Motor racing-Lotus now fully focused on 2011 car

27 August 2010

Formula One newcomers Lotus are now fully focused on next season and taking on the sport's established teams, technical head Mike Gascoyne said on Friday.

The Malaysian-owned team are currently best of the three all-new outfits on the starting grid but are still some distance away from the other nine and a long way from scoring their first points.

Friday at the Belgian Grand Prix marked another milestone for the revived marque, returning after the demise of the original Lotus team in 1994.

"Today was the day a year ago that we actually first walked around our factory and there were three of us," recalled Gascoyne.

"Now there are 220 of us. We hope that we can do a better job for next year, so that is clearly where our focus is."

Lotus, run by AirAsia aviation entrepreneur Tony Fernandes, designed their first car in a hurry but Gascoyne said the 2011 one should be a far more considered effort.

"While it is still important for us to try and maintain 10th place in the championship, I think the most important thing as one of the new teams is that we make that step and close the gap to the established teams and we are able to race them properly," he said.

"I think just being on the grid for us was a huge achievement but you are only a new team once and we are not a new team next year. We are a Formula One team and we have to make sure that we are performing as one so we very much switched our focus on to next year's car."

Lotus's best result in 12 races so far has been 13th for Finland's Heikki Kovalainen in Australia in March.

The old Lotus team founded by the late Colin Chapman won seven constructors' titles between 1963 and 1978 as well as six drivers' crowns.

"Gearbox and hydraulics have been a particularly weak area," said Gascoyne of this season's performance.

"We haven't had the resources to put all the fixes in place and I think we have been let down by some suppliers who have not done as good a job as they should have done. But you cannot make excuses. You have got to put things right," he added.

"I think we are now very much on top of it."

Reuters

Teenager Nabil to drive Lotus Racing F1 car during testing

07 August 2010

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian karting prodigy Nabil Jeffri will get an insight into Formula One racing when he takes part in Lotus Racing’s aero test in the United Kingdom next month.

The 16-year old is currently competing in Formula BMW Pacific with Eurasia Motosport. It has been a good start to his motor racing career as he is placed fifth in the standings.

Taking part in the aero test will provide invaluable experience in motor racing.

NEW COMER: Datuk Seri Dr.Tony Fernandes (right) and Nabil Jeffri, the lotus Racing's new driver for testing, at the press confrance in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.Starpic by S.S.KANESAN)

Nabil’s stint with Lotus Racing is part of the AirAsia Asean Driver Development programme, which is aimed at providing youths in the region the chance to pursue their dream of becoming professional racers.

Lotus Racing principal Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes said yesterday that it was great to be able to provide the opportunity for a young driver like Nabil to get a taste of driving an F1 car and gaining experience through the programme.

“This programme is designed at offering young drivers the chance to hone their skills and as a platform for them to develop and compete against top class racers,” he said after announcing Nabil’s stint under the programme at a leading hotel here yesterday.

“Nabil has huge talent and we are confident that he will benefit from driving in the aero test. He is among the young drivers who we hope will make the grade in the future.”

Nabil, meanwhile, is excited at the prospect of driving for Lotus in the aero test.

“This is a big break for me and I must thank Lotus Racing for the opportunity. Driving the Lotus car will be a priceless exposure to F1 racing.

“I hope to get more such stints to help me develop as a top driver. I am also thankful for being a part of the AirAsia Driver Development Programme,” he said.

The Lotus Racing team drivers are Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen while Malaysia’s Fairuz Fauzy is the test driver.

Fernandes said that Nabil would be able to get a better insight into F1 by talking to and learning from Fairuz.

By S.Ramaguru

The Star

Air Asia and Lotus Racing partnership takes off

10 June 2010

AirAsia X officially announced a partnership with Lotus Racing, during the world famous British Grand Prix held at the home of British Motor Racing, Silverstone from 9 – 11 July.

AirAsia X CEO, Azran Osman-Rani and Lotus Racing CEO, Riad Asmat were on hand for the photo call at the Lotus Racing garage along with drivers Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen. Next to them was the Lotus Racing T127 displaying the freshly placed AirAsia logos on the car.

This announcement is very timely, given that AirAsia X flies directly to a number of destinations where races take place in the current Formula 1™ calendar such as the UK (via Stansted), Melbourne, Malaysia and Shanghai (via Hangzhou). Soon, Korea and Japan can be added to the list as the destinations are soon to be a part of the airline’s rapid growth.

Commenting on the partnership, Azran states, "Teaming up with Lotus Racing is an exciting step for AirAsia X. We admire Lotus Racing as a team which always strives for excellence, a trait similar to that of AirAsia X. Furthermore, as we expand our route network, it is essential that we build our global platform, and a great way to do so is via involvement in Formula One™. Particularly in our upcoming markets of Korea and Japan later this year, and France in early 2011, all of which host legs on the Formula One™ calendar.

“There were people who once doubted AirAsia X’s low cost long haul model, questioning whether it could survive in the current global travel market. We proved them wrong by becoming one of the best in the world! Lotus Racing too had their fair share of skepticism. No one thought the team could even make it to the grid in such a short period of time, let alone be worthy contenders on the track. But they silenced the critics not only by producing the cars on time for the race season, but also by becoming serious contenders in the competition. There’s a lot that we can learn from each other, and we look forward to this relationship with Lotus Racing, taking AirAsia X further into the realms of sports sponsorship,” Azran said.

Riad Asmat, Lotus Racing CEO, added his thoughts, saying: “We are extremely proud to welcome AirAsia X into the Lotus Racing family and are very excited about working together in partnership over the coming seasons. We are both growing fast, and the natural synergies between our two companies will provide us with many very exciting opportunities for Lotus Racing fans and AirAsia X passengers alike – frankly, we can’t wait to get started!”

Partnerships such as with the UK British MotoGP in June (the inaugural AirAsia British Grand Prix), also held at Silverstone, is another example of how powerful sports sponsorships can be as both branding and commercial tools for AirAsia.

AirAsia X's relationship with sports sponsorship began in 2009 with the announcement of being 'Proud Sponsors' of the Oakland Raiders, one of the most prolific teams in the National Football League (NFL) in the United States. The airline also sponsors the Gold Coast Airport Marathon which took place earlier this month, with CEO Azran leading a team of 20 staff runners, as well as providing sponsorship to two runners from Cambodia and Singapore in a bid to enhance the accessibility of Australia to all ASEAN communities through use of their sister airline, low-cost short-haul AirAsia.

Sports sponsorship is very important to AirAsia and AirAsia X, being the most homogeneous mass market which unites countless communities. Through sports sponsorship, AirAsia and AirAsia X is able to not only fulfill the larger vision of the airline by making dreams come true, but also to establish its brand’s equity value - a significant part of its branding effort, enabling AirAsia to become a household brand.

