F1: Lotus Looking Good So Far, Says Boullier

Lotus F1 team principal Eric Boullier was encouraged by the opening round of preseason testing...

Adam Cooper | http://www.speedtv.com | Posted February 12, 2013 Balen (BEL)

Eric Boullier liked the way the Lotus cars ran in Jerez testing. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

Lotus F1 team principal Eric Boullier says he’s pleased with the way the team kicked off its season at the Jerez test.

Romain Grosjean and Kimi Raikkonen topped the times on the second and fourth days of the test, respectively, as they got to grips with the new E21.

“I would say there are a couple of things,” said Boullier of the Jerez test. “First of all, the feedback from the drivers after their first few laps is always very important – if you see them step out with a smile on their face, you know the baseline of the car should be good, and it was pleasing to see that from both Kimi and Romain.

“On top of that, we managed to complete some decent mileage which is always encouraging when you bring a brand new car to the track for the first time. Finally, the general pace of the car looked promising with each of our drivers.

“Of course, lap times are not representative of the order at this early stage of the season, but to be at the front of the pack without deliberately setting out to do so, is always a plus. It doesn’t mean we will be World Champions, but we know the car works well, and that’s a big credit to everyone involved.

“One of the main priorities now is to ensure that the reliability of the car matches up to the demands of the season ahead. Barcelona is much more similar to the kind of format we will see throughout the year, so the information we gather here will be more relevant to our requirements at the different circuits on the calendar. Another focus for the team will be to continue our analysis of the 2013 tires to give us the best possible understanding of how the car will work with them.”

Meanwhile, Boullier says that Grosjean has made a step forward this year.

“Romain did a good job during his first two days with the E21, and has started the year full of confidence, which is exactly what we expected from him,” Boullier said. “The difference is clear; he knows what he needs to do, and the early signs look promising for the future.”

Adam Cooper notched up his 28th season as a racing journalist in 2012. He has written about F1 for SPEED.com since 2005. Follow him on Twitter.