D’Ambrosio will be the third driver for Lotus in 2012

As Kimi Räikkönen completed his second day of testing behind the wheel of a 2010 R30, the Lotus F1 Team announced that their third driver for the 2012 Formula 1 season would be the Belgian Jérôme D’Ambrosio. The Belgian driver, managed by Gravity, had started his F1 career last year at Virgin. Despite a decent first season, the team management decided to part ways with him at the end of the championship to replace him with the French driver Charles Pic, backed by the Lagardère group.

A time mentioned at Williams, it is mainly at HRT that JDA hoped to bounce back in 2012. But the small Spanish team also needs liquidity, and D’Ambrosio does not have a big enough suitcase to claim a starting grid spot. It should be Giedo Van der Garde who should be confirmed alongside Pedro de La Rosa for the next season.

Therefore, it is at Lotus that the young Belgian driver will bide his time in 2012. A team he knows well since he was already the fourth driver in 2010 while still competing in the GP2 championship at DAMS.

« It is a pleasant sensation to join the Lotus team. It is an exciting new step in my career. I have participated in a full season in F1 as a driver for a small team where I learned a lot,” explains the Belgian.

« Today, I have the opportunity to work with one of the best teams, with great potential for my personal development. With my recent experience, I know that I can make a contribution.

If D’Ambrosio admits that he would have preferred to secure a race seat, he nevertheless sees this appointment as an opportunity to learn within a top team and intends to do his best in his role as a third driver. “Certainly, I would have preferred to race, but being associated with the Lotus F1 Team should be more beneficial, and that’s the choice I made. I couldn’t miss this opportunity. My desire to return to racing in the future will push me to do the best job possible in my new role.”

The team boss, Eric Boullier, is also delighted to be able to rely on a driver who has already raced in Grand Prix to fill in for any of the regular drivers’ potential absence during the season. Having a third driver who is very motivated and talented and who participated in the entirety of the 2011 season is beneficial for us. With Jérôme, we have someone who will integrate well within the team.

D’Ambrosio will accompany the team during the Grand Prix and will participate in the various briefings and debriefings with the two regular drivers.