Search the Community

Lotus F1 Team is proud to announce its roster of drivers for the newly launched Lotus F1 Junior Team. The seven drivers announced today will be supported by the team in all areas of driving skills, physical fitness, health and nutrition, social and mental development, business ethics and principals, as well as PR training. The seven drivers will contest within a variety of motorsport championships from the World Series by Renault Formula Renault 3.5 Series through the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 to KF category karting. Eric Boullier, Team Principal, Lotus F1 Team; “Lotus F1 Junior Team takes our previous i-Race Professional young driver academy and builds on it to be more closely aligned with the Formula 1 team and all the benefits brought by this association. We have announced seven highly talented drivers, many of whom will be competing against their fellow team-mates from the programme. We’re offering an in-depth and highly beneficial training regime which should encourage these drivers to develop and perform at their very best. Motorsport can be very daunting for young drivers, particularly everything that occurs away from the track, so we hope to give our drivers the very best preparation possible for their future careers.” The 2013 Lotus F1 Junior Team Marco Sørensen, 22, Denmark, FR 3.5 with Lotus World Series Team Marlon Stockinger, 21, Philippines, FR 3.5 with Lotus World Series Team Alex Fontana, 20, Switzerland, GP3 with Jenzer Motorsport Oscar Tunjo,17, Colombia, Eurocup FR 2.0 with Kaufmann Racing Esteban Ocon, 16, France, Eurocup FR 2.0 with ART Junior Team Alexander Albon, 16, Thailand, Eurocup FR 2.0 team TBA Dorian Boccolacci, 14, France, Go Kart International KF category with Energy Corse For more information: Lotus F1 Team press office: [email protected] / +44(0) 1608 678 000 Q&As with the 2013 Lotus F1 Junior Team Drivers Marco Sørensen – Denmark - World Series by Renault How did you come to be involved with the Lotus F1 Team Junior programme? At the end of 2011 I was contacted by Gravity Sports Management and the Charouz team to take part in a World Series by Renault test. The deal was that I had to be quickest for them to take a closer look at me which was tricky as it was a big step up from Formula 3, so it’s great to be here and I think this association with the team can only be good for my career in terms of exposure to the top levels of motorsport. What are your targets for this season in World Series by Renault? I had some bad luck last year where mechanical issues ended my race whilst in the lead which meant P5 in the championship when it could have been more. At the end, it all comes down to results; if you don’t perform then you won’t progress, so I’m hoping for a bit more good fortune this year and am looking forward to taking on a new challenge with the Lotus F1 Junior Team. Marlon Stockinger – Philippines - World Series by Renault How significant is joining the Lotus F1 Junior Team programme to your career? It’s a great feeling to be associated with such a prestigious team. If you look back through the years as Benetton and Renault you can see that this team knows how to win championships, so to be surrounded by that heritage is a big honour for me. I really want to make the most of it and am looking forward to wearing the team colours with pride. It’s a big year for you making the step up to World Series by Renault; what are your thoughts heading into the season? Of course, every driver wants to win, but I understand it’s a big step moving into a new category so learning is the most important thing. Starting with testing, I need to take in as much as I can and from there it’s all about consistency and building a strong platform to progress through the ranks. I’m aiming to make a good start and develop as much as I can as the championship progresses. Alex Fontana – Switzerland - GP3 Series Being part of the Lotus F1 Junior Team must be a big boost to your ambitions? Definitely! I haven’t been part of a management programme before and it’s always tough for a young driver to find the backing and experience to help you progress. Being part of Lotus F1 Junior Team will definitely help to give me those things and it’s great to have people really behind you, pushing you to do the best you can. I’m really looking forward to the season ahead. This will be your first full year in the GP3 Series; what are you looking for from your debut season? I competed in a couple of races last year alongside the FIA Formula 2 championship and managed to take P4 in Spa, so I have had a good introduction to the championship already. This year the cars have changed slightly and will have a bit more power so it’s not going to be an easy transition, but my aim is to prove my ability over the course of the season and hopefully move on to the GP2 Series or World Series by Renault next year. If you want to get into Formula 1 – which is the ultimate target for any young driver in single-seater categories – then these are the ideal stepping stones to the top level. Oscar Tunjo – Colombia - Formula Renault 2.0 What does being a member of Lotus F1 Junior Team mean to you? It’s a big motivation. Just being at Enstone, walking around the factory and learning from all the team members who have such huge knowledge of their respective areas is fantastic. On top of that, I’ve been working with people who have coached so many world class drivers over the years and their experience is something that has made a big difference to me already. It’s a privilege to be part of the team. You’re competing in Formula Renault 2.0 for the third year in 2013; what’s the aim for the season ahead? I had a solid start in 2011 but 2012 was a tough year for me, so now I’m even more determined to come back and push for the championship. I feel like I have all the elements in place to make a strong challenge, so my goal is to be consistently at the front of the pack in every session; taking podiums and hopefully as many wins as possible along the way. My motivation is higher than ever to perform as part of the Lotus F1 Junior Team programme. Esteban Ocon – France - Formula Renault 2.0 How does it feel to be part of the Lotus F1 Junior Team? I’m familiar with Enstone having been with the Gravity Sports Management programme for the last four years, but it’s great to be associated with a team at the top level of motorsport. I’m trying not to think too much about the link to Formula 1 as it’s important to focus on what you are doing now and not look too far into the future, but I think for any young driver that must be the ultimate goal. You’ll be taking on the Formula Renault 2.0 series for the second season in 2013; with your debut done and dusted, what would you be happy with this year? Winning the championship has to be the goal; even if I can’t win every race, I want to be one of the drivers at the front all the way through the season. Last year I learned that consistency is the key, so my aim is to be up there fighting from start to finish. Dorian Boccolacci – France - KF2 Karting You’ve been coming to Enstone since the beginning of 2012; how have you enjoyed it so far? It’s great to be part of the team; being at the factory is a real experience and to be surrounded by people who have worked with the best drivers in the world means I have the best people to learn from. Seeing what another French driver, Romain Grosjean, has achieved with the team has also been a big inspiration to me and so to be part of the setup at Enstone is a big thing for me. You’re competing in the KF2 World Karting Championships this year; what are your aims for the year ahead? The goal is always to win, and if you can’t win every time then to pick up the maximum points possible through the year is the most important thing. I managed to break into the top five in the World Championships last year, so the target is to be right at the front this season. Alexander Albon – Thailand - Formula Renault 2.0 What does the Lotus F1 Junior Team programme mean to you? It’s great to be a part of this programme. Being at the factory in Enstone is an amazing experience and I’m looking forward to learning as much as I can from my time there. Hopefully this will give me an even better chance to progress over the course of the season and put me in good shape for the future. You’ll be tackling Formula Renault 2.0 for the second year in succession in 2013; what’s the plan for the season ahead? Last year was a very tough one for me, so I’m almost thinking of this as my first real season. The first step will be to improve my consistency and take regular points finishes. With that baseline I’ll then be looking to push towards the top five, the podium and eventually race wins, but the priority is to take things step-by-step and develop a good solid platform to progress. Last year didn’t give me much of an opportunity to see where I stand, so I’m really looking forward to being able to show what I can do.

