Official: PDVSA leaves Lotus, Barrichello replaces Maldonado

ATTENTION, APRIL FOOL’S 2014

Thunderbolt! PDVSA has just announced through a statement from the Venezuelan Minister of Economy that it is withdrawing with immediate effect from the partnership with Lotus, invoking a performance clause in the contract.

PDVSA leaves the ship

PDVSA is the state oil company of Venezuela that has supported Pastor Maldonado in Formula 1 since 2011, spending three years as a sponsor with Williams with mixed results, except for a victory in Spain in 2012. In 2014, with Lotus’s finances in dire straits and Pastor Maldonado’s desire to change teams, the oil company moved its millions from the Grove team to the Enstone team.

Pastor Maldonado had seemingly made the right choice by joining this team, and PDVSA had as well, benefiting from Lotus’s higher exposure compared to Williams. However, in 2014, the performances of these two teams have become reversed, and the Lotus team, in addition to no longer competing for the top places, is struggling to send its drivers to the track. Indeed, while Romain Grosjean managed to finish the Malaysian Grand Prix, Pastor Maldonado, over the 2 race weekends, has only completed 87 laps, including free practice and qualifying. It is in response to this fact that PDVSA decided to react very abruptly.

Considering the current condition of the Lotus team, be it in terms of performance, reliability, or even the staff situation, PDVSA is not receiving the promised exposure at the contract’s signing. The government, deeming it a breach of one of the contract clauses with the Lotus F1 Team, decides to terminate its sponsorship activity in Formula 1.

This is a huge blow for the Enstone team, which has already had to make drastic cuts to its budget in recent years, and saw Nico Hülkenberg leave in favor of Pastor Maldonado and PDVSA’s millions last year, much to the dismay of Eric Boullier, who also left during the winter to join McLaren. The sponsorship contract with the Venezuelan company had ensured funding for the 2014 season, and now they’ll have to manage without it, which promises to be very challenging according to Gérard Lopez, who is expected to make an announcement.

This decision is very hard for our team. The situation is very complicated in Enstone, but we will announce a new sponsor in a few hours, which will allow us to continue our activity in Formula 1.

A new partnership and a new driver

A few hours later, indeed, a live broadcast was launched at the factory via an online video platform. The team owner unveiled the new livery of the E22, with PDVSA being replaced by Americel, one of the largest Brazilian telecommunications companies, which raised many questions.

« With PDVSA’s departure, which we had heard about since the Bahrain tests, we had to find new sponsors. Fortunately, negotiations had already been well advanced beforehand following the previous year, which allows us to welcome Americel on our bodywork, as well as a new driver replacing Pastor Maldonado. » That’s how, astounded, the spectators saw Rubens Barrichello, the former Ferrari driver, appear on their screens, wearing a Lotus suit.

« It is with great pleasure that I join the Lotus team to return to Formula 1. I will be present from the Bahrain Grand Prix and hope to help my new team score points as quickly as possible this season. »

So it’s another snub by the Lotus team to its third driver, who is none other than Charles Pic this season. The Enstone team could have taken the opportunity to strengthen its partnership with Total by hiring two French drivers, but that was not the case. It remains to be seen if Rubens Barrichello will be as competitive in Formula 1 after coming out of retirement, and if Lotus will manage to solve all these issues.

When it comes to PDVSA, one could say that April’s fish will be drowned in their petrodollars, which are now being spent less.

This article offered by Motors Inside is, of course, an April Fool’s joke for you, dear readers.