TheLotusForums.com

Lotus set to run AirAsia logos in Spain

30 April 2010

The logo of team boss Tony Fernandes' AirAsia airline could soon feature on the 2010 Lotus car.

We reported last month that because the logos are already seen prominently on Williams' FW32, Fernandes was instead content to advertise his investment firm Tune Group on the green T127.

But according to a report in Finland's leading newspaper Turun Sanomat, the situation might be different when the heavily updated cars emerge from the pits in Barcelona next week.

The report said the AirAsia logo "will be displayed" on the Lotus in Spain.

Meanwhile, we also reported in March that the logos of the Brazilian oil company Petrobras might be added to the T127's livery in Barcelona.

But Turun Sanomat said the deal has not been done in time to debut at the Spanish Grand Prix.

Motorsport.com

Branding the F1 way

24 April 2010

THE world of Formula One (F1) is more than just about fast cars and cutting-edge technology. With a viewership of 600 million people per race, it provides a fantastic platform for businesses to showcase their brands around the globe.

But in your typical business environment, businesses only want to be associated with the best and in the case of F1, its the big, established teams like Ferrari, McLaren or Mercedes that often get the upper hand in the war to secure sponsors.

But F1 is a tough business and even the elite have fallen on hard times. Last year’s global economic meltdown saw renowned teams – BMW, Honda and Toyota – pulling out as the financial strain proved too much to handle.

But the economy has picked up and this year’s F1 season saw the inclusion of three new names, namely Lotus Racing, Virgin Racing and Hispania Racing F1 Team (HRT) competing for the most coveted prize in motorsports.

Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes believes Malaysia can bank on the success of its own F1 team.

Hoping for Lotus Racing to bloom

Taking a cue from other established F1 teams, Lotus Racing team principal Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes wants to monetise the Lotus brand by leveraging on the F1 brand. He believes Malaysia as a country can then bank on the success of its own F1 team.

“Just look at what Ferrari has done for Italy and Mercedes for Germany,” he tells StarBizWeek during the 2010 Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix (GP) earlier this month. Although he declines to disclose figures, he insists that running an F1 team is “not a waste of money”.

“I don’t think it’s a waste of money or else I won’t be doing it,” he counters.

Colin Kolles ... ‘F1 is an interesting business platform and the best way to present your business.’

According to Fernandes, who is also the group chief executive of low-cost carrier AirAsia Bhd, there are plans to leverage the popularity of Lotus Racing as an F1 brand to produce spin-off products. It recently launched its own energy drink, LR8.

“(There will be) more merchandise, joint ventures and business ideas in the pipeline,” he says. The team has also engaged in various cross-promotional efforts with AirAsia. “AirAsia made a lot of money selling Lotus T-shirts,” he adds.

Lotus Racing is operated by the 1Malaysia F1 Racing Team, a privately funded project, with Tune Group and Naza Group as co-owners.

Tune Group is jointly owned by Fernandes and Datuk Kamarudin Meranun, who is also a director of 1Malaysia F1 Racing Team. The other directors of 1Malaysia F1 Racing Team are Naza group executive chairman SM Nasarudin SM Nasimuddin and Zahri Ismail.

Its drivers are former Toyota F1 driver Jarno Trulli of Italy and Heikki Kovalainen of Finland, previously with McLaren.

Fernandes says the team’s long-term target, just like that of any other team in the circuit, is to eventually win the F1 crown.

“We want to become world champions one day. I didn’t start here to become last. It’s going to be hard but if I told you six months ago we were going to have an F1 team, you would have said it was impossible.”

He declines to comment about team sponsorship deals and if the team is in talks to secure more sponsors.

Recently, it was reported that the team expects four more major sponsors to come on board this season. Other unconfirmed reports also claim that Lotus Racing has inked a deal with Brazilian oil company Petrobras.

Different approaches needed

John Booth calls F1 ‘the biggest show in the world.’

To HRT Team principal Colin Kolles, F1 is an “interesting business platform” and “the best way to present your business.”

Kolles realises the hardship of being a new team – an unknown brand in a league of established ones and the difficulty in attracting sponsors.

But he says that the task of securing sponsorships is never easy for any team, adding that both new and established teams need to approach the situation differently.

“You might attract small partners that see you as a young challenger. This might fit their marketing strategy, where it might be easier to get a sponsor than an established team,” he argues.

“Big companies would like to be associated with big brands and championship-winning teams like Ferrari and McLaren. Obviously this is a different strategy.”

However, Kolles concedes that surviving in the business is the biggest challenge for a new team. “It’s a tough business. I think a lot of people are not really aware how hard it is. For the new teams, what’s most important is to establish themselves.”

Kolles declines to disclose the team’s budget for the season but says it is less than those of the established outfits.

The Spain-based HRT team began as a collaboration between Adrian Campos of Campos Racing and Enrique Rodríguez of Meta Image, under the name of Campos Meta. In February, majority shareholder Jose Ramon Carabante took over full control of the team from Campos, and the team was renamed.

The team’s drivers are India’s Karun Chandhok and Brazil’s Bruno Senna, the nephew of former world champion, the late Ayrton Senna.

Virgin territory

Virgin Racing initially started out as Manor Grand Prix, a tie-up between Manor Motorsport and Wirth Research, and were initially granted entry in F1 as Manor GP.

However, as part of sponsorship arrangement that saw tycoon Richard Branson’s Virgin Group acquiring 80% of the team, the racing outfit became known as Virgin Racing.

Team principal John Booth says being associated with a brand like the Virgin Group was a big advantage. “Our partnership with Virgin helps tremendously. They’re one of the world’s most well-known brands,” he says.

The Virgin Group is a British-branded venture capital conglomerate organisation, with its core business areas being travel, entertainment and lifestyle.

Booth calls F1 “the biggest show in the world” and feels privileged to be part of “13 of the world’s best” to be competing this season.

Booth has been involved in the motorsport arena for over 30 years, but when he made the transition to F1, he knew it was an all-new ball game. “When I was in F3 (Formula 3), we used carried about three tonnes of equipment with us to each race. In F1, we transport about 26 tonnes of equipment. You can certainly imagine how much Ferrari and McLaren carry!”

Based in Britain, the team has over 150 employees. Its drivers are Lucas di Grassi of Brazil and former Toyota F1 driver, Timo Glock of Germany.

Keeping the wheels turning

So far, after four races this season, all of the new teams have yet to score points. The13th place finish by Lotus Racing’s Kovalainen at the Australian GP last month is the highest placing among the newcomers.

Interestingly, when the three new teams were asked whether they benchmark against each other or against the established outfits, all have different targets.

Kolles says because HRT is a new team, its target is to compete against “the new guys”.

