MASERATI WILL USE the Geneva Motorshow to debut the new GranTurismo Sport.

The new Sport model will sit below the hardcore MC Stradale in the line-up and features a revised version of the 4.7-litre V8, now producing 454bhp, which should be capable of a sub-five-second 0-60mph sprint.

Other new features include a redesigned front bumper which optimises ariflow to the engine and brakes, new head and tail lights and a redesigned interior which features new seats and a new steering wheel.

The Geneva Motorshow runs from the 8th to the 18th March.

Let the screaming engine of the Mazda 787B get you through the final hours of the working week.

A gloriously sunny day in the south of England and a Mazda drives up the driveway of a stately home. Doesn’t sound that exciting, but the Mazda in question is the Le Mans winning 787B and the driveway is the hillclimb route at the Goodwood Festival of speed.

The onboard camera captures the drive, and the sound, as the green and orange monster tackles the fast and narrow track. It also captures what must be the worlds most expensive car park at the top as Le Mans racers from all decades wait to come back down.

In just five or ten years time we’ll be cheering on the next generation of British F1 drivers, but who are they?

There are currently hundreds of young British drivers racing in all manner of series both in Britain and across Europe; gradually working their way up the motorsport ladder and we’ve spoken to six of the best.

Dean Smith
The 23-year-old began karting in 2001 before winning the Formula BMW championship in 2005. He became Formula Renault UK champion in 2009 as well as picking up the prestigious McLaren Autosport BRDC (British Racing Drivers Club) Award before moving up to the F1 support series GP3, picking up 2 podiums last year.

Who made you first start racing?
My Grandad decided to take me indoor karting one weekend and I was hooked.

Who is your motorsport hero?
Ayrton Senna.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?
Winning the McLaren Autosport BRDC Award.

Who is your toughest rival?
Myself!

What is your ultimate goal in motorsport?
To achieve the highest standard I can.

How do you see motorsport changing and developing over the next 20 years?
It depends on the economy.  We need far more large car manufacturers and other sponsorship companies backing the motorsport industry, otherwise motorsport will be very restricted and natural talent will not come through.

Has the balance between talent and money needed to progress in motorsport changed in recent years?
Yes – money is the number one goal! Talent is second best. For young drivers to progress we need a proper racing academy to give them a chance and to change the way motorsport is. If things carry on as they are, it will be few and far between for a British driver to get anywhere!

Riki Christodoulou
The 23-year-old won Super 1 National JICA Karting Championship in 2003 before moving on to Formula Renault UK, finishing second in 2007. In 2011 he picked up a race win and 51 points in the British Formula 3 International championship, despite only entering 9 of the 30 races. He is also a BRDC ‘Rising Star’.

What made you first start racing?
My Dad. My cousin Adam had a kart for his 7th birthday, I had a go the week later and the rest is history.

Who is your motorsport hero?
Michael Schumacher



What has been the highlight of your career so far?
Winning the Junior British Kart Championship at 15. I have many other great memories which were very close to beating that but the luck didn’t follow me all the way.

Who is your toughest rival?
There has been so many over the years through karting etc…I’d say Freddie Martin-Dye.

What is your ultimate goal in motorsport?
My goal is Formula One but right now it won’t happen unless I get millions of pounds to go up through the ranks and know the right people.



How do you see motorsport changing and developing over the next 20 years?
It will die. A massive change needs to happen because there already is average drivers on the grid taking up the best race seats because of money. Its all about who you know and how big your wallet is. You can buy your way into high end motorsport. Its not proper racing anymore. It has killed my love for driving and racing because I can’t compete unless I have money. Real talent is going to waste all due to a cheque book.



Has the balance between the talent and money needed to progress in motorsport changed in recent years?
Yes, the grids are full of people who have less talent but more money. The good guys who can drive like myself who have put all the hard work, blood, sweat and tears into over the past 15 years get nothing at the end due to this fact.

Dan Cammish
The 22-year-old began successfully racing karts in 2004 before picking up the Formula Ford GB Scolarship championship title in 2009. In 2011, he finished sixth in the Formula Renault UK championship, with 4 podium finishes. He is also a BRDC ‘Rising Star’.

What made you first start racing?
It was my father Peter who originally got me into Kart racing when I was 13. He has been a motorsport fan his whole life and he tried to go karting himself around the time I was born but he just didn’t have the time or the money at that point so he gave it up. As soon as I showed interest he couldn’t wait to get going again.

