Lotus Evora GT4 grabs podium on Dubai 24 hr debut
It was a busy week for Lotus Motorsport, having to prepare for an international motorsport show, a 24 hour endurance race, the unveiling of an F1 car, and several partnership announcements. For their troubles however, the team is now rewarded with a class podium finish on their debut at the Dubai 24 hour endurance race and also a ‘Best Stand’ award at the Autosport International exhibition in Birmingham.
Spearheading the team’s excellent debut were Leo and Greg Mansell, sons of Formula One champion Nigel Mansell, along with Johnny Mowlem, Stefano D’Aste and Gianni Giudici. The quintet piloted the team’s Lotus Evora GT4 Endurance to finish 22nd overall and 3rd place in the GT4 class.
It was not a smooth ride for the team by any means though. They started at the tail end of the grid having missed testing and qualifying due to logistical delays. There was also a last minute need for the substitution of two driveshafts – the only technical hiccup experienced by the team during the race.
Lotus Director of Motorsport Claudio Berro commented, “I am happy with the debut of the new endurance version of the Evora. Due to the high variation of temperatures between night and day, the Dubai 24 hour race is one of the most severe endurance races in the desert, and I think that the car has shown fantastic handling and reliability, important characteristics already demonstrated on the road version of the Evora.”
Last week also saw Lotus Motorsport and Lotus Renault GP formally unveil the team’s 2011 F1 livery at Autosport International. The team’s efforts at Birmingham was subsequently awarded by the event’s judges with the ‘Best Stand at Autosport International 2011′ award.
In addition to the team’s black and gold coloured F1 car, Lotus also displayed the Type 125, the team’s F1-inspired customer race car, which will go on test this week at Vallelunga before heading over to Abu Dhabi where lucky customers will get to experience the car at the Yas Marina F1 Circuit.
Pictures: Official Lotus release.