Booth, however, says Virgin Racing benchmarks itself against both the new and established teams. “It’s both,” he adds. “Our short-term target is to benchmark against the new teams, but we also have a long-term goal where we want to compete against the best.”

Fernandes says Lotus Racing aims to compete against the big teams right from the beginning. “We set our standards high, just like we did with AirAsia. We didn’t benchmark ourselves against the small guys. We set out to compete against the best in the world.

“You’ve got to benchmark yourself against the best, otherwise don’t bother being in it.”

by Eugene Mahalingam

The Star

Lotus boss offers F1 rivals solution to European travel nightmare

18 April 2010

World champion Jenson Button won a rain-hit Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday, but the burning question is how Formula One's 12 teams will get their sizeable loads of personnel and equipment back to Europe for the next race amid the region's ongoing travel chaos.

The teams begin packing up as soon as events finish, some even before the checkered flag falls, and that has been the case in Shanghai -- leaving just the problem of what to do after that.

Lotus team boss Tony Fernandes has offered his rivals a possible solution: fly to Kuala Lumpur on his Air Asia airline, and then into Britain's Stansted airport once the volcanic ash from Iceland has cleared from the skies.

The Malaysian entrepreneur, who resurrected the old Lotus Racing name to bring the team back to F1 this year, announced the plan on his Twitter page after Sunday's race.

F1 standings following fourth race of 2010 in Shanghai

"Many of the teams flying on airasia and then flying back on special charter on airasia. Sauber, Ferrari, Toro Rosso, Renault, Mercedes," he wrote.

After races in Bahrain, Australia, Malaysia and now China, the F1 circuit has a three-week break before the start of the European season in Spain on May 9.

Lotus spokesman Tom Webb said that the extra time should mean most teams will be ready to start in Barcelona, despite needing to make upgrades and other improvements to their cars.

"While the four fly-away races require a huge amount of freight to be flown around, in Europe most teams have motor homes and trucks at their factories that are driven to the race venues," he told CNN, which is one of the team's sponsors.

"But everything in Formula One is planned to the last minute, so obviously the timeframes are going to be a lot tighter. And part of the break is giving the guys a bit of a rest -- most of the crews have been away from home for over a month now."

Drivers to sidestep European travel nightmare

Several drivers indicated after the Shanghai race that they would not be immediately returning to Europe anyway.

Button, who returned to the top of the drivers' standings after winning by 1.5 seconds, said that he was taking a break.

"I was always going to go away for a few days, relaxing after this one, but I'm hopefully going to be heading back to Europe at the end of the week, so we will see about that. We might all be driving back, which would be fun," he told the official F1 Web site.

His McLaren teammate Lewis Hamilton finished second despite an early run-in with Red Bull's pole-sitter Sebastian Vettel in the pit lane as both changed tires to combat the wet conditions.

"I've got a sponsor appearance in South Africa, so I've got to travel there and then go back to Europe," the English driver said.

Teams fear a lengthy wait

Britain-based McLaren were hoping that their return home would not be delayed by more than a few days, the UK Press Association reported.

"I am not so much worried about our people as we will find a way home, but we have to get the cars back and we have not had any word yet from the freights," team boss Martin Whitmarsh told PA.

"The cars have been away for some time and we are looking forward to getting our equipment back in the factory as quick as we can, making sure we service all the cars properly. That could be a bit chaotic if we don't get the freight back.

"If we lose three or four days we can live with it, but if we lose the cars for a week and beyond it becomes challenging."

Schumacher struggles in Shanghai

Nico Rosberg finished third for the second successive race to again outperform veteran Mercedes teammate Michael Schumacher, who was a disappointing 10th.

"I'd always planned to go to Thailand, so I'm going to go to Thailand for a week and then back to Europe after that," the younger German said.

Ferrari had mixed results as Fernando Alonso finished fourth, with Felipe Massa back in ninth after losing time when his teammate passed him going into the pit lane.

Red Bull's drivers once again failed to translate their qualifying dominance into race results as Vettel finished sixth and Mark Webber eighth.

The revived Renault team again did well with Robert Kubica placing fifth to be seventh overall on 40 points, while Russian rookie Vitaly Petrov completed his first race in F1 to be seventh.

CNN

Lotus boss lost for words

03 April 2010

SEPANG: Lotus boss Tony Fernandes was left struggling for words on Saturday after seeing Heikki Kovalainen secure 15th place on the grid for the team's "home" Malaysian Grand Prix.

Fernandes said he was delighted to see the Finn go through to Q2 on a day of tropical thunderstorms -- so happy that he was almost unable to speak.

"I'm speechless! What a day. To get 15th place in our home country, in front of our home crowd is amazing. I'm over the moon and just so excited," said the founder of budget airline AirAsia.

"We gave the Toro Rossos a run for their money today and Jarno (Trulli) was just unfortunate to get blocked, otherwise he'd have been in Q2 as well.

"Tomorrow's another day, and we'll see what happens, but it's a good step forward. We'll enjoy it, and we'll live for the day, and we'll see what happens."

Kovalainen was equally pleased.

"I really like these conditions. It's very hard to judge your speed and you really have to take some risks, and all the time you're feeling like you might lose the car, but that's the challenge and I love it!," he said.

"Although we were lucky, we played our strategy just right.

"If you look at the McLarens and Ferraris, they didn't think it was going to rain that much and look what happened. They missed their window at the beginning of the session and we took full advantage of it."

Technical boss Mike Gascoyne added: "Well done to the whole team, this is special for Tony and I know how proud he feels."

The Lotus operation is backed by Malaysian money and led by Fernandes, himself a Malaysian.


TimesofIndia

Chance for Malaysians to check out Lotus car

18 March 2010

PETALING JAYA: It will be the real deal as far as Lotus Racing are concerned when they make their eagerly awaited stopover at the Petronas Malaysian F1 Grand Prix in Sepang next month.

Lotus Racing plan to do a promotional event at the Pavilion Kuala Lumpur on March 30 to help hype up the third round of the F1 world championships scheduled for that weekend and Malaysians will get to check out the actual race car.

The team were officially launched in London on Feb 12 but Malaysians back home have not seen the car up close.

Team principal Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes said that they were planning to do a promotional event when the cars arrive here at the end of the month after the Australian GP, which will be held in Melbourne from March 26-28.

“Since we do not have a show car, we will put one up on the other teams as you are going to see the real car,” said Tony.

Mean machine: Lotus’ Heikki Kovalainen in action at the Bahrain F1 GP in Bahrain on Sunday. — AFP

“It will be the car that will be racing in Sepang. Other teams will bring show cars but ours is going to be the real thing.”

Tony, who is also the chief executive officer of Air Asia, added that the Malaysian GP from April 2-4 was very important to them.

