Jolyon Palmer, third driver at Lotus F1 in 2015
The newly crowned GP2 champion, who was seeking a full-time Formula 1 seat this year, will ultimately have a role as the third driver with the Lotus team. He succeeds the Frenchman Charles Pic.
Championship titles in the promotional categories do not necessarily lead to an automatic spot in Formula 1. This old adage has been proven true by Jolyon Palmer, who won the GP2 title in 2014, as he experienced in recent months.
The son of former driver Jonathan Palmer, who raced with teams like Zakspeed and Tyrrell in the 1980s, has found a place at Lotus as the third driver: « I am very happy to join Lotus, which is a very exciting moment in my career. I hope to establish a long-term relationship with them. My goal is to secure a full-time position in a competitive car by 2016, and Lotus is giving me this great opportunity, especially with a Mercedes engine. »
The appointment of the 23-year-old British driver hastens the departure of Charles Pic, whose future in Formula 1 looks increasingly uncertain.
For his part, Gérard Lopez is happy to welcome a new GP2 champion after Romain Grosjean: « Jolyon is a fantastic talent and a very credible racing driver for the role of third driver. Having worked with Romain, the 2011 GP2 champion, we now know the quality of this championship, and Jolyon’s title last year demonstrates his good future potential. »
