GreenBkk.com Formula 1 | New Lotus 'feels like a proper F1 car' - Kovalainen

New Lotus 'feels like a proper F1 car' - Kovalainen

Heikki Kovalainen completed just 15 laps in the Lotus © Sutton Images

Despite a shaky start, Heikki Kovalainen is confident the new Lotus is a considerable step up from last year's car.

Kovalainen completed just 15 laps in the new T128 before the team called it quits due to a power steering problem. New components will be flown in overnight to get the car up and running in the morning, but despite the problems Kovalainen was bouyed by the new car.

"The power steering problem was the only major problem, that stopped us from doing a lot of running, but apart from that the feeling seems positive," he said. "Definitely much better than last year at this time. As soon as we fix that problem we can give it a proper go and know better but so far so good. We got some systems checks done on the new engine, the new gearbox and the rear wing actuator, so that's all good."

When asked if he got a chance to push the car to the limit, Kovalainen replied: "Not even a single lap. Before we identified the problem the steering was causing problems in certain corners and then it was OK for a while, but we didn't understand really until we took some pieces apart and we saw that there was a bearing failure inside the power steering."

However, he is confident the new car is already a long way ahead of where last year's car was at the first test.

"We've been able to plan and design it over a long period of time, so it backs up my feeling that the car feels like a proper Formula One car," he said. "[It's] certainly a good platform to develop it a bit further.

He added: "I think to score some points has got to be the target. To join the group with Sauber, Toro Rosso, Force India, that's obviously the main challenge - to try and join that group and battle with them. Hopefully when the circumstances are beneficial we will try to be there and score some points."

Team boss Tony Fernandes told ESPNF1 he was very proud of the team's first day.

"The problems were one of those things that happen, but Heikki was really happy with the car and the car looks good, the team look good. It's one year on [from our debut] and we're all very happy."

Credit: ESPN F1 (espn.com)