“It’s our homecoming race. We have not had the chance to bring the car home to Malaysia yet as we only have two chassis and no show car,” he said.

“The Malaysian race is the most important in the season for us. We want the whole of Malaysia to see the car and feel part of it.”

The six-month-old team had a wonderful outing in their historic first F1 race in Bahrain last Sunday when both cars managed to get classification in the 49-lap race.

Heikki Kovalainen finished 15th while team-mate Jarno Trulli was classified 17th even though a hydraulic problem forced the Italian to pull over on his final lap.

Kovalainen and Trulli are expected to fly in early for the promotional event together along with Fairuz Fauzy, who is expected to be given the chance to drive on the Friday morning practice in Sepang.

Tony added that he was using Tune Group instead of the Air Asia branding on the car because the latter was already well-established.

“We already have a contract with Williams F1. I don’t think AirAsia will be on a Lotus car anyway. AirAsia has reached a certain level but Tune Group is now up-and-coming,” he said.

“Tune Hotels.com is opening 15 hotels in London. Tune Money and Tune Talk are also growing rapidly.”

Tony said that sponsorship negotiations were an ongoing process. Lotus recently announced a sponsorship deal with CNN International.

By Lim Teik Huat

The Star

AirAsia chief aims to prove doubters wrong with F1 debut

14 March 2010

KUALA LUMPUR- When Malaysian aviation tycoon Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes came from nowhere to launch budget carrier AirAsia with just two planes in 2001, the industry heavyweights laughed at him.

A decade later and AirAsia is the region’s fourth-biggest carrier with 25 million passengers a year, but Fernandes is once more the target of sniggers — this time for his high-stakes foray into Formula One.

“The similarities with Formula One are amazing,” said Fernandes as his Lotus Racing prepared for the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, the scene of the historic marque’s return to the sport after a 16-year absence.

“In AirAsia we were starting a brand new thing that no one had ever done before, a low-cost carrier.

“We were up against some very established people. So the same way that Ferrari is laughing at us, Malaysian Airlines laughed at us and Singapore Airlines laughed at us.

“It’s good when people laugh at you because they don’t take you seriously,” he added, shrugging off Ferrari’s jibes about the four rookie teams hitting the grid this year.

It’s easy to see how industry figures could have underestimated Fernandes, an engaging character with few pretentions, who works from an ordinary desk on the edge of a vast open-plan office at AirAsia’s terminal outside Kuala Lumpur.

Above him are hung dozens of baseball caps which have become his trademark since he bounced onto the region’s business scene after an apprenticeship with Richard Branson’s Virgin empire.

Fernandes has built AirAsia into a formidable business with 92 planes which has thrived despite oil spikes and intense competition and which he says could be the region’s biggest carrier by passenger load by 2013-14.

In the tradition of budget airlines, including industry pioneer Freddie Laker who took on British aviation in the 1970s, AirAsia has had to battle governments and regulators for routes and facilities.

From its cavernous terminal outside Kuala Lumpur, which despite recent extensions is again exceeding capacity, it now reaches some 60 destinations, and another eight long-haul routes with sister carrier AirAsia X.

Fernandes’ F1 journey has only just begun, but he said Lotus had “already accomplished more than anyone could have dreamt” by constructing a car from scratch just five months after winning its franchise in September.

For the inaugural season, he will be happy if the cars — decked out in the marque’s classic green and yellow — finish every race. But before long he will have his eye on the winner’s trophy.

“I don’t go into something to come second,” he said.

“The honeymoon period ends very soon. You build a car, you get the glory for going there, after that people want results.

“But we rely on the fact that we’ve done it in the airline business, and that I think we can do it again.”

For a lifelong “petrolhead” who caught the Formula One bug as a child at Brands Hatch, the launch of the Malaysian Grand Prix in 1999 was a huge moment.

“When I first heard a Formula One engine in Malaysia it was very emotional for me, I actually cried because you never dreamt of hearing a Formula One engine in your own country,” he said.

Apart from success on the track and recouping the investment, the underlying goal for Lotus Racing is to create a spot on the international sporting stage for Malaysia, where the team is funded in a public-private partnership.

“When Formula One comes to Malaysia, everyone’s wearing a Ferrari shirt. If we really want to change the psyche of this country, we’ve got to create our own winners,” Fernandes said.

He still retains a boyish excitement over his success in the high-profile worlds of aviation and elite sports, saying that finding himself the owner of a Formula One team was “bizarre”.

“It still hasn’t hit me. It’s like AirAsia, we started it with two planes and then suddenly one night you come back and you see 40 aircraft, and packed terminals and you think — wow, you contributed to this.”

NewStraitsTimes

Q&A with Lotus Racing's Tony Fernandes

12 March 2010

The following is a transcript of an interview with Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes, Team Principal for Lotus Racing, conducted at the KLIA in Sepang, prior to his departure for Bahrain GP.

Q: What are your hopes and aspirations for Lotus Racing?

A: Tomorrow, 13 March 2010, will be 6 months exactly since Lotus Racing got a slot in the F1. We’ve got 3 great drivers. I think the proudest thing is that even the Americans (USF1) didn’t get to the grid despite starting 3 months before us. It’s a great day for Malaysia that we can actually be on the grid and in a few hours the first practice will start.

For Kamarudin (Dato’ Sri Kamarudin Meranun, Deputy Team Principal) and me, the last 8 years have been non-stop excitement in building AirAsia. But Lotus Racing is something else; to be up there on Saturday qualifying with the likes of Ferrari, McLaren, Renault and Red Bull – teams that have been around for a long time. It’s fantastic to be able to have the Malaysian flag on the car and hopefully one day the Malaysian national anthem “Negaraku” will be played at the race. We hope all Malaysians are proud of this.



Q: What expectations do you have for your drivers?

A: I think the fact that we got 2 great drivers is a testament to the team itself. Heikki Kovalainen was in McLaren which has been world champion many times. For him to know that this year he will be at the back shows his belief in our ability to grow and hopefully he’ll get up there and compete with the front guys in the not too distant future. We have 2 great drivers but we obviously have to rely on a good machine as well. They sent me email yesterday and they are both very confident about getting the best out of the car.



Q: How do you think Michael Schumacher will perform?

A: It’s great for Schumacher to be back in F1. It also shows that our timing was perfect. It’s going to be great for Malaysia; the amount of branding that Malaysia got over the last 6 months has been fantastic for 1Malaysia. It really brings us together as well and it really fits in with the 1Malaysia concept. For us it’s good for Malaysia because there’s going to be a lot of interest in F1.



Q: What are your expectations in Bahrain?

A: An F1 car has a lot of moving parts in it and Bahrain is a hard race to start. It’s very hot, dry and there is sand; so it’s a baptism of fire for us. But hey you got to start somewhere so let’s hope that we finish the race. The great thing is that anything can happen.

