““As launched, the new Lotus E21 looks very similar to last year’s E20 but developments will start to emerge when it begins testing next month.
“I’m not surprised by step on the nose - it stops airflow spilling into the area between the front tyre and the chassis, which is sensitive and you want to avoid disrupting it.

“There are bigger downforce-producing turning vanes - curved bodywork - on the bottom of the brake ducts and more at the front of the sidepods, which are reminiscent of those raced by Red Bull and Sauber at the end of last year.

“There is also a hint of Red Bull about the rear bodywork treatment around the exhaust.

“Last year, Red Bull and Sauber had bodywork right back beyond the rear wheels. The exhaust gases stuck to that as the team guided them down to the gap between the floor and wheels to increase downforce. Ferrari and McLaren, by contrast, aimed the gases across a gap.

“Lotus have gone for the Red Bull/Sauber approach. It’s not possible to tell from the pictures so far whether they have also followed Red Bull in guiding them through a hole in the floor into the central section of the diffuser.””
— Gary Anderson - BBC F1