Lotus E23 Hybrid

The Lotus E23 Hybrid is a Formula One racing car which Lotus used to compete in the 2015 Formula One season. The chassis was designed by Nick Chester, Chris Cooney, Martin Tolliday and Nicolas Hennel with Mercedes supplying the team's powertrain. It was driven by Romain Grosjean and Pastor Maldonado. This was the team's only car to use Mercedes engines, after a 20-year period of racing with Renault based powerplants. The E23 Hybrid was also the first Enstone-based car not to used a Renault-based engine (including the period between 1998 and 2000 where the team used Playlife badged Renault-based Mecachrome/Supertec V10s) since the Ford-powered V8 powered Benetton B194 in 1994, as well as first full British team to utilize Petronas fuel and lubricants.

Lotus E23 Hybrid

Romain Grosjean driving the E23 Hybrid at the Malaysian Grand Prix
Category	Formula One
Constructor	Lotus
Designer(s)	Nick Chester (Technical Director) Chris Cooney (Engineering Director) Martin Tolliday (Chief Designer) Simon Virrill (Project Leader) Nicolas Hennel (Head of Aerodynamics) Jon Tomlinson (Chief Aerodynamicist)
Predecessor	Lotus E22
Successor	Renault R.S.16
Technical specifications
Engine	Mercedes PU106B Hybrid Turbo[1] 1.6 L (98 cu in) V6 engine (90°), limited to 15,000 RPM in a mid-mounted, rear-wheel drive layout
Electric motor	Mercedes PU106B Hybrid Motor Generator Unit–Kinetic (MGU-K) Mercedes PU106B Hybrid Motor Generator Unit–Heat (MGU-H)
Transmission	Semi-automatic, sequential 8 forward gears, 1 reverse gear
Power	930 hp (690 kW)
Weight	702 kg (1,548 lb)
Fuel	Petronas
Lubricants	Petronas
Tyres	Pirelli P Zero (dry), Cinturato (wet)
Competition history
Notable entrants	Lotus F1 Team
Notable drivers	08. Romain Grosjean 13. Pastor Maldonado
Debut	2015 Australian Grand Prix
Last event	2015 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Races Wins Podiums Poles F/Laps 19 0 1 0 0

Images of the 2015 car were released on 26 January 2015.^[2][3]

The Lotus-Mercedes partnership was originally intended to last for six years (until 2020), but was terminated five years earlier as the team returned to Renault power unit after a single season and thus bought ill-fated Lotus stake from 2016 onwards and renamed back to Renault Sport Formula One Team.

Season summary

Maldonado at the Italian Grand Prix

After the team's dramatic slump in 2014, the 2015 season marked a small improvement in form. The car was considered an improvement compared to the disastrous Lotus E22, which suffered from reliability issues and struggling for competitiveness due to the underpowered and unreliable Renault power unit and the fundamental flaws of the E22 chassis. However, both driver errors and unreliability cost the team points finishes in many races, limiting the car's potential of consistent points scoring. Maldonado retired in 5 out of the first 6 races either due to collisions or car problems. Grosjean and Maldonado collided with each other, in Spain and Britain. A highlight of the season however was Grosjean's podium finish in Belgium. Lotus ended its last season with 78 points and a 6th place in the World Constructors' Championship, before its buyout from Renault Sport.

Sponsorship and livery

The livery was completely changed with a new gold graphics design and the red accents were mostly removed. The team had lost the Rexona sponsorship as Unilever switched into Williams. This was the final year for the following sponsors: Yotaphone, Saxo Bank, PDVSA and Proton.

The team promoted the movie Mad Max: Fury Road at the Spanish Grand Prix. The team paid tribute to Jules Bianchi in Hungary, with "#JB17" present on the engine cover . At Singapore, Lotus celebrated the launch of the Forza Motorsport 6 and to celebrate, drivers wore green Xbox overalls.^[4]

Complete Formula One results

(key) (results in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year	Entrant	Engine	Tyres	Drivers	Grands Prix																			Points	WCC
					AUS	MAL	CHN	BHR	ESP	MON	CAN	AUT	GBR	HUN	BEL	ITA	SIN	JPN	RUS	USA	MEX	BRA	ABU
2015	Lotus F1	Mercedes PU106B Hybrid	P	Romain Grosjean	Ret	11	7	7	8	12	10	Ret	Ret	7	3	Ret	13†	7	Ret	Ret	10	8	9	78	6th
				Pastor Maldonado	Ret	Ret	Ret	15	Ret	Ret	7	7	Ret	14	Ret	Ret	12	8	7	8	11	10	Ret

^† Driver failed to finish the race, but was classified as they had completed greater than 90% of the race distance.

References

1. "Mercedes provide early look at 2015 car". Grand Prix 247. 29 January 2015. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
2. "2015 F1 race, test and launch dates". F1 Fanatic. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
3. Collantine, Keith (26 January 2015). "Lotus reveal first images of new E23". F1 Fanatic. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
4. "Lotus F1 Team Singapore GP qualifying review". Automobilsport.com. Archived from the original on 12 October 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2022.