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Lotus set for 'biggest step' with upgrades at Silverstone

ESPN Staff
June 21, 2013 « FIA hopes 'lessons are learnt' | Horner coy on Mercedes penalty »
The E21 will feature a major update at the British Grand Prix © Sutton Images
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Lotus is set to make its 'biggest step forward of the year' as a result of a new major upgrade package at the British Grand Prix.

The team has struggled in recent races, scoring a total of just three points in Monaco and Canada as Kimi Raikkonen's title hopes have taken a blow. However, the team is confident it will make a significant step in performance at Silverstone, with trackside operations director Alan Permane saying the team has already had some encouraging early running.

"We have a tighter, figure-hugging bodywork package which should give some benefit; especially if the weather is quite cool at Silverstone," Permane said. "There's a new front wing, suspension profiles and suspension upgrades in addition to various other aero upgrades, which combine to give us what should be our biggest step forward of the year.

"This is a good thing, of course, but we'll be running them in the context of all our rivals probably unveiling significant upgrade packs too. We conducted a couple of days of straight-line running after Canada with positive results and some of the fruits of this work should be seen in Silverstone."

Permane also attributed the lack of pace in the last two races to the fact that they were run on low energy circuits and believes the team will not suffer a repeat.

"Fortunately there aren't any more really low energy circuits to come this season. Of the current venues we visit, Montréal, Monaco and Hockenheim can be viewed as low energy and we've visited two of those already so far this year, with the third not being on the 2013 calendar. I'll be surprised if we encounter the issues we did in Montréal again this season."

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