(Steven Tee for Lotus F1 Team)
The Lotus F1 Team head to the Belgian Grand Prix next weekend hoping to score some more points after a difficult start to the 2014 Formula One season. The team are currently in 8th place in the Constructors championship on 8 points.
Lotus F1 Team technical director Nick Chester has confirmed that the Enstone based outfit will have
'a fair amount of new development parts for Spa such as new bodywork and smaller modifications centred around the front of the chassis which should give some good downforce benefits for us'
Chester has also stated that the team will have plenty of developments to come to the E22 over the course of the season. In terms of the Spa Francorchamps circuit Chester has stated that the car needs a low downforce set up to get the maximum performance from the car. Teams will also be looking to the mechanical set-up to deal with Eau Rouge and Raidillion.
Chester has stated that following the lose of the inter connected suspension the team have made some progress and the team have some new mechanical parts for Spa.
Lotus deputy team boss Frederico Gastaldi has stated that Spa Francorchamps is motivation for the team to keep pushing and they are hoping that by doing so they can turn their season around. He is hopeful that the team will gain some momentum going into the final two European Grand Prix in Spa and Monza.
He is hopeful that the team can get the maximum potential from the car during the second half of the 2014 season. The challenge of the Spa Francorchamps circuit is what makes it such a special place Gastaldi confirmed but also that the atmosphere at the circuit is unique. He also feels that the paddock brings a great atmosphere.
Gastaldi has confirmed that the team will just focus on themselves when asked about 'the silly season which traditionally starts in Belgium'.
He also feels that Formula One needs an iconic circuit such as Spa Francorhamps and the sport would not be what it is without the circuit just like tennis wouldn't be as big without Wimbledon.
The main challenge for the team for the rest of the season is to ensure that they get the maximum performance from the E22 aswell as working on improving the reliability of the car. When it comes to 2015 Gastaldi wasn't giving anything away and that the team will make announcements when they are ready but what he would say was that they have plenty of new partnerships in store for next season while building on their existing relationships.
Romain Grosjean enjoyed spending time with his son Sacha who celebrated his first Birthday following the Hungarian Grand Prix and spent time with his family but it looking forward to getting to work after the Summer break.
The Frenchman is feeling positive heading into the second half of the season despite a difficult first part of the 2014 season. Grosjean believes that he has matured as a driver, he is in his third full season in Formula One and has shown the team that he can be a leader. He has scored all of the outfits points so far in 2014. His aim is to bring the Enstone team back to where they should be which is competing for podiums and victories like they did last season.
Grosjean has described the Spa Francorchamps circuit as a dream for the drivers and perfectly described the track by saying that it has a 'soul'. Belgium is famous for its chips and Romain says that you can almost smell them in the stands when travelling around the circuit at high speed.
Following a disappointing 2014 season Grosjean believes that the determination within the team will help them to move forward in the second half of the campaign.
The team have had a succession of issues since the last time they scored points at the Monaco Grand Prix Grosjean is hopeful that in Spa the team will be able to unlock the full potential of the 2014 E22.
Pastor Maldonado spent the Summer break relaxing with friends and family and like Grosjean is looking forward to going back to work. He now feels refreshed heading into the second half of the season where he hopes to score his first points of the season and his first as a Lotus F1 Team driver.
Maldonado believes that the team need to finish the season off in as strong a position as possible as this will give the team something to work with for the 2015 car and that means scoring points.
The Venezuelan has described the Spa Francorchamps circuit as 'one of the best on the planet.' Maldonado loves the historical aspects of the circuit with corners such as Eau Rouge, Pouhon, Raidillion and Blanchimont that have made up part of the circuit since the first race there in 1950.
Maldonado has not singled out one special moment during his time racing at Spa but feels that he has 'great memories' and 'a special relationship with it going back many years'.
Maldonado hopes that the E22 has a good, clean weekend at the Belgian Grand Prix in Spa Francorhamps but feels as always that the weather will play a key role in how the weekend plays out.
© Ben Johnston 2014
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