'Big moment' as Lotus F1 completes shakedown

Lotus F1 technical chief Mike Gascoyne has admitted that it was a 'fantastic achievement' for the team to turn the first laps with its 2010 F1 machine following a private shakedown at Silverstone yesterday [Tuesday].

Reserve driver Fairuz Fauzy was given the honour of driving the car during the brief test on the short Stowe circuit, before the car heads to Jerez to take part in the second of two sessions at the Spanish venue. The first of those two tests gets underway today, with Virgin Racing the first of the F1 newcomers to hit the track for serious testing.

Lotus' shakedown saw it become the second of the four new teams to get a car on track after Virgin completed its shakedown at Silverstone last week and was just 21 weeks after an entry for 2010 was secured.

"It was a big moment to see the car turn a wheel for the first time," Gascoyne told BBC Sport. "We had no major issues or anything that gives us concern for the future.

"To have done everything from scratch to a running car in 21 weeks is a fantastic achievement. It was a brief shakedown as we didn't get some of the last parts from our suppliers until 6am on Tuesday morning, but that was to be expected given the timescales.

"We only got to the track at lunchtime but it went pretty well. We were able to do a few laps, which was perfect and great reward for everyone for all the effort they've put in. We got a good number of laps in and we did all the systems checks so we can run in anger in Jerez."

Lotus will launch its 2010 car in London on Friday.