Trulli and Kovalainen sign for Lotus

Date published : 14 Dec 2009 - 09:30:04

Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen will form a hugely experienced driver line-up for Lotus's Formula 1 comeback next season, the new team confirmed on Monday.The Malaysian-backed entry, which is reviving the iconic Lotus name after a 16-year absence from F1, unveiled the race-winning pair in a press conference in Kuala Lumpur, with local driver Fairuz Fauzy also named as its test and reserve driver.Thirty-five-year-old Trulli, who was not certain to stay at Toyota even before the Japanese manufacturer pulled out of F1 last month, had long been linked to a Lotus drive for 2010 due to his previous connections with the team's technical director Mike Gascoyne, while Kovalainen has been searching for a seat since being replaced at McLaren by Jenson Button.Lotus team boss Tony Fernandes admits the squad is delighted to be going into its debut campaign with such established drivers, the Malaysian airline tycoon believing their signing underlines Lotus's ambition to be a success in F1 once more.I am thrilled that we have been able to sign Jarno, Heikki and Fairuz to drive for Lotus F1 Racing in our debut season, he said. The appointment of Jarno, Heikki and Fairuz as our race drivers is a testament to the quality of our team, to our ambition and drive, and above all to our long-term vision of success in Formula 1. Jarno and Heiki are winners and have proven track records in Formula 1, and will be a big asset to us as we look to develop the team and the car throughout 2010.Jarno and Heikki are two extremely versatile drivers who have proven themselves more than capable of achieving solid results no matter how tough the conditions.Trulli, who had spent the past five seasons at Toyota, says he never worried about missing out on an F1 seat for 2010 adding that he had decided to join Lotus as he had been impressed by the new team's ambition. "I am really pleased to be joining Lotus F1 Racing," the veteran Italian said."It was quite a difficult situation at the start of November with my former team withdrawing from Formula 1, but I was convinced I would stay in Formula 1. "I was in contact with Mike about the possibility of joining the new Lotus team and it became quickly clear that it would be a very good opportunity for me. "I have been in Formula 1 for many years but there is something extremely motivating about helping to build a team from the ground level up. "There is a lot of ambition from Tony, Mike and in fact the whole of Malaysia as a nation, and that level of enthusiasm is infectious for a driver. I am really looking forward to the challenge."Finnish ace Kovalainen, who endured a particularly disappointing second season alongside Lewis Hamilton at McLaren this year, says he is looking forward to helping the team achieve its ambitious F1 goals."It's fantastic to be joining Lotus F1 Racing and I am excited about the challenges that lie ahead, he said.I recently visited our factory in Norfolk, UK, and was so impressed by seeing how far the team has come in such a short time since it was launched in September, and by how determined everyone is to meet Tony's ambitious targets. I knew immediately it would be a fantastic opportunity to help them achieve their goals."He added that he thought the signing of himself and Trulli proved that Lotus was serious about achieving success in F1."I believe that appointing two drivers with the experience Jarno and I have shows how determined the team is to go racing in a truly competitive way, and our pairing sends out a very strong message to our competitors," Kovalainen added.