For me personally if we can finish the race that will be great. Everything above that will be a bonus, whether we come last, second last or third last. But the important thing is we are on the grid. No Malaysians should be looking at where we come because no Asian country has done it with the exception of Japan and India, especially when you look at the size of our country. The key is to finish the race. Just like AirAsia, you start small and slowly build it.

Q: Tell us about your Cosworth engine.

From left – Sepang International Circuit CEO Razlan Razali, Lotus Racing Deputy Team Principal Dato’ Kamarudin Meranun, Lotus Racing Team Principal Dato’ Sri Tony Fernandes, Lotus Racing Deputy Team Principal SM Nasarudin SM Nasimuddin onboard the aircraft from Kuala Lumpur to Bahrain on Friday.

A: We are happy with the engine. Again there was a lot of concern about the engine initially. It’s a new engine. All the teams that are using Cosworth are very happy with the engine. It has given good power and good reliability. We are using Cosworth because they offer us a good deal at the time and there were already other teams using it. And Lotus has always been linked with Cosworth. The famous Lotus cars were Coswoth-powered.



Q: How important is the Malaysian race for Lotus Racing.

A: The Malaysian race is very important to us. It’s our homecoming. We haven’t had the chance to bring the car home to Malaysia yet as we only have 2 chassis and no show car. The Malaysian race is the most important in the season for us. We want the whole of Malaysia to see the car and feel part of it.



Q: Petronas will be doing something in KLCC. Do you have any such plans?

A: We’ll be doing something in the Pavilion Kuala Lumpur when the cars are here end of this month. Since we do not have a show car, we’ll put one up on the other teams as you’re going to be seeing the real car. This is the car that we will be racing in in Sepang. Other teams will bring show cars but ours is going to be the real car.



Q: Do you see Fairuz Fauzy a role model for young Malaysians?

A: I have known Fairuz for a long time but we obviously got to know him much better in the last 6 months. He’s a fantastic role model. He’s actually a role model for me – he’s so calm, very determined and I think he is a fantastic role model for all Malaysians. He’s been very professional, very positive, never let anything knock him down and I hope we can make his dream (to drive in the race) come true soon.

He is going to be the first driver to test the Lotus T127 in Bahrain, taking out the car for the first practice. He was also the first guy to drive the T127 in Jerez. The car was not fitted with power steering then but he drove 72 laps without power steering to get his super licence. He did a fantastic job; he never complained. He is very positive and he did some good times. He kept the car on the track and he’s a fantastic guy; a fantastic asset to the team. The 3 of them – Jarno Trulli, Heikki Kovalainen and Fairuz – get on so well. They are really working and helping each other and having some fun.



Q: Can you confirm if Fairuz will be driving during Friday practice in Malaysia?

A: Yes he is driving today in Bahrain and he will drive during Friday practice in Malaysia.



Q: How about sponsorships?

A: The good thing about sponsor source is that although they know you will be driving from the back, we are getting more publicity than even Ferrari. It’s probably what we’ve been good at – getting good PR and good mileage. We are getting a lot of response from sponsors, also because of the coverage we are getting. Also, Lotus is fantastic name. And I suppose the battle with Richard Branson will guarantee some coverage – yes, it is still on, there’s no going back.



Q: Why are you using Tune Group on the car instead of AirAsia brand?

A: AirAsia is already well established. And we already have a contract with AT&T Williams F1 Team. I don’t think AirAsia will be on a Lotus car anyway. AirAsia has reached a certain level but Tune Group is now up and coming. Tune Hotels.com is opening 15 hotels in London. Tune Money and Tune Talk are growing rapidly too.



Q: When will your merchandise be on sale?

A: We’ll start selling merchandise in Bahrain. It will be available in Malaysia in the next few weeks. We hope the Sepang circuit will be crowded with people who for the first time are going to wear something Malaysian and not an MU or Ferrari shirt.



Q: It’s all system go for the team but do you have any last-minute worries?

A: There are so many worries but we are just going to take it in our stride and enjoy the moment. There are so many things that can go wrong but let’s just enjoy the moment. A great day for Malaysia and who would have believed it! You’ve seen the problems with the other teams but we are there. Let’s motivate the youngsters that they can be world champions and be as good as the rest of the world. That’s what we are hoping. It’s great we are going to Bahrain and it’s going to be a great day.

NewStraitsTimes

Lotus F1 racing for pride in maiden season: Fernandes

12 March 2010

Giving a final look back.... Leaving today (left to right) Darren Choy,Tony Fernandes, Datuk Kamarudin Meranum( Deputy Team Principal) and Razlan Razali(CEO Sepang F1 circuit) for the season's first race in the middle east. - Picture by Choo Choy May

SEPANG— Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes said today the Lotus F1 team will be racing for pride in Bahrain this weekend.

The team principal’s goals for Lotus F1 are two-fold: beat Virgin and stir Malaysian pride.

“We just want to beat Virgin,” an ebullient Fernandes, who is also group chief operating office of AirAsia, told reporters gathered at the departure hall of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, referring to the bet between him and rival British aviation mogul Richard Branson who controls Virgin Airlines.

Fernandes was leaving for the first race of the 2010 F1 season in Bahrain.

The stakes? The loser will have to don a stewardess uniform and work a flight on the winner’s airline.

“My cabin crew have already collected money for stockings for Richard,” he said. “But not fishnets, we’re conservative.”

He acknowledged, however, that it will not be easy.

Lotus F1 will be starting at the back of the grid and was about four seconds off pace during winter testing.

Due to the tight timeline, the car had to be built “conservatively” and is heavier than it should ideally be, although a new “aero package” to lighten the car is in the works.

“We just want to finish,” he said of the season-opener in Bahrain. “Anything else is a bonus. But it’s important to remember that we’re on the grid. No other Asian country, well... besides Japan, has put a car on the grid. This is the way to do it — start small and slowly build.”

He added that he can’t wait for the homecoming race at the Sepang F1 circuit and hopes for the day when Lotus F1 can work its way to the pole position.

“We hope Malaysians will come and support us,” he said. “For the first time, you can put on a Malaysian jersey rather than a foreign brand.”

Our man to Manama, Fernandes gives the all OK to as heads to his flight at the KLIA. - Picture by Choo Choy May

He also took a shot at Singapore.

“Wouldn’t it be great if Negaraku is played in Singapore at their Night Race?”

The Lotus F1 team, backed by Fernandes and other Malaysian businessmen, had come under early criticism due to concerns that it would require government sponsorship.

A hoped-for-deal with national oil company Petronas also fell through when it opted to go with Mercedes GP instead.

But this has not dampened the spirit of Fernandes who could not stop beaming at the airport.

