Trulli happy to get Lotus show back on road

Jarno Trulli has driven 217 races in his 14-year F1 career, but few gave him greater satisfaction than last Sunday's drive to a modest 17th place in the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.

The 35-year-old Italian, one of the paddock's best-liked drivers, achieved an ambition and lit up the hopes of an invisible army of fans when he finished that race for the famed named of Lotus.

He knew that it was not going to mean any points scored, but in a long career that has seen him racing for Jordan, Renault and Toyota, claiming a famous Monaco victory along the way, it was another high point - a personal and professional landmark.

"I'm a bit of a student of lots of things, but one of those things is the history of Formula One - it is a sport we love very much in Italy - and that means I understand what it means to bring Lotus back to racing now," he said.

"This name has been out of F1 for 16 years and for Lotus to return is important for a lot of people. It has a history and a lot of people know that and remember that.

"I want to see the team climb back towards where it once was and where it belongs."

With some more of the gritty determination that saw both cars - driven by Trulli and his Lotus team-mate Heikki Kovalainen - finish among the classified finishers last week, Lotus have hopes of repeating that feat in Australia on March 28 and improving, if possible, in front of their 'home' fans in Malaysia next month.

The team is backed by Malaysian money and led by Tony Fernandes, the head of Air Asia, who has been enthused by what he saw in Bahrain and the potential of the team.

For Lotus, both races are important - and technical chief Mike Gascoyne has wasted no time in ensuring his team are aware of the need to improve week to week.

"What we did last week in Bahrain is only the start," said Gascoyne.

"We did what it says on the tin - we turned up, worked professionally and showed we were ready for the job. Most important was finishing the event and proving some reliability.

"Now we have to make another step and improve the car, go quicker and start to show we can improve and pass the teams that are currently ahead of us. Tony (Fernandes) deserved the result in Bahrain for sticking his neck out for this team - but he is going to have more to smile about soon."