Lotus Racing blooms into life

Lotus came a step closer to ending 16 years away from the Formula 1 grid with the launch of its 2010 challenger at the Royal Horticultural Halls in London. Lotus Racing’s T127 certainly looks quick – clad in traditional green and yellow – but we’ll have to wait until the first race in Bahrain to find out how quick.

Although this is a very different outfit to Colin Chapman’s Team Lotus, it hasn’t forgotten its heritage, and both Clive and Hazel Chapman were at the launch alongside former Lotus racers.

Team boss Tony Fernandes talked about the formation of the Malaysian-backed team before unveiling the car. He was thrilled when Clive Chapman described the occasion as being “just like the early days of Lotus”.

Technical chief Mike Gascoyne completed the speeches, and drivers Heikki Kovalainen, Jarno Trulli and third driver Fairuz Fauzy were also in attendance. The celebrations carried on after the press launch at the Aura nightclub in Mayfair.