Lotus boss delighted with double finish

MANAMA: Lotus Racing team boss Tony Fernandes and his staff had real cause for celebrations on Sunday after both drivers completed the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix. Not only did the popular owner of the revived Norfolk-based team and the Air Asia airline enjoy seeing Finn Heikki Kovalainen and Italian Jarno Trulli cross the finishing line, he was also gifted Colin Chapman's old Lotus cap. Chapman, the creator of the original Lotus team, always used to celebrate his outfit's victories by throwing his cap in the air. Fernandes, who hopes to win a wager with rival new team boss Richard Branson of Virgin Racing that will see the loser dress as an air stewardess and work on the other's airline, said he was almost lost for words. He explained: "I'm completely over the moon. I cannot describe the feeling. Six months of work -- and to have both cars finish is just unbelievable. We're thrilled. "We wanted to finish the race and to do so ahead of established teams is fantastic. "Before the race Clive Chapman gave me Colin Chapman's old Lotus cap and said 'when you win the first race you'll be the man to throw this up in the air like my Dad used to.' That meant a lot to me. "It was a wonderful gesture and it's like handing over the mantle of one of motor racing's great dynasties." To complete a near-perfect day for Fernandes and Lotus, Kovalainen finished 15th, just one lap down on the victorious Ferrari of Spaniard Fernando Alonso, and one place ahead of Swiss Sebastien Buemi, of the established Toro Rosso team. Trulli was classified 17th, three laps down after being hit by a hydraulic problem late in the race. Technical chief Mike Gascoyne said he was proud of the team. He said: "I'm very, very proud of everyone; everyone here, and back in Hingham. Firstly I have to say thank you to both drivers. They drove great races - Jarno struggled early on, but when he changed to the soft tyre, he was much more competitive. "Apologies to Heikki, because he may have suffered from the strategy, and apologies to Jarno, because he had a hydraulics problem -- and he had to slow down to get the car to the finish -- but overall a great result for this team." Lotus were the only one of the three new teams in the field to see their cars finish. The Virgin cars of German Timo Glock and Brazilian Lucas di Grassi were both forced to retire after the early departure of luckless Indian Karun Chandhok, who crashed out after one lap, but long before Brazilian Bruno Senna, nephew of Ayrton Senna, called it a day in the second of the two Hispania Racing cars. Branson said: "This Virgin didn't go the whole way! They have built a great car, but we had a few problems - with hydraulics on one and a gearbox issue on the other. This is all part of F1 and I am sure they will learn from it before Australia." Senna said: "I am not sure what happened. I think it was hydraulics, the data is not telling us anything, but this is all useful mileage for us. We just need to learn from it."