Lotus has confirmed it will test a conventional nose solution ahead of next weekend’s US grand prix.
The struggling team has run an unique, asymmetrical and double-pronged ‘walrus’-style nose in 2014, but currently sits just eighth in the constructors’ standings with three races to go. Enstone based Lotus is switching to field-leading Mercedes power for 2015, which has helped bosses to convince Frenchman Romain Grosjean to stay. “Romain is in pole position and honestly it’s a case of us finalising a few details,” said deputy team boss Federico Gastaldi. Grosjean himself confirmed that he and Lotus are “very close” to a deal.
Pastor Maldonado, who has scored none of the team’s eight points in 2014, is also staying put for 2015, and the pair will reportedly have a standard, Mercedes-style nose out in front of their car next season. It is to comply with the FIA’s tweaked nose regulations, introduced after the plethora of aesthetically questionable solutions seen on the 2014 grid.
Lotus will test its vastly-different version in Friday practice in Austin. “It won’t be the definite launch E23 nose but it is an E23-style nose that we are putting on an E22 for evaluation,” confirmed technical boss Nick Chester.
