Lotus E21 Renault (pre-launch speculation)

[raymondu999]

I think that the E20 was one of the better cars of the paddock this year, with a good base car that was very drivable. I don't generally remember any comments of the car being terrible to handle at all during the year - and I think that balance has helped it in tyre life, etc.

Thoughts on how the E21 will stack up in the pecking order?

[Holm86]

Third fastest is my guess. McLaren and RBR will be the two quickest cars next year as well. Dont know in what order though. Im not expecting much of Ferrari next year. Not as long as they have those wind tunnel problems.

So my guess is it will be the third fastest again next year.

[Neno]

Third fastest is my guess. McLaren and RBR will be the two quickest cars next year as well. Dont know in what order though. Im not expecting much of Ferrari next year. Not as long as they have those wind tunnel problems.

So my guess is it will be the third fastest again next year.

I dont know, when Enstone made good car one season, next season new car was much better and faster. Am going from
R23, to R26.
If we consider E20 was evolution of R31 who was good car on beggining season with podium, and E21 made make severals podiums and one win, i can expect progress for E21 for couple of wins and regulars podiums. With that bigger chance as conteder in both championship. This will be also car who will suit Kimi from beggining, no steering wheels problems and
getting tyers in order. Car will hold all precious informations how to extract much bigger performances from FP to FP and qualy.

[wrcsti]

I do expect this car to again be the best of the rest, and sometimes contending for wins and maybe even a couple of them. Unless there is a big F up in design I think now that they experimented and made some solutions that were copied by many last season, and had many of their podiums and such when runing without the coanda exhaust. It jst shows this car has a lot of potential. And lets not forget things like the rear wing duct

[dedge]

As seen on the Lotus twitter : some pictures of a 2013 car during pistops practice at Enstone.
It is a show car as precised by Lotus, but a great look to the non-stepped nose!
http://twitter.yfrog.com/odjlzhdj
http://twitter.yfrog.com/g0jahkaj
http://twitter.yfrog.com/j2rd0haj

Edit : the diffuser seams very different too, very high as a double diffuser, but I cannot find any similarity with the Renault R30 or R31.

[Pup]

That's the 2011 car.

[wesley123]

Based on the nose I'd say the 2010 car

[dedge]

Not sure : on all the pictures of the R31 I have, the diffusor is not as curvy of this one, and there was not central pillar for the rear wing

@wesley : yes probably

[Neno]

Not sure : on all the pictures of the R31 I have, the diffusor is not as curvy of this one, and there was not central pillar for the rear wing

@wesley : yes probably

yup, be we didnt hear yet nothing about crash test from Lotus, and they already think that E21 is ready for driving, giving us a pictures?

[stefan_]

That's the 2010 car they always use inside the factory (and sometimes outside, in the yard) for the pit stop practices.

[Hail22]

That's the 2010 car they always use inside the factory (and sometimes outside, in the yard) for the pit stop practices.

Agreed you can also notice the 2010 "Shark Fin" well spotted Stefan.

[Blackout]

Lotus FB page (they called it E21)
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/ ... 8865_n.jpg
If those slits are cooling grillls, they different from the usual ones (E20 and its predecessors)
http://formula1sportnews.files.wordpres ... 2012-2.jpg

[dren]

Lotus had a light chassis last year but had to add some weight to reinforce the broken suspension issues they had in testing. I expect this new chassis to overcome that and be even lighter. I don't know what to expect with the exhaust; if we'll see a ramp or Mclaren styled one. If Lotus sticks to what they used last year, I expect slightly slimmer sidepods, and a slightly modified diffuser & rear wheel wings. I don't think it'll look all that different unless they go the ramp style exhaust exit. This car is going to be good.

[Neno]

Lotus FB page (they called it E21)
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/ ... 8865_n.jpg
If those slits are cooling grillls, they different from the usual ones (E20 and its predecessors)
http://formula1sportnews.files.wordpres ... 2012-2.jpg

this is maybe better comparing picture
for E20
http://i49.servimg.com/u/f49/14/79/55/26/img_jp10.jpg

[Rikhart]

I think that the E20 was one of the better cars of the paddock this year, with a good base car that was very drivable. I don't generally remember any comments of the car being terrible to handle at all during the year - and I think that balance has helped it in tyre life, etc.

Thoughts on how the E21 will stack up in the pecking order?

It was a good car at its best conditions (high temperatures), but also very inconsistent, whenever the temperatures dropped, they couldnt work the tyres anywhere as good. I hope they are helped in this by the new pirellis.