Who is your motorsport hero?
I wouldn’t say I have a hero. Nigel Mansell is someone who I look up to the most as he came up the hard way and made it through with sheer determination and talent.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?
I have had many great moments in my career. My first car racing win was a big moment for me as I felt the pressure instantly subside and it was quite emotional. It had been a long time coming.

Who is your toughest rival?
This is a tough one. There are lots of good drivers out there and they are all difficult to beat. I don’t feel I have a main rival. But beating your team mate is always priority and I have had my share of fast drivers.

What is your ultimate goal in Motorsport?
My ultimate goal is to earn a living from it. F1 is a dream but I would say its virtually impossible without huge financial backing. I do think that becoming a professional is achievable although it’s still unbelievably tough.

How do you see motorsport changing and developing over the next 20 years?
I can see it having a very tough time. I think Formula 1 is already on the rocks and I think the public are turning away from it. I hope it has a major meltdown and out of it things will be much better. Maybe it will even be a sport again where talent is worth more than cash

Has the balance between the talent and money needed to progress in motorsport changed in recent years?
I can’t say whether it has changed as I wasn’t around to see years gone by. I know that in todays climate money is worth far more than talent. Talent only gets you so far but money can take you all the way. Regardless of whether you deserve to be there or not. It’s a fact of motor racing today that without large financial backing there is just no way forward. Talent helps bring the price down, but any percentage of a large number is still a large number.

William Buller
The 19-year-old started racing quads at the age of six, winning the Ulster championship before moving on to karts at nine. In 2005 he won the Irish Oval racing; Junior Rods championship, in 2007 the Kim Bolton TKM Kart Festival and in 2010 the Brazillian Formula 3 Open. Last year he finished fourth in the British Formula 3 International Series with three wins and nine podiums. He is also a BRDC ‘Rising Star’.

What made you first start racing?
I was always interested in cars and engines, and my family was always interested in horses which I didn’t have much interest in, so I started to race quad bikes and then moved on to karting at the age of 9.

Who is your motorsport hero?
I look up to a lot drivers but the ones who stand out the most is Sebastian Vettel and Joey Dunlop.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?
I haven’t decided the best moments of my career so far but to date would be winning in Macau in formula BMW.

Who is your toughest rival?
I couldn’t say one name, all my rivals are talented drivers and the competition is tough.

What is your ultimate goal in motorsport?

To win the formula one world title and to have a career in motorsport.

How do you see motorsport changing and developing over the next 20 years? 

I think the sport has changed massive over the last 20 year, it has got very technically strong but I think the sport will keep getting safer, faster and stronger!

Has the balance between the talent and money needed to progress in motorsport changed in recent years?
Yes it has, this is another way the sport has changed, because the drivers are starting to bring money to the table and pay their way to the formula 1 seats. You still need to have talent which I feel is more important, but if you had more money than talent you may reach your goal easier. That makes it harder for the drivers which don’t have the massive cheque book and you could nearly say impossible unless you become sponsored or picked up by a young drivers programme!

Seb Morris
The 16-year-old began karting in 2007, winning multiple championships before stepping up to the Ginetta Juniors where he finished second in the 2010 winter series before winning the full championship in 2011.

What made you first start racing?
I first starting racing after attending a karting party and lapping friends. The karting manager of the circuit suggested that I take it up professionally.

Who is your motorsport hero?
Michael Schumacher

What has been the highlight of your career so far?
Winning the 2011 Ginetta Junior Championship.

Who is your toughest rival?
Charlie Robertson

What is your ultimate goal in motorsport?
F1 or a paid career driving within motorsport.

How do you see motorsport changing and developing over the next 20 years?
Safer, slower and more demanding plus a greater eye for detail and precision.

Has the balance between the talent and money needed to progress in motorsport changed in recent years?
More money is required these days and it is harder to find in the current economic climate.

Charlie Robertson
The 15-year-old won his first karting championship in 2006. He made the step up to car racing in 2011 where he finished second in the Ginetta Juniors Championship and became the youngest driver to score a race win, pole position and fastest lap at an MSA sanctioned event.

What made you first start racing?
I started racing karts when I was eight.  My dad asked me if I wanted to do a beginners course at a track near Edinburgh. I said yes and I’ve never looked back!

