Reasonably confident' Lotus hit the track
As Team Lotus' T128 made its on-track debut at Valencia, technical chief Mike Gascoyne warned against making snap judgements.
Team Lotus, who launched their 2011 challenger online on Monday, sat out Tuesday's first day of testing, opting instead to run their three days from Wednesday to Friday.
Heikki Kovalainen got proceedings underway early Wednesday morning, venturing out for the T128's first installation lap under the watchful eye of Gascoyne, who is adamant the new car is a massive step up from last year's challenger.
"It is a modern F1 car," he told Autosport. "It is what we always said - we had very limited time last year to do the car, so we had to take a conservative approach.
"The bottom line is that last year's car was always about finishing 10th. We were never going to be above 10th, so it had to get 10th place and then move on. It did that and it did it well."
Gascoyne has urged caution as his team takes to the track, insisting that little can be deduced from lap times in testing and that F1 fans will have to wait until the first race in Bahrain to know a team's true form.
"You are talking lap time relative to the people you are trying to chase. And, if you look at Toro Rosso or Sauber or Force India, they were one and a half seconds away - and that is the gap you have to make up.
"You can make the facts fit any theory. We are reasonably confident that we have done a good job, from the wind tunnel - and the rules are in our favour.
"There were things like blown diffusers that we didn't have, F-ducts which we didn't have, while everyone now has an adjustable rear wing.
"There were things there that were worth considerable time that we didn't have. And also there is time. We had eight months in the wind tunnel with this car, and we had eight days to do the last car.
"So we would be pretty stupid if we hadn't done a better job. Everyone wants numbers and proof, and we will find out in Bahrain, but I think we have done a very good solid job with good resources.
"We want to start in the group with Toro Rosso, Sauber and Force India, and I would hope we are there and we will find out in Bahrain."
Credit: PlanetF1.com (www.planetf1.com)
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