“There were some sceptics but we now see more belief from the media,” he said. “I feel the country is behind us.”

The media buzz surrounding his wager with Branson has also helped lift the profile of AirAsia and he expects to announce a few more sponsorship deals in the coming weeks.

In earlier press conferences, he also said that he hopes to cash in on merchandise sales pointing out that some F1 teams sell hundreds of millions T-shirts alone. The first Lotus F1 merchandise will be arriving in Malaysia in about two weeks.

As they didn’t have time to build a show car, the actual machine will be on display, likely at the Pavilion shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur during the Sepang leg of the season.

“We had six months to build a car with 8,500 parts and put a team together,” he said. “I have to say this is something else — having qualified to race with McLaren and Ferrari is fantastic.”

The Malaysia Insider

Lotus target future success

11 March 2010

Tony Fernandes is expecting a quiet Formula One season for Lotus, but has set his sights on future world championship glory.

The iconic Lotus name will return to the F1 grid for the first time in 16 years at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday after being revived by AirAsia founder Fernandes.

But the team principal predicts the Malaysian-backed team, fronted by drivers Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen, will need time to adjust before it can make an impact in the sport.

Champions

"I think we've already accomplished more than anyone could have dreamt," said Fernandes, whose team built the new T127 car from scratch in just five months.

"I firmly believe that if we continue on the growth path that we will be world champions one day without a doubt.

"We're not here to be second, we're here to win. But we have to be realistic, we're not going to win next year."

The original, and renowned, Team Lotus won six drivers championships and 73 races with pilots such as Jim Clark, Graham Hill and Stirling Moss.

But Fernandes insists his side, funded by a public-private partnership involving a host of Malaysian entrepreneurs, have done well to reach their current position in the face of such strong competition.

"To build 8,500 parts in five months and have a car that at the moment is four seconds off the pace is amazing when you think we're competing against teams that have been around for 70, 80 years," added Fernandes.

The candid tycoon refuses to be put off by cynical comments from other teams, namely Ferrari, criticising the sport's decision to allow the new teams onto the grid this season.

Beginnings

"It's good when people laugh at you because they don't take you seriously," he added.

"It doesn't bother me at all, because you all have to have beginnings."

Fernandes stressed that unlike other recent entrants such as Brawn, now Mercedes GP, and Force India, which were rebranded versions of established teams, Lotus Racing was built from nothing after winning its franchise last September.

He added: "We've got a much harder task. We have to do everything from scratch. Brawn, (which) everyone is raving about, is actually Honda. So our task is much, much larger."

By Rachel Griffiths

SkySports.com

No Malaysian move for new Lotus team yet

13 February 2010

Lotus has put on hold plans to relocate in the near future to Malaysia.

When the new team's official entry was confirmed last September, the FIA said Lotus' plan was to be based at the Sepang circuit.

Some days later, the Malaysian prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak said the cars would be designed, made and tested at the venue near Kuala Lumpur.

"It will all be made in Malaysia, and made by Malaysians," he said, adding that even the pit crew will be made up of Malaysians despite being led by the British F1 technical expert Mike Gascoyne.

However, Lotus' 2010 car, launched in London on Friday, has been designed at Hingham, Norfolk (UK).

"Right now, stability is important and there are no plans to move to Malaysia yet," team boss Tony Fernandes, also head of the Malaysian airline AirAsia, said.

"In time, obviously, it would be great to be in Malaysia because there's a Formula One track, but we have no immediate plans to move," he added.

He said the concept of relocating to Sepang will be reconsidered next year.

Will Lotus F1 team get more sponsors?

12 February 2010

ONE of the most valuable advertising space in Formula One racing is the side of the racing car that carries a sponsor’s name.

The visibility is there no matter how fast the speed machine roars away from the grid and it guarantees the presence of millions of eyeballs globally having a good sight of the brand.

Sports sponsorship is big business and it is one of the best ways to build a brand. In F1, the stakes are high and so is the exposure.

Petronas is the title sponsor for the Mercedes Grand Prix Petronas team for the coming season.

Petronas has been in the F1 business for a long time and opted for Mercedes over Lotus F1 Racing for several reasons.

For one, Mercedes (known as Brawn GP in the previous season) is the reigning constructors’ champion and has seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher to drive its machine for the new season. This means Schumacher will be “wheeling” in the competition this year.

It is in an enviable position to be in when the season begins on March 12 in Bahrain.

Today, at about midnight, racing enthusiasts will see the return of the yellow and green Lotus machine – brought to life again by 1Malaysia Racing Team – which will compete with Mercedes GP Petronas and 11 other teams. Pictures of the car, which was officially unveiled in London before it enters the third official test session in Jerez Circuit in Spain next week, are available online.

It’s as sleek as any other F1 machines but surprisingly, the car still looks bare of sponsors.

With Petronas out, 1Malaysia Racing Team (1MRT) is left with only the sponsorship of an international oil company and some Asian companies. There are some sponsors and Bridgestone is a sponsor that is listed on its website.

Being without a major sponsor means the onus is on the owners to fork out the money in this “big bucks” business.

The biggest cost item is engine development and while Lotus F1 team principal Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes did not want to reveal how much needed, RM300mil was a figure bandied around earlier.

Lotus F1 has no intention to miss a beat as it wants to be in all the 13 races and of course, podium wins and constructor’s points will help offset some transportation costs.

For now, the stickers of Tune Group appear on the sides of the car and one wonders if the company is the title sponsor. Fernandes has declined comment on this.

Tune Group is Fernandes and his partner Datuk Kamarudin Meranun’s vehicle, which in turn controls Tune Talk, Tune Money, Tune Hotels. It also has a stake in AirAsia.

Naza Group is a shareholder of the 1Malaysia Racing Team, and so is Proton, which owns the Lotus group and Lotus brand.

From branding perspective, Tune Group is less known globally, compared with names like AirAsia or even Tony Fernandes himself. Unfortunately, AirAsia is locked in an agreement with Williams for the whole of this season.

“No doubt the AirAsia and Tony Fernandes names are well known but it is about positioning the Tune Group and this is a great avenue to do it,” said a source.

The reality is that it is a challenge to get sponsors when you are new in the game but if Lotus F1 can prove itself in the first few races then it has better chances of attracting more sponsorships.

The past 100 days has been trying times for Fernandes and the team but will there be surprises?

Will this Malaysian dream become a truly Asian dream with Asian sponsors backing the Lotus F1 team?

Let’s wait for the race to begin.

By B.K.Sidhu

The Star

Fairuz gets maiden drive ahead of Lotus official launch

11 February 2010

PETALING JAYA: The first Lotus F1 car went on track for the first time in 16 years in a private shakedown at the Silverstone circuit late on Tuesday ahead of its official launch in London tomorrow.