Who is your motorsport hero?
My motorsport hero is Lewis Hamilton.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?
Winning the Ginetta Junior race on the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit this year – Seb Morris put me under so much pressure on the last two laps and the heat inside my car was exhausting, so it was a great feeling to cross the line first.

Who is your toughest rival?
Last season it was definitely Seb Morris.  It’s too early to say who it will be in 2012.

What is your ultimate goal in motorsport?
I want to reach the top in single-seaters and sportscars, race all over the world and earn my living as a professional racing driver.

How do you see motorsport changing and developing over the next 20 years?
Motorsport technology is constantly improving. The tragic accidents of 2011 will put more emphasis on driver safety and race car engines will probably follow road car engines as they move away from fossil fuels.

Has the balance between the talent and money needed to progress in motorsport changed in recent years?
I don’t think so. Finding the budget to race competitively is one the toughest challenges in motorsport, but racing drivers have always needed wealthy sponsors to make it to the top.
Drivers have always needed talent to make it too, especially now that their rivals start racing much younger and focus more on fitness and training.

WE MIGHT BE in a recession (still), but that doesn’t mean you can’t afford the finer things in life…

Yesterday we showed you that you can get some pretty serious performance cars for under £5,000, but if that’s not really your thing take a look at our top ten luxury cars for the same budget.

10. Alfa Romeo 166

The big Alfa is perhaps not an obvious choice, but there aren’t many in the UK so it scores highly on the exclusivity front. Its odd droopy nose might not be the most attractive feature but Alfa’s always have that certain something. Engine choices range from 2.0 litre to 3.0 litre V6. Reliability isn’t as bad as Alfas of old but make sure the electrics are in working order. Prices start under £1000 but we’d spend a bit more and go for a lower mileage car.

9. Jaguar S-Type

The S-Type was ridiculed when it first came out because of it’s “O” facial expression but, like an awkward teenager, it’s grown into its looks quite nicely. There’s a choice of petrol engines but the 2.7 litre diesel is the pick of the bunch. Automatics gearboxes outnumber manuals by about seven to one so if you want one you’ll have to hunt harder. Jaguar frequently comes top in customer satisfaction surveys so it should hold together pretty well. Prices start as low as £700 but they’re not the finest examples at that end of the market.

8. Range Rover

Land Rover invented the premium 4×4, or SUV if you’re American, when it launched the Range Rover back in the 70′s. Early cars are now highly sought after so it’s the second-gen Range Rover we’re looking at here. The commanding driving position, comfort and luxury are still big temptations but running costs won’t be cheap and a full service history is a must. £1,600 will get you into a early 4.0 litre or 4.6 litre. The vast majority have never seen a muddy field in their lives but check for underbody damage just in case.

7. Audi A8

If you want the security of four-wheel-drive but not the conspicuousness of the ‘Rangey’ then the Audi A8 could be the car for you. Quite bland to look at but very refined and with plenty of space inside, the A8 will let you drive along in anonymous serenity. A Quattro will command a premium over a comparative two-wheel-drive model, the prices of which start around £1,500. As long as it’s serviced regularly it shouldn’t cause you many problems at all.

6. BMW 7-Series

How many other Bond cars can you buy for £800? Not many. We reckon the 7-Series is actually pretty cool and can provide extremely high levels of refinement and plenty of gadgets too (you’ll have to speak to Q Division if you want missiles in the sunroof though). Of course, being a BMW it’s good to drive too. It’s no M3 but it hides its size and weight well to provide a good driving experience. Don’t be put off by high mileages, the 7-Series was built to cruise and as long as it’s been looked after it should be very strong.

5. Mercedes CL

The CL provides luxury but in a more stylish body. It’s just about as big as most of the other cars on this list but its rakish coupe shape makes it seem a little less stodgy. 5.0 litres is your only choice of engine size so there’ll be plenty of grunt but fuel bills are going to be big and as a certain Mr Clarkson proved, if something goes bang it will cost you. You can get a previous generation car for a little less but £4000 for the newer model (pictured) seems like even more of a bargain, especially given that most would have cost well north of £70,000 when new.

