The Lotus team has today announced that it will use Red Bull gearboxes and hydraulic systems in 2011.
The move comes as the team is also expected to announce a deal with Renault to use their engines from next year – the same power unit the current title leaders use.
The newcomer has suffered poor reliability in their debut year, mainly down to the hydraulic system provided by Xtrac. The switch to Red Bull’s system along with the expected supply of Renault engines will give the team a huge boost, something chief technical officer Mike Gascoyne believes will give the team a huge boost.
“The announcement that we have reached a multi-year agreement with Red Bull Technology for the supply of our gearboxes and hydraulics from 2011 is obviously a massive step forward for us, both in engineering terms, and as an expression of our ambitions for next year and for future championships,” Gascoyne said.
“The gearbox/hydraulics package obviously plays a critical role in the performance of the car, not just on track but in design and packaging terms, and this deal gives our design and aero teams a very exciting platform to work with. The removal of the double diffusers in 2011 will allow the whole grid to tighten up the rear bodywork and mechanical structures around the gearbox, and this supply deal will allow us to capitalise on that with our 2011 car. Exciting times lie ahead!”
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner added: “We are very pleased about Lotus Racing’s decision to use Red Bull Technology gearboxes and hydraulic systems from 2011. The fact that Red Bull Technology has been chosen to be a supplier to another team despite its short history demonstrates how much we have achieved since our first season. We very much look forward to working with Lotus Racing from 2011 onwards.”
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