It was the Malaysian reserve driver of the team, Fairuz Fauzy, who had the honour of taking the team’s challenger for the 2010 season around the circuit, which coincidentally is not far from his residence.

The car was decked in the green and yellow liveries in tribute to the proud heritage of Lotus in the early years of F1 with the Proton logo in prominent display.

But chief executive officer Riad Asmat did not give further hints on whether the colours will remain unchanged for the season, except to add that all went well according to plan.

The Lotus outfit, backed by AirAsia chief executive officer Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes, will officially unveil their car to the world at the Royal Horticultural Hall tomorrow.

“Fairuz took the car out for a couple of laps. The shakedown was to test more effectively that everything in the car works properly before we go for actual testing later,” said Riad, who has arrived in London ahead of the launch.

“Everything went well for us and it was certainly a proud moment for everyone here to see the car up and running as we’ve built it up from scratch in less than six months.

“We have also invited all the employees of the Lotus factory here to be with us for the launch on Friday afternoon.”

Team principal Fernandes said in his Twitter post that he was overwhelmed by the occasion and shed quite a few tears.

Lotus, who were a force in F1 in the 50s and 60s, last raced in Australia in 1994.

However, they were revived after the 1Malaysia F1 company set up by the major stakeholders in AirAsia were granted a licence by FIA on Sept 15 last year to race in the 2010 season.

Fairuz together with the team’s main drivers, Heikki Kovalainen and Jarno Trulli, will join the majority of the F1 field at the third official four-day test session in Jerez, Spain, next week.

Lotus are one of the four new teams for the 2010 season. The others are Virgin Racing, Campos Meta and USF1 Racing.

By Lim Teik Huat

The Star

F1 side bet: Fernandez vs Branson

17 December 2009

KUALA LUMPUR-- The next season of Formula 1 racing has just been made more interesting -- and will certainly come with hilarious results -- because of a side between two buddies in the airline industry.

AirAsia boss Datuk Tony Fernandes has taken up Sir Richard Branson's challenge -- that the loser in the Formula 1 stakes will dress up as an airline stewardess on the winner's airline.

Fernandez is the Lotus F1 Racing team principal while Branson’s Virgin Group owns Virgin Racing. Both are among the four new teams competing in the 2010 F1 circuit.

An AirAsia statement said Fernandes has even taken the liberty to pick out a lovely crew uniform for Branson. (See attached image)

"It's quite fitting, don't you think? Our guests will be delighted to be served by a Knight of the Realm. But knowing Richard, the real challenge will be to prevent him from asking our guests "coffee, tea or me?," said Fernandes.

He said Branson would be assigned to duty on board a flight operated by AirAsia X, the long-haul, low-cost affiliate of AirAsia. "We’d like to keep him with us for a longer flight rather than the short-haul flights operated by AirAsia. We’ll be applying soon to the Department of Civil Aviation to gain clearance for him."

Fernandes, who once worked for Branson as a financial controller at Virgin Records, had recently joked his only target in the new F1 season is to beat Branson otherwise he would retire and kill himself.

The statement said Branson however suggested something less macabre. "I like Tony a lot and I really hope he doesn't have to kill himself, but at the same time I'd obviously like to beat him. So maybe we should think of another challenge.

"He has an airline, we have an airline, and if we beat him he can come and work on one of our airlines as a Virgin stewardess. It will save him having to kill himself, but we'll make sure the stewardess outfit is perfect," joked Branson.

"I suspect if he beats us he might ask me to reciprocate. Maybe I'll have to check out how fetching his stewardess outfits are," he added.

Sun2Surf

Italy's Jarno Trulli heads Lotus F1 shortlist

09 December 2009

Lotus Formula 1 team principal Tony Fernandes plans to name his drivers for the 2010 season next week with Jarno Trulli top of his four-man shortlist.

Trulli's only F1 victory came at the 2004 Monaco Grand Prix

Fernandes confirmed that Italian Trulli and Malaysia's Fairuz Fauzy were on the list but that Canada's former world champion Jacques Villeneuve was not.

Fernandes said Lotus were prepared to pay for the best available talent.

"I hope within the next week or so we will announce the line-up," said the Malaysian aviation entrepreneur.

Lotus will have a budget of £55m for the 2010 season and Fernandes is not expecting instant success.

"We know we aren't going to be competing (at the front) in year one, but it takes time and we'll have a good basis for moving forward," he said.

Trulli, 35, is currently without a team after Toyota announced they were pulling out of the sport in November.

But the Italian has worked with Lotus's technical director Mike Gascoyne before, most recently when they were both at Toyota.

Canada's Villeneuve, 38, who won the F1 world championship in 1997, has been talking about a comeback and spoke to Lotus but will not return to action with the team.

Fernandes also announced on Wednesday that he had reversed the decision he made in September to stand down as team principal once the season had started.

"There was a reason for doing it at that time, because I think AirAsia shareholders were kind of spooked," the AirAsia boss said.

"Now they are beginning to see that this is no different from any other business that I own.

"I will stay on as team principal. Good leadership is to know when to go, I don't see myself doing this forever but this is not the right time to go.

"I am the glue that puts it all together and drives it forwards."

Fernandes went on to state that his target for next season was to beat fellow F1 newcomer Virgin Racing, which is backed by British aviation tycoon Richard Branson.

"I said that number one we have to be ahead of Branson, otherwise I will retire and kill myself," he added.

BBC Sports

Lotus feel weight of famous name

17 November 2009

The bosses of the new Lotus Formula 1 team admit they are feeling the pressure to succeed that comes from bearing such a famous name.

The Lotus brand, now owned by Malaysian car company Proton, is returning to F1 for the first time since 1994, when the team collapsed for financial reasons.

Design boss Mike Gascoyne said: "There is a pressure to perform and you feel it. Group Lotus want us to perform.

"But I think we will because of the quality of people we're attracting."

The brand won seven world drivers' titles in its former incarnation of Team Lotus before going out of business in 1994, and Gascoyne said the heritage of the name was creating great interest in the new team, which is backed by a consortium of Malaysian businesses.

Team boss Tony Fernandes, founder of the low-budget airline Air Asia, said he was determined to live up to the responsibilities that come with bearing such a famous name.

"We are very wary of the historic heritage and we want to support that," he said.

"It is a very special heritage. Even the choice of the colour [of the car] is going to evoke enormous debate. We are trying to make sure we keep that heritage from a marketing and branding aspect."

And Gascoyne believes the drive to cut costs in F1, and the pull-out of car manufacturers Honda, BMW and Toyota, is bringing the sport back closer to the way it was when Lotus were successful in the 1960s and '70s.

"F1 has changed over the last few years and is changing to reduce costs," said Gascoyne, who has carved a strong reputation in F1 as technical boss of the Renault, Toyota, Jordan and Force India teams.

