TheSportsCampus

35-year old Italian Jarno Trulli was this Monday appointed to the Lotus F1 Racing team for the 2010 season alongside Finn Heikki Kovalainen and Malaysian Fairuz Fauzy.

Jarno made an interesting debut in Formula 1 in 1997 when he joined the Minardi team, but after just seven races was asked to replace the injured Olivier Panis at Prost where he made an immediate impact. He finished fourth in the German GP and led the Austrian GP until he was cruelly denied a sensational podium finish with an engine failure. Nonetheless, Jarno had made his mark and stayed at the Prost team for a further two seasons. Results were not forthcoming but he claimed his first career podium with a fine drive to second place in the wet Eu ropean GP in 1999. The result was something of a fitting farewell to his time at Prost as Jarno joined the Jordan Grand Prix squad for the new Millennium.

It was another barren period for Jarno in terms of podium results but a handful of fourth places and some sublime qualifying performances attracted the attentions of the Renault team for 2002. His first year at the French manufacturer alongside Jenson Button did little to improve upon his previous results but in 2003, with the team's technical department led by Mike Gascoyne, he was given a more competitive car with which to show his full potential. Racing alongside Fernando Alonso, Jarno returned to the podium for the first time since his Prost days with third place in the German GP at Hockenheim. The result gave Jarno renewed confidence and paved the way for Jarno's breakthrough season in 2004.

Once again partnering Alonso, Jarno attained regular points and podium challenges before taking a breathtaking victory around the streets of Monte Carlo. Jarno had established himself as one of the men to beat but midway through the year relations with his team had started to deteriorate and towards the end of the year he opted for a surprise switch to Toyota with whom he would stay until 2009.

In his five-and-a-bit seasons with Toyota Jarno put in some incredible performances both in qualifying and in races. In his first full season with the team in 2005, with Mike Gascoyne at the technical helm, he was one of the Championship leaders in the early races taking Toyota's first ever podium results in Malaysia and Bahrain. Toyota's competitiveness dropped off after Gascoyne's departure from the team in 2006 and Jarno was only able to fight for occasional points finishes until a reversal of fortunes in 2008. His scored his first podium in three years at the French Grand Prix and Toyota were one of the teams to beat in the first races of 2009. Jarno took an incredible pole position in Bahrain but a miscalculated race strategy prevented him from converting it into the team's maiden victory. Nevertheless, with two podiums from the first four races and a highly competitive second place in the team's home race in Japan, Jarno ended the season - what would be Toyota's final in Formula 1 - with some career-high performances.

Incredibly, the 2010 season will mark Jarno's 14th season in Formula 1 but he shows no signs of slowing down. By joining Lotus F1 Racing, Jarno has the chance to rejoin Mike Gascoyne and to spearhead a brand new team into Formula 1. His vast experience racing at the pinnacle of motorsport and his respected reputation as a team-player will be vital characteristics to the new Lotus F1 Racing team as they fight their way up the grid during 2010.

Trulli answered a few questions at the time of his appointment:

What were the reasons behind your decision to join Lotus F1 Racing?
JT: "I am really pleased to be joining Lotus F1 Racing. It was quite a difficult situation at the start of November with my former team withdrawing from Formula 1, but I was convinced I would stay in Formula 1. I was in contact with Mike (Gascoyne, Chief Technical Officer) about the possibility of joining the new Lotus team and it became quickly clear that it would be a very good opportunity for me. I have been in Formula 1 for many years but there is something extremely motivating about helping to build a team from the ground level up. There is a lot of ambition from Tony (Fernandes, Team Principal), Mike and in fact the whole of Malaysia as a nation, and that level of enthusiasm is infectious for a driver. I am really looking forward to the challenge."

You are one of the longest-serving drivers in Formula 1 - how important will your experience be for the team?
JT: "I have driven for quite a few teams in my career, both manufacturer and independent teams, so I have a wide range of experience. I hope that this experience will be a positive asset for Lotus as we begin this new challenge together. We should not underestimate the task in hand. Formula 1 in 2010 is an exciting prospect with brand new teams, established manufacturers fighting back and of course other young teams looking to repeat their 2009 success. Everyone will be fighting hard for results, but we still have all our foundations to set, so we have a lot to do."

Do you expect the team to be immediately competitive?
JT: "We have to set realistic targets for the first year. We are one of the new teams, so we have to prove ourselves and to gain respect in the paddock. We have to establish ourselves as the best of the new teams and see what gap we have between us and the rest. Only then will we really understand what gains we need to make during the season. The points system has changed to reward the top ten drivers, so I would like to see us making progress towards the top ten by Abu Dhabi."

What do you think of the team's approach to Formula 1 based on your previous experiences?
JT: "Having spoken to Tony and to Mike, as well as being in Malaysia this week, I can see a very sensible attitude and professional approach to racing. Of course everyone supporting the team wants results but everybody knows that will take time. We certainly have the capabilities and the tools to do the job. I know Mike very well from our time at other teams and I have a lot of faith in his technical operation."

What do you think of having Heikki as a team-mate?
JT: "It's great to have a younger driver like Heikki on board. He has been in Formula 1 for a few years now, so he has matured into a competitive and well-rounded race driver. His experiences at other teams will certainly help Lotus F1 Racing as a whole and I am looking forward to working alongside him. He is bringing a different character and driving style to the team which I think will benefit all of us during 2010."