• European Grand Prix

Caterham eyes progress with updates

Caterham continues to edge closer to the midfield pack in terms of performance © Sutton Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• Race:
• European Grand Prix

• Drivers:
• Tony Fernandes

• Teams:
• Caterham

Caterham is hoping to close the gap to the midfield even further with "significant updates" to be introduced in both Valencia and at Silverstone.

Now in its third season in Formula One under various different names, Caterham is yet to fully join the midfield pack. It has got ever closer in 2012, however, with both cars outqualifying Jean-Eric Vergne's Toro Rosso in Canada. Technical director Mark Smith said that the team was "cautiously optimistic" its planned upgrades for the next two races would see the gap close even further.

"We have a couple of quite significant updates coming in Valencia and Silverstone," Smith said. "We will take a look at a number of new aerodynamic elements in Valencia as well as some minor modifications to the floor, and even though we will not know exactly what they will give us until we get out on track, we are cautiously optimistic they will help us keep edging ever closer to the midfield."

Team principal Tony Fernandes said that it was a sign of Caterham's progress to be able to keep developing the car at such a rate, and hoped the team could still score a point this season.

"At the next two F1 races, in Valencia and Silverstone, we will see the fruits of the hard work being done by everyone at the factory with a number of important upgrades on the cars," Fernandes said. "While we are honest enough with ourselves to know that these upgrades alone will not be enough to force our way into the midfield pack, we do know it is a statement of our intent to join the group just ahead that we are updating the car at the same rate or even more quickly than our rivals.

"We have the people and resources in place to achieve our goal of scoring a point this year, and we are edging ever closer to a group of cars that is now tantalisingly close."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.