Lotus will announce its drivers at the end of November
The Lotus team, making its big return to the world of Formula 1 next season, has announced that it will reveal its drivers at the end of November. Speaking this Friday, the team’s technical chief Mike Gascoyne stated that the two chosen drivers will be revealed in a month and a half. Having secured a […]
The Lotus team, making its big return to the world of Formula 1 next season, has announced that it will reveal its drivers at the end of November. Speaking this Friday, the team’s technical chief Mike Gascoyne stated that the two chosen drivers will be revealed in a month and a half.
Having secured a spot on the grid in 2010, the Malaysian team initially announced last month that its drivers would be revealed at the end of October from a list of six candidates, but they decided to take their time: “We will take the best drivers who are available,” said Mike Gascoyne in Kuala Lumpur. “I believe we are a good new team and several very experienced drivers are interested in us.”
Speculation in Malaysia suggested that Jarno Trulli, whose contract with Toyota expires at the end of this season, could form a partnership with a Malaysian driver. Mike Gascoyne made no comment on the issue of hiring Jarno Trulli, but he believes that a Malaysian driver would not currently be capable of being competitive in Formula 1.
« We will have a Malaysian driver in the car when he is able to compete with the best in Formula 1.»
The Lotus brand was last on the grid in 1994, the venture ended due to financial reasons. Today, the team is financed by a partnership between the Malaysian government and a consortium of local businessmen. Mike Gascoyne stated that the team’s car, set to be launched in February, was designed in Norfolk. He added that he hoped for a facility to be built in Sepang, the home of the Malaysian Grand Prix, by mid-2011.
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