Lotus says 'twin tusk' nose design is not against F1 rules
Lotus has quashed any talk that its radical 'twin tusk' Formula 1 nose design could be outlawed this year
The Enstone-based outfit has caused a stir with its unique interpretation of the nose rules on its E22.
But amid speculation at Jerez that rivals could protest the design because it goes against the spirit of the regulations, Lotus made it clear on Tuesday that it had received full backing from the FIA.
Technical director Nick Chester said: "As you know we have passed all the necessary crash tests and we are very confident that our design complies with all the FIA legal requirements.
"We have just taken an innovative direction, and one that's different to the other teams.
"Where there are so many variations in design, there is always bound to be a little talk, but we remain relaxed and focussed on our design and progression."
F1 2014 tech: Aero controversy
AUTOSPORT has learned that the FIA is happy with the design of the Lotus nose, and has been approached by other teams who have enquired about going down that route.
Although no other team has adopted the twin tusk solution, Chester said that Lotus was satisfied with its choice, and would not be looking into a change of design.
"There appears to be some elegant solutions and others that certainly don't look as nice!" he said.
"We're very happy with the direction we have taken and it will be very interesting to see how the cars perform once we get a proper chance to compare them on track."
Chester said that Lotus was on course to get its new car on track in time for the second pre-season test in Bahrain.
"The car's coming together pretty well now," he said. "The build is well advanced and we think we'll be in good shape for Bahrain come the next test."
Jerez F1 test: Hamilton sets early pace before crashing
Caterham's CT05 2014 Formula 1 car makes belated track debut
Castroneves: “Too early” to think about potential replacement by Blomqvist
Four-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves says it’s too soon to consider Meyer Shank Racing might want to swap him to the IMSA squad and bring Tom Blomqvist over to IndyCar.
Why some DTM teams take out crash insurance but others gamble
The 2022 DTM season featured several major pile-ups and accidents, costing teams several hundred thousands in repair costs. While some had insured cars against such damage, others weren’t so well prepared…
Ricciardo: Australian GP buzz will tell me a lot about F1 comeback
Red Bull third driver Daniel Ricciardo says attending his home grand prix in Melbourne will likely tell him whether he wants to make a full-time comeback to Formula 1 or not.
Kirkwood admits he overdrove as an IndyCar rookie
Kyle Kirkwood admits he was overdriving at AJ Foyt Racing in 2022 and is expecting to rebuild his reputation at Andretti Autosport.
The pioneering F1 car that preceded Lotus’s terminal decline
In the hands of Ayrton Senna the actively suspended 99T would be the last F1 race-winning Lotus but, as STUART CODLING reveals, it was a complicated machine that caused more problems than it solved
How Tyrrell became a racing Rubik’s cube as it faded out of F1
Formula 1’s transformation into a global sport meant the gradual extinction for a small team determined to stay true to its low-budget roots. But Tyrrell would eventually be reborn as a world-beating outfit again, explains MAURICE HAMILTON, albeit in different colours…
Assessing Hamilton's remarkable decade as a Mercedes F1 driver
Many doubted Lewis Hamilton’s move from McLaren to Mercedes for the 2013 Formula 1 season. But the journey he’s been on since has taken the Briton to new heights - and to a further six world championship titles
Why new look Haas is a litmus test for Formula 1’s new era
OPINION: With teams outside the top three having struggled in Formula 1 in recent seasons, the rules changes introduced in 2022 should have more of an impact this season. How well Haas does, as the poster child for the kind of team that F1 wanted to be able to challenge at the front, is crucial
The Mercedes F1 pressure changes under 10 years of Toto Wolff
OPINION: Although the central building blocks for Mercedes’ recent, long-lasting Formula 1 success were installed before he joined the team, Toto Wolff has been instrumental in ensuring it maximised its finally-realised potential after years of underachievement. The 10-year anniversary of Wolff joining Mercedes marks the perfect time to assess his work
The all-French F1 partnership that Ocon and Gasly hope to emulate
Alpine’s signing of Pierre Gasly alongside Esteban Ocon revives memories of a famous all-French line-up, albeit in the red of Ferrari, for BEN EDWARDS. Can the former AlphaTauri man's arrival help the French team on its path back to winning ways in a tribute act to the Prancing Horse's title-winning 1983?
How do the best races of F1 2022 stack up to 2021?
OPINION: A system to score all the grands prix from the past two seasons produces some interesting results and sets a standard that 2023 should surely exceed
Who were the fastest drivers in F1 2022?
Who was the fastest driver in 2022? Everyone has an opinion, but what does the stopwatch say? Obviously, differing car performance has an effect on ultimate laptime – but it’s the relative speed of each car/driver package that’s fascinating and enlightening says ALEX KALINAUCKAS
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.