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Lotus unveil Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen
Malaysian-backed team says its experienced line-up shows it is serious on its F1 return
Returning Formula team Lotus have announced that Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen will be their drivers next year.
The manufacturer had been out of the sport since 1994, but is returning with backing from Malaysian entrepreneurs, and car maker Proton.
Its return was announced in September when it beat off competition from BMW Sauber to become the 13th team to compete in next year's F1 World Championship.
Trulli (above) moves to Lotus from Toyota, which quit the sport in October, while Kovalainen was left without a drive after world champion Jenson Button moved to McLaren.
Both drivers have signed three-year deals, with Malaysian Fairuz Fauzy named as the third driver. The two main drivers have each won a single Grand Prix.
Trulli, at 35, is the most experienced of the pair and has worked with Lotus's technical director Mike Gascoyne at Toyota.
Kovalainen is 28 and last year won his first Grand Prix, at Hungary, for McLaren. However, he was deemed surplus to requirements when the British team secured the services of Button.
Team principal Tony Fernandes said the team showed "our seriousness to be a world championship contender."
He added: "Trulli will bring us a lot of experience to develop the team, and Heikki is a young driver but has phenomenal experience so I think we have two fantastic drivers with Fairuz as well." ·
