Q&A with Matthew Carter, Lotus F1 CEO

Enstone’s new CEO, Matthew Carter, gives his take on the state of play for Lotus F1 Team heading into the 2014 season.

How would you describe the 2014 specification Lotus F1 Team?

I think it’s no secret to say that last year, while very positive on the track, was challenging off the track. This year, 2014, we’re looking to be as successful away from the track as we are on it. With that in mind, we have a new financial stability which will allow us to go forwards, develop the car and hopefully enable us to be challenging right at the front of the grid.

What are the main challenges for Enstone for this year and years ahead?

The challenges that we face this year are ensuring that we can continue to develop the car during the season. We’re very confident that we have a strong car to start the season with and the challenges are making sure that we’re on top of the development programme to ensure the car remains competitive throughout theyear. Beyond this, we have to adapt to all the challenges that Formula 1 teams face both on track, in the factory and in a commercial sense. We’re confident that we have a strong and stable base for the future.

How can you best harness the strengths and qualities seen at Enstone?

The team at Enstone has an immense amount of qualities and strengths; the DNA that is coursing through the veins of everyone who works at Enstone is fantastic. The team that we have technically and in terms of development is second to none and I believe that the investments we’ve made in the factory and our technology will ensure that we’re right at the front of the grid this season. To harness this best you need a secure financial footing which is something we recognise fully and have focused on during the off-season. We are well-placed for the season ahead and beyond this year too.

How big an impact for the team has it been developing the 2014 car with such a radical change to the regulations?

The 2014 car is an immense change from what we’ve seen before. We’ve been working towards this car for well over two years and a large section of our workforce have been working on it. The new regulations represent a clean sheet of paper for the whole grid, and hopefully it represents an opportunity for us to challenge right at the front.