lotus-renault-r31

F1 2011 Season Preview: The Drivers and Teams

Lotus Renault GP
#9 Nick Heidfeld
#10 Vitaly Petrov

It’s been an odd off-season for the former Renault squad. The Lotus Group bought Renault’s remaining 25% stake in Renault F1. Lotus will also be the title sponsor of the team through the 2017 season. That’s why the team’s R31 is painted in the old Lotus JPS colours of black and gold rather than last year’s yellow and black. As a result of Lotus buying into the team, LRGP will be racing under a British license for the first time since Renault took control of the team in 2002. Vitaly Petrov is back with the team after speculation that he would be dropped. (Russian sponsorship money will help you there.) Nick Heidfeld draws in for Robert Kubica who was injured in a rally in February. The R31 is one of the more radical designs on the grid this season. In order to improve downforce, it has an exhaust-blown diffuser with the exhaust outlets at the front of the sidepods. If the drivers are up to the task, Renault could be the #3 team this season. With Kubica at the wheel, it was a given that they would be a top five team. Without, I’m not so certain.

Teams