No joy in 500th race (Lotus race review)

Posted on

| Written by

The team raced with special logos commemorating their 500th start but suffered one of their worst races of the year.

Jarno TrulliHeikki Kovalainen
Qualifying position1920
Qualifying time comparison (Q1)1’40.658 (-0.224)1’40.882
Race position21
Average race lap1’55.135 (+6.424)1’48.711
Laps53/578/57
Pit stops20

You need to upgrade your Flash Player

Open lap times interactive chart in new window

Jarno Trulli

Took ‘new team pole’ yet again but was 1.3 seconds off 17th-placed Kamui Kobayashi on the long circuit.

After the race he claimed he’d been hit front behind, causing contact with another car which broke his front wing. The video replays show Trulli cutting the first corner and running into Pedro de la Rosa.

It’s possible someone hit him further around the lapb unseen by the cameras, which provoked his gearbox problem. After a long stop in the pits he returned to the track but finished last.

Compare Jarno Trulli’s form against his team mate in 2010

Heikki Kovalainen

Ran 18th and was defending his position from Mark Webber when the Red Bull driver hit him. The impact tore Kovalainen’s rear wing off and sent him into the barrier, removing his front wing.

He was able to drive his T127 back to the pits where he retired:

First of all it’s good news that both of us are OK. Mark had a hardcore flight, and it could have ended up much worse, so it’s good we’re both fine.

It’s such a shame the race ended that early – I was going really well, pulling away from the guys behind by about half a second a lap, and with Mark we were racing for position so I was always going to defend.

I didn’t do anything wrong and he just ran into me. I think he missed his braking point and he ran into me at a very bad angle – his front tyre hit my right rear and he took off. I had to make a mandatory visit to the medical centre, and shook hands with Mark there, but I’m absolutely fine, and glad Mark is too.
Heikki Kovalainen

Compare Heikki Kovalainen’s form against his team mate in 2010

2010 European Grand Prix

    Browse all 2010 European Grand Prix articles

    Author information

    Keith Collantine
    Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

    Got a potential story, tip or enquiry? Find out more about RaceFans and contact us here.

    5 comments on “No joy in 500th race (Lotus race review)”

    1. Hopefully they can improve in upcoming races!

    2. miguelF1O (@)
      28th June 2010, 23:29

      very sad that lotus is getting very low focus by the majoraty of the press thankfully everyone here is very happy for lotus but 500th gp seemed very far from beeing colossus maybe some luck on the future and hope they might reach at least the 600th
      i have forgiven mark for his crash in melbourne with lewis and with his teamate but now with heikki…i dont know what to think

    3. surprised KOV didn’t get a reprimand or a penalty for driving a heavily damaged car half way around the lap back to the pits.

      1. His car did not have any hanging bodywork that could have detached (as it had been ripped off by Webber’s car and the barrier), still had all four wheels attached (which is why Vettel was penalised in a previous GP last year) and was not dropping oil onto the circuit. The yellow flags were out and then the safety car, so he did not need to maintain a high speed and require his wings to corner without impeding anyone else.

        1. Charles Carroll
          29th June 2010, 13:39

          I saw a youtube video of Michael Schumacher driving a three-wheeled Ferrari back to the pits in the pouring rain! Heikki’s car was in much better shape!

    Comments are closed.