4. Lexus LS

This was the very first Lexus, and parent company Toyota were keen to make a very strong first impression. As a result they over-engineered everything and the LS is virtually bombproof. The LS not only set benchmarks in terms of build quality and reliability but in refinement and ride as well. Even by today’s standards it is incredibly quiet and comfortable, it wasn’t nicknamed the Japanese Rolls-Royce nothing. All of this makes it even more remarkable that you can buy one today for as little as £800. Your only engine and gearbox choice is a 4.0 litre petrol and automatic though, so it’s not the most frugal car. Speaking of frugal…

3. Audi A2

The Audi A2 was about 10 years ahead of it’s time. It was small and economical at a time when people wanted their luxury cars big and brash. Now that we’re in a recession and petrol is nearing £1.4o a litre a car like this makes sense and makers are falling over themselves to make exactly this kind of car. It’s aluminium construction and efficient engines mean it’s very cheap to run and it has the usual Audi build quality and reliability too. It might not be as quiet or comfortable as the other cars but it’s remarkable for its size and with prices starting around £1,500 you really can’t go wrong.

2. VW Phaeton

Everyone who bought one new will tell you “It’s a Bentley underneath, you know” but you shouldn’t have to justify why you bought it, it’s an excellent car. Yes, it does have the underpinnings from the Bentley Continental but it borrows mechanicals from the Audi parts bin too. Its lack of premium image meant that depreciation was crippling and you can now pick one up, fully loaded for £5,000. It is a simply remarkable bargain.

1. Mercedes S-Class

There was only ever going to be one car at the top of this list, the car that has pretty much defined the ‘luxo-barge’ segment for 40 years. The Mercedes S-Class. Class leading in just about every area and always at least one step ahead of the rest when it comes to gadgets and technology. The S-Class isn’t the most reliable Merc but it should still be pretty tough. Prices begin around £2,300 so as long as you can afford the running costs you’ll be on to a real winner.

MONEY MIGHT BE tight, but with our top ten bargain performance cars you can still have plenty of fun!

10. Peugeot 306 GTI-6

Everyone knows about the 205 GTI, it is a legend amongst hot hatches, but it is getting on a bit now and it is getting harder and harder to find unmolested ones. The 306 GTI-6 then, is the perfect substitute. Made when Peugeot still knew how to make great handling cars it inherited many of the 205′s characteristics, most notably the tendency towards hedge-seeking lift-off oversteer (although not as alarmingly as in the 205). Think of it then as a grown-up 205 GTI. Prices start at around £600 but we’d go for the later facelifted models (pictured) that start nearer £1000.

9. Subaru Impreza Turbo 2000

The sight of an Impreza still evokes the memory of Colin McRae flying though a muddy Welsh forest on full opposite lock, exhaust popping and turbo chattering, on his way to becoming Britain’s first World Rally Champion. Thanks to the Turbo 2000, you can own a piece of this history. By today’s standards 197bhp might not seem much but it is plenty and with the Impreza’s rally-bred four-wheel-drive system it is a match for any supercar on a damp, bumpy British B-road. Not as brash as it’s WRX STI cousins it doesn’t attract the same price premiums and as a result can be on your driveway for £1500. Subarus are notoriously strong but buy carefully as a lot have been either thrashed, modified or both.

8. Ford Puma

Based on the Fiesta, the Puma was meant to be a small stylish coupe. The Mark IV Fiesta though was actually a pretty tidy handler and the Puma utilised this to full effect, with a bigger 1.7 litre engine and a few chassis tweaks it became a surprise hit amongst petrolheads, rally and race drivers and a certain Tiff Needell who famously flung one left right and centre around an airfield on Top Gear. Early cars start at just £500 but even the youngest, lowest mileage cars don’t go any higher than £3000 so there’s plenty to choose from, whatever your budget.

7. Mazda RX-8

Yes, that’s right, you really can get an RX-8 for less than £5k. Considerably less. It’s a great looking coupe but it’s reasonably practical too, with the rear-hinged ‘suicide’ doors aiding access to the rear seats. It is powered by a 1.3 litre engine but being a wankel rotary engine it produces anything from 190bhp to 250bhp, depending on spec. It makes a great sound too and the front-engined rear-drive layout makes for some sweet handling. An RX-8 can be yours for an almost unblievable £1500. Be careful though because those rotary engines go through oil like it’s going out of fashion and if things go wrong it can be pricey.

