Lotus set to launch

Lotus returns to Formula One this year and at 17.00 tonight at the Royal Horticultural Hall in London the new team will unveil its 2010 challenger.

The team is flying the Malaysian flag in the championship with full support from the Malaysian government and is headed up by AirAsia founder and CEO Tony Fernandes in his role as team principal and Riad Asmat, in the position of CEO.

Having completed a shakedown at Silverstone earlier in the week with test and reserve driver Fairuz Fauzy behind the wheel, the team will travel to Jerez next week to begin testing in anger.

“We’ve proven a few people wrong," Fernandes told Crash.net Radio. "It was fantastic to have our car out at Silverstone and do four or five laps.

"Unveiling the car is another step forward in the reality and the world can see that it’s not just words anymore – they can see it’s live, and that we’re here to stay. That I think is when we go from ’Is it really there?’ to ’It’s there’ – and that’s a big step. Friday is a big step.”

The team has recruited Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen to handle the driving duties, while Mike Gascoyne oversees all technical development for the team in his position as chief technical officer.