Facebook page.
Interested in writing for LWOS? We are looking for enthusiastic, talented writers to join our motorsports writing team. Visit our “Write for Us” page for very easy details in how you can get started today!
For the latest sports injury news, check out our friends at sports injury alert.
Have you tuned into Last Word On Sports Radio? LWOS is pleased to bring you 24/7 sports radio to your PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone. What are you waiting for? GO!
Main image:
