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Lotus take to Brands Hatch for filming day with E23 car

First time a modern F1 car has taken to Brands Hatch since 2008

Pastor Maldonado
Image: Lotus: Back in the points so far in 2015

Lotus conducted one of their allotted 2015 filming days at Brands Hatch on Monday with their E23 car.

After a wretched 2014 campaign with Renault engines, the Enstone team have made an encouraging start to life in their new Mercedes-powered era and have already scored two more points (12) than they managed in the whole of last season.

Under F1’s restricted testing regulations, teams can complete two ‘promotional’ events on a track during the course of a year with their current car, each limited to 100km and running on demonstration tyres, and Lotus decided to use up one of their days at the famous Kent circuit in the gap between races.

Race drivers Romain Grosjean and Pastor Maldonado along with reserve Jolyon Palmer – whose father Jonathan owns the venue – took to the E23 at various points of the day. With the circuit offering free admission to fans, Lotus’s filming schedule included pit-stop practice, hot laps and practice starts.

More from F1 In 2015

The trio became the first drivers to take an F1 car around the undulating track since Lewis Hamilton completed some demonstration laps in his McLaren MP4-23 at a DTM event in 2008.

Between 1964 and 1986, Brands Hatch alternated with Silverstone as the host of the British GP, but in more recent time the Kent circuit has become more synonymous with touring car and superbike racing.

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