So we know that Lotus have come close to winning; Bahrain is the classic example of this when Raikkonen had the chance to overtake Vettel for the lead but just didn't seem to grab it with both hands. That crucial 2-second window could have won Lotus that race, and left Red Bull without one after four races, but once it was gone so was the win as Kimi was to have no more chances to pass Vettel. But coming close to winning is very different to winning! Any of the drivers will be able to tell you that they race to win so I'm sure that coming so close to doing it is still quite painful and I'm sure the champagne doesn't taste as sweet as when you're on the top step of the podium.
Lotus' rivals are Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren; the traditional top teams in modern F1 and they have all, naturally, taken more than one win this season. Of course Mercedes have also taken a win; Nico Rosberg's maiden win in Shanghai, but they have begun to slip away from the leaders as the season has progressed and they don't seem to be posing much of a challenge in either championships, to put it slightly harshly! Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren are all looking strong going into part II of F1 2012 and they are heading to tracks they have experience of winning at; Spa and Monza! As the season goes on and consistency seems to have taken a hold of F1 at long last it will just get ever harder for Lotus to win. Perhaps their best chance was at the start of this unpredictable season; F1 saw 7 different winners in the first 7 races and that volatility in the race results could have given Lotus a chance to make that 8. There is no doubt that this will be harder now.
If Lotus are capable of winning a race this year we then get the question of which of their drivers will take their and the team's first win of 2012. Will it be the man they call 'the Iceman'? The 2007 world champion is definitely used to that winning feeling and his experience in F1 is showing as his comeback is proving to be a great decision for him and the Lotus team for giving him a drive. Or can the ever-smiling Frenchman Romain Grosjean do it for the team and himself? He is without a win in F1 and for him this Lotus drive is also a comeback of sorts. A rather disappointing rookie season in 2010 led to him losing his seat in this terribly competitive sport but after becoming GP2 champion he proved he does have what it takes. He has had his fair share of accidents and collisions, particularly at the starts of races, but he is a tremendous young driver with plenty of skill and that desire to win. At the moment Kimi is looking like the more consistent driver and his position in the championship standings illustrate this perfectly. However, Romain is capable of a surprise and I don't think he should be written off just yet!
The team have shown that they have a fast car that is capable of podiums and challenging the leaders. They are only marginally away from McLaren in the Constructors' showing their consistent and strong results are paying off. A part of me does think that their best chance of winning a race would have come at the beginning of the season and they didn't capitalise on that as well as they should have. Their main target must now be to improve Qualifying results; if the team can start at the front of the grid they do have the pace needed to take home that win and they have drivers that won't crumble under the pressure. Team principle Eric Boullier has said that the team wishes to keep both Raikkonen and Grosjean on which will give the drivers some confidence that the team is happy with their performances and allow them to focus solely on their driving.
The title of this post is 'Can Lotus Win?' and if I had to answer in one word I would say yes! The team can win a race this season as long as they improve their performances on Saturdays and a bit of luck going their way wouldn't hurt either. All we can do as fans is sit back and enjoy the performance of this Lotus team; a team we can now class as one of the frontrunners, and enjoy what they add to F1 this season by mixing up the faces we see on the podium.
Now I want to hear from you! Do you think Lotus are capable of winning a race when F1 resumes this season or do you think their best chance has been and gone? And which driver, Kimi or Romain, do you think is looking more likely to take that win? You know how to get in touch; comment or tweet me!
Aqsa, @aqsasformula
I think they could both win this season. I think Kimi probably stands the best chance. His driving at Hungary was just fantastic. Plus his track record at Spa is pretty good.
ReplyDeleteEverything seems to be going right for Kimi atm and I'm sure a win will be his soon! And yes, Spa is a circuit he loves too.. Can't wait! :)
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