"Really over the last 10 years it had become a spending competition.

"Lotus and [founder] Colin Chapman were about engineering innovation. I think it is the right moment for Lotus to be coming back because hopefully that's the way F1 is going to go.

"Small teams, being innovative and good engineering, is really my background, that's what excites me about coming back to F1 with a new team, and that is how we want to work."

We won't be at the front realistically, but we have a great platform to build on Tony Fernandes Lotus F1 team principal

The Lotus car company has no stake in the team, but it has given them permission to use the name - and, further emphasising the links with the past, the Chapman family has provided some historic cars to display in the factory in Norfolk.

The team is located not far from Lotus Cars' UK headquarters and the original base of Team Lotus.

Lotus were only given an entry in September, and there is a distinct last-minute feel about the base.

The small, ageing industrial unit on the edge of the village of Hingham - formerly the base of the TOM'S Toyota Formula Three team and the Bentley Le Mans programme - is an incongruous setting for a 21st century F1 team.

The entrance is still a distinctly old-fashioned self-locking revolving door, operated by a manual switch behind the reception desk. And there was wet paint on the floors when BBC Sport visited last week.

It is a long way from the state-of-the-art factories of teams such as McLaren and Renault, but it is only a small part of the Lotus F1 structure.

There is also a design office in Cologne in Germany, the aerodynamics are being done by a company in Bologna in Italy and the team are setting up a new headquarters at the Malaysian Grand Prix circuit outside Kuala Lumpur.

Lotus's new car has undergone wind-tunnel testing in Italy

Eventually, the entire operation will be based in Malaysia, with a satellite base in the UK for logistical and technical reasons - that is where much of the F1 industry is based.

And while Gascoyne and Fernandes are aware of the ad hoc nature of their set-up, there is no mistaking the seriousness of their venture.

Fernandes says: "We are coming from where there wasn't a team, so that is a victory already - the fact that Lotus is back on the grid.

"Of course we'd like to be winning, but we have to be realistic - that's not going to happen.

"Lotus had their highs and towards the end some lows, and then disappearing.

"We won't be at the front realistically, but we have a great platform to build on, we have a great brand and a name, and we're saying to the fans: hang in there, ride with us and enjoy the revival, because there is nothing like being an underdog and rising up.

"I don't feel a lot of pressure, to be honest. I'm thrilled we're be on the grid - thrilled we'll see a Lotus car and we're involved in it and hopefully that will evoke Lotus road cars to come back into fashion in a big way."

"I hope we'll go from strength to strength, but nobody should think we'll be challenging McLaren or Ferrari in Bahrain - but we will. We're in it to win, but it will take time."

Gascoyne added: "We have set a clear target of being the best of the new teams on the grid, and I think we should be able to do that. We want to be going into Q2 in Bahrain. We'll have to beat one or two of the other [established] teams to do that, but that's where I want to be from day one.

By Andrew Benson

Fauzy set for Lotus role

09 November 2009

Lotus chief technical officer Mike Gascoyne has confirmed World Series by Renault runner-up Fairuz Fauzy for a role next season - and expects him to graduate to a full seat.

Despite being based in Norfolk for now, Lotus has predominantly Malaysian support in the shape of the Tune Group and an acting team principal from the Far Eastern country in AirAsia founder Tony Fernandes.

Fernandes has made little secret of his desire to one day put a home-grown driver on the grand prix grid, and former GP2 Series contender Fauzy fits the bill.

However Gascoyne played down speculation that the driver is in line for a grid spot in 2010, with Toyota refugee Jarno Trulli and another experienced campaigner such as former world champion Jacques Villeneuve expected to turn out for the legendary team of yesteryear.

"Fairuz will be in the team, probably as a reserve driver or a test driver," Gascoyne - making a return to F1 following a year off after parting ways with Force India - told Malaysian newspaper The Star.

"He's got the talent, but we don't want him to 'crash and burn' in the race because of his inexperience."

Gascoyne compared the situation to that experienced by Fernando Alonso, who moved up from testing duties to win World Championships with Renault.

"Take Alonso, for example," he said. "He was signed as a test driver at Renault but didn't get a race seat until after three years, then went on to win trophies.

"That's exactly what we want with Fairuz - for him to have enough experience - because racing in Formula One is a much higher level than he's used to.

"If you ask any young driver if they're ready for F1, their answer will always be 'yes' but, at the end of the day, it's the experience that matters."

Living out a dream

01 November 2009

PETALING JAYA: For someone who has no affinity to racing cars in his schooling days, Riad Asmat is about to take up the challenge of leading the operational side of the newest team on the Formula One grid.

The 38-year-old was named as the new chief executive officer of the 1Malaysia F1 Team on Friday and will be reporting directly to the team’s main backer, Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes, who is also the AirAsia chief executive officer.

Feather in the cap: Fernandes putting the team cap on Riad after announcing the latter’s appointment as CEO on Friday. — Reuters

Riad may be young and small in stature but he certainly comes with strong credentials.

He worked with Sepang International Circuit (SIC) and Nike before joining Proton where he was attached to the managing director’s office as a general manager prior to his current appointment.

Riad said he was attracted to Fernandes’ proposition to live out the dream of seeing a Malaysian team make it in Formula One.

“Datuk (Tony) wants to see Malaysians living out their dreams and to him, nothing is impossible.

“It is not easy to get a place in the grid for the Formula One world championship and it involves a lot of parties. Now that he has created this platform, he wants to invite people with the right talents to join in the dream.

“I have always wanted to try out new challenges and this was his proposition to me ... that it’s better to have tried than regretting it later if we had not taken the first step,” said Riad, who was more into rugby in school.

“I had to stop playing rugby on the doctor’s advice after I had a concussion. I also tried horse riding and golf but stopped as I was not good at it.

“I was not really into racing cars like kids today who are familiar with Formula One. I’m more into cycling these days to keep myself fit,” said Riad, who has a Masters degree in Organisation and Communication from Western Michigan University in the United States.

It is a plum job to be associated with Formula One but Riad has his work cut out for him, namely, to steer the fledgling Malaysian team and make an impact in the Formula One racing and in the process, generate greater patriotic interest.

All these are also expected to generate economic spill overs for the country via endorsements, pro­motions, advertising and tourism.

And that means less quality time to spend with his wife and three children.

“Right now, I am still working from home as our new office at the SIC will only be ready later this month.

“It’s going to get busier when the Formula One season starts in Bahrain in March but I have accepted the challenge and the work load that comes with it.

“It probably has not sunk in yet but it’s not going to be easy getting things to run smoothly initially.

“But like Tony said, we will be there on the grid in March and everyone is chipping in to make the dream come true.”