6. Porsche Bosxter

Another car that will make you double-take when you see the price. This is a proper sports car, with it’s mid-engined rear-wheel drive layout and it’s simple ragtop providing instant open-air fun and instant access to the sound of that 2.5 litre flat six. So you get premuim performance and a premium interior but there’ll be repair costs to match if things go wrong. However, if you can afford the running costs you can have one of Stuttgart’s finest sitting on your driveway for just £4,000.

5. Honda Integra Type-R

Described by many as the finest front-wheel-drive car ever made, it only sold in small numbers in the UK and developed quite a cult following. As a result the majority of cars have been well looked after and are in good, unmodified condition. Don’t expect the usual Honda creature comforts though, the Integra is quite stripped-out and a bit of a ‘racer for the road’. The high-revving 1.8 litre engine should be pretty strong as long as you take care of it. The facelifted double headlight models (pictured) are more plentiful but both models start around £3,000. Beware of dodgy imports though.

4. Toyota MR2

The last generation MR2 ditched it’s coupe heritage to become a convertible. This, teamed with it’s mid-engined rear-wheel-drive layout makes it a bit of a baby Boxster, allowing you to have the same kind of thrills but at more licence-friendly speeds. Don’t be mistaken though, the 1.8 VVTI engine may be down on power compared the the Porker but it is eager and can certainly get you into trouble if you don’t know what you’re doing. Having a Toyota badge on the nose has become a byword for reliablity but you should still be cautious because things like the fabric hood can be expensive to replace. Prices for early X-reg cars start at around £1300.

3. Mazda MX-5

Introduced 22 years ago, the humble little MX-5 is fast approaching the 1 million sales mark, making it the most sucessful sports car of all time, and we in Britain can’t get enough of it. Inspired by British classics like the Lotus Elan and MGB the MX-5 uses a simple recipe; low-weight, skinny tyres, front engine and rear-wheel drive to provide driving thrills at all speeds. You can pick up an early mark 1 MX-5 for under £1000 or an early mark 2 for just over £1000 nowadays. At those prices it might be a bit tatty but it should be pretty strong mechanically. And if anyone ever says the word ‘hairdresser’ to you, you have my permission to punch them squarely on the nose.

2. Honda S2000

Yet another “How much?!” car. The Honda S2000 has been with us now for 13 years and only went out of production, relatively unchanged, 3 years ago. It follows the same classic sports car recipe as the MX-5; front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, but it is a significantly bigger car than the little Mazda and has the power increase from its 2.0 litre engine to match. As with the other Japanese cars on this list, reliabilty concerns shouldn’t give you too many headaches but this is a performance car and you should aways check for signs of abuse from exuberant previous owners. Prices start just under £4,000.

1. Renaultsport Clio 182

Renault, or more specifically Reanultsport, make the best hot hatches in the business. This isn’t opinion, this is fact. Everything from the mad R5 Turbo and Clio V6, through the sublime Clio Williams to todays Twingo, Clio and Megane, they’ve never made a bad car. But which one should you buy today? Simple, the Clio 182. Often overlooked by the uninformed who will buy the default choice of Ford or Vauxhall, the Clio is a real gem which rewards enthusiastic driving and has a charm and character most cars can never hope to match. Whether you buy a standard 182 or a 182 Cup, which comes with grey wheels, a slightly sharper chassis and a slightly lowered ride, you’ll be onto a winner. As with all hot hatches, running costs will be a lot cheaper than most of the cars on this list. Prices for both the standard 182 and the 182 cup start at around £2,500. Cars with the Gordini paint scheme (pictured) can cost a little more but just make sure it’s genuine as many have had stripes added afterwards.

VAUXHALL WILL GIVE the new Astra VXR it’s public debut at this year’s Geneva motorshow in March.

The Focus ST rival is based on the Astra GTC coupe and is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine producing a whopping 284bhp and 295lb ft of torque, putting it ahead of rivals like the Renaultsport Megane 250 and even the four-wheel-drive VW Golf R.

In order to transmit this power to the road through just the front wheels the VXR has a new limited slip differential which works in tandem with the same HiPerStrut suspension that features on the regular GTC.

Other changes include high performance Brembo brakes and Vauxhall’s adaptive FlexRide system, which means Sport and VXR buttons providing different levels of damper, throttle and steering response. The new Astra VXR is due to go on sale in the summer.

Vauxhall will also use Geneva to debut the new Mini Countryman and Skoda Yeti rival, the Mokka.

