Lotus R31 Specs & Facts

3rd

Best Finish

6th

Best Quali

1

Podium

39

Points

Car Profile

Team Renault Season 2011 Constructors' P5 39 pts Races 19 (27 starts)

Engine & Tyres

Engine Renault RS272.4 V8 Also powered Caterham CT01, Red Bull RB7 Tyres Pirelli

Drivers of the Lotus R31

10 VitalyPetrov P10 1 podium · 37 pts

9 BrunoSenna P18 2 pts

2011 Finishing Positions

3rd 1

5th 1

8th 1

9th 4

10th 2

11th 2

12th 3

13th 3

15th 2

16th 2

17th 3

DNF 3

DNF Did Not Finish

2011 Race by Race

19 Grands Prix

Vitaly Petrov

3179811DNF5151210129DNF179DNF111310

Bruno Senna

–––––––––––139151613121617

1Podium 7Points 14Outside the points DNFNot classified

Stats current as of: 10 Sep 2026

A New Name Emerges from Renault's Shadow

The Lotus R31 occupied a fascinating position in Formula 1 history, it was the car with which the Enstone team began the transition from Renault works team toward the Lotus branding that would define the next several years. Racing as Lotus Renault GP in 2011, the team retained the Renault power unit and much of the technical infrastructure from their back-to-back championship years with Fernando Alonso in 2005 and 2006, but the commercial relationship had shifted and the move toward a new identity was underway. The R31 itself was a competitive midfield package capable of regular points finishes and occasional forays into the top five.

Petrov's Melbourne Heroics and Kubica's Absence

The 2011 season carried a shadow before it even began. Robert Kubica, who had been expected to lead the Renault challenge alongside the team's continued rebuilding, suffered a catastrophic hand injury in a February rally accident that ended his season before a single race was contested. His absence was a profound blow to a team that had structured much of its 2011 planning around his talent and development feedback. Vitaly Petrov stepped up as lead driver, building on his memorable performance in the 2010 finale at Abu Dhabi where his defence of position kept Fernando Alonso from the championship he needed. Petrov delivered solid if unspectacular results, while Bruno Senna and ultimately Romain Grosjean also featured at various points during the season.

The Transition Towards Greatness

The R31 season, while not producing victories or championship challenges, laid important groundwork. Grosjean's arrival in the second half of the year, foreshadowing his full-time role in 2012, gave the team a glimpse of the aggressive, quick driver who would become central to their subsequent campaigns. The engineering and management team that would deliver the E20's strong 2012 season was being assembled and refined. In hindsight, the R31 represents the final car of a transitional phase before the team, renamed as Lotus F1 Team for 2012, produced some genuinely impressive on-track results in what remained a competitive and underrated period in their history.

Lotus R31 – Technical Specifications