It will be available with a range of petrol and diesel engines and a choice of two or four-wheel-drive when it goes on sale towards the end of 2012.

FIAT HAS ANNOUCED that the new Panda will be available from under £9k.

Starting at £8,900, the Pop 1.2 will be the base model with a 1.3 MultiJet engine also available. These will be followed by the mid-spec Easy which starts at AT £9,550 and the top-of-the-range Lounge which starts at £10,050, both available with a choice of 85bhp 0.9-litre TwinAir, 69bhp 1.2-litre petrol and 75bhp 1.3 MultiJet turbodiesel engines. The Lounge 1.3 MultiJet being the most expensive model in the range at £12,250.

Standard equipment on the entry-level Pop model includes electric windows, central locking, Dualdrive electric power steering, four airbags and body colour bumpers while the Easy adds remote central locking, air conditioning, roof rails and a higher grade audio system.

The top-spec Lounge also recieves heated electric mirrors, 15-inch alloy wheels, front fog lamps, body coloured mirrors and door handles, and side mouldings as standard.

A long list of options are available including ten exterior colours, six interior colour combinations and the new Low Speed Collision Mitigation system which uses a laser to scan the road and can stop the car from under 18.6mph if it senses a collision.

The new Panda will go on sale at the end of February.

THE WILLIAMS F1 team have launched their 2012 car this morning.

The FW34 was launched alongside drivers Pastor Maldonado and Bruno Senna at the Jerez track as the first pre-season test session got underway.

The car features the now familiar stepped nose design and an extremely tightly packaged rear bodywork section.

2012 also sees the return of Renault engines to the Williams team, a partnership that proved so successful in the mid-nineties.

The team will certainly be looking for an improvement over last season, the worst in the teams illustrious history, scoring only five points.

THE SAUBER F1 team have unveiled the new C31 in full but Red Bull have left us guessing with their RB8 launch.

Revealed by drivers Kamui Kobayashi and Sergio Perez at the chilly Jerez track this morning, the new Sauber C31 is the car that the team will hope can take them solidly into the mid-pack and ahead of the likes of Toro Rosso and Williams.

All the cars seen so far, with the notable exception of the McLaren, have featured a stepped nose in order to comply with new crash regulations and the C31 is no exception. However, it features a slot just after the nose rises, possibly to aid airflow over the ‘step’. The picture below from @ScarbsF1 shows the slot.

Meanwhile, with a surprisingly lacklustre launch Red Bull unveiled their new RB8 with a video on their website and not a great deal else.

The video didn’t show much but what it did show was a slot or vent on the nose, in a similar location to that on the Sauber but facing the other way making it an inlet rather than an outlet.

Speculation on Twitter is rife as to what it may be; simply a vent for driver or KERS cooling, an aerodynamic aid, a vent to change the cockpit air pressure? With no real informati0n from the team we will have to wait and see. It can also be seen on this rendering of the car below.

To see the video for yourself take a look here.

Following on from their sister team, Toro Rosso have taken the wraps off their new car today as well, the STR7. (Picture from @NobleF1)

The car carries over many of the features from last year, including the heavily sculpted and undercut sidepods.

The nose ‘step’ is not a severe as others that have been seen so far, suggesting that the chassis itself may be lower. There is also an additional air inlet below the main airbox/roll hoop which can be seen in the picture below. (Picture from Adam Cooper)

The team are fielding an all-new driver line-up this year with Australian Daniel Ricciardo and Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne replacing Sebastien Buemi and Jaime Alguesuari.

LOTUS ARE THE fifth team to inveil their 2012 F1 car, the E20.

As these pictures show, Lotus have managed to integrate the stepped ‘platypus’ nose into the car in a much more asthetically pleasing way than the likes of Caterham and Ferrari.

The team are sporting an entirely changed driver line-up over last year, having signed 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen and Frenchman Romain Grosjean.

Speaking about his comeback, Kimi was asked if he felt nervous after seeing Michael Schumacher’s struggle. “It will be something slightly different than it used to be when I was in Formula One with a different team and a little bit different regulations, but everybody’s different and some people have more difficulties getting used to new stuff and it depends a lot on the car also. If you have a good car it makes life a lot easier than if you have an average car.”

The team say the ‘E’ stands for ‘Enstone’, the team’s headquarters, but it also follows the Lotus ‘E’ theme used in their road car naming.

You can watch the launch video here for more on the car and the team.