Lotus WSR loses out on Russian Roulette Sixth place for Marco Sørensen on Saturday was the only result that befell the Lotus team in Russia as the World Series by Renault made its debut at Moscow Raceway. Sørensen set the second fastest time in the Saturday’s qualifying, just 52,000 of a second behind pole-sitter Robin Frijns. Lotus team-mate Cesar Ramos started 17th. Race 1 was delayed for a few minutes due a temporary blackout. Sørensen kept his focus all the time and maintained second after the start. He started to push Frijns hard and went offline when attacking, spinning on the marbles. He still managed to finish sixth, the second best rookie result of the day. Ramos had problems with gearshifting and retired on Lap 6. Sunday started again with qualifying in the morning and Marco Sørensen posted the P2 time once more. Cesar Ramos managed a good lap that secured him fifth on the grid. Sadly, it was a premature Race 2 result for the Lotus pair. Sørensen made a great start and pushed polesitter Jules Bianchi. Turn 4, however, ended all hopes as Sørensen collided with Sam Bird and team-mate Ramos. All three drivers had to retire on the spot. Czech team Lotus is still fourth in the team classification while Marco Sørensen holds the same position in the drivers’ championship. Cesar Ramos still waits for the first points of the season. The next round of the World Series by Renault takes place at Silverstone from 24th till 26th of August. Cesar Ramos: “It’s a shame, because we had started the race very well. However, it’s racing, and you never know what can happen. I’m really happy about the pace we had in Moscow. I would like to thank everyone in the team for their job.” Marco Sørensen : “I have to admit that I feel a bit disappointed. We really had the speed to be in front, unfortunately we needed the luck. The whole team has done a good job this weekend and I thank them for their effort.” Bob Vavík: “We have again showed in qualifying that we did not lack speed in Russia. Unfortunately, these things happen. I think that it was a classic racing incident although some may have a different view. Quite a few times we’ve lost a solid batch of points and it could be costly by the end of the season. We have a long break now and we are going to use the time for preparation for the demanding final part of the season.”

SØRENSEN: P2, RAMOS: NC The fourth round of the World Series by Renault brought another podium finish for the Lotus team. Marco Sørensen finished second in Sunday’s race at Nürburgring and won the rookie classification. The Czech team scored points in Race 1 thanks to a sixth place from Sorensen. The Dane started seventh after he qualified just fifty two thousands of a second behind fourth place Nico Müller. The race was drama-free and Sorensen took eight points. Cesar Ramos, who stands in for the injured Richie Stanaway, qualified ninth for the Saturday’s race. He was fighting for a top 10 finish but touched a rival just before the end and finished 12th. Qualifying for the Sunday’s showdown was better for Marco Sørensen who finished second while Cesar Ramos improved to line up fifth. Changeable and unpredictable weather complicated Race 2. There was light shower at the beginning and Marco continued on slicks which turned out to be a good decision as the track dried out. However, shortly after the mandatory stop rain returned and Marco had to pit again. Thanks to a great fight back he crossed the line second and scored more points for himself and the team. Cesar ended up empty handed after he got booted off the track by a rival. Lotus move up to fourth place with 79 points in the overall standings just six points behind third. Also Marco Sørensen is fourth with 71 points. Marco Sørensen: “I flat-spotted my right front tyre while braking for the very first corner of Saturday’s race and felt vibrations during the whole race. However, I still managed to overtake [Walter] Grubmüller and finished sixth. Sunday was a bit like a lottery. One lap after the mandatory pitstop it started to rain and I had to pit again. I managed to fight back and I am really happy with second. We have important points and we are now looking forward to Moscow in two weeks, which is new for everyone.” Cesar Ramos: “I made a good start on Saturday but lost few places during opening lap. I was fighting for 10th place but finished 12th after a light collision with my rival. I qualified fifth for Sunday but again lost few places after the start. In the end, one driver made a mistake and spun and I collided with him. That was end of my race.” Bob Vavík: “From the team point of view it was another good weekend because we learned a lot and scored points. Second place is great because it was another tough weekend. Also Cesar showed good speed during his return to Formula Renault 3.5 and set great fifth time in the Sunday’s qualifying. Only problems prevented him getting points. I must say big thanks to the whole team because once again they did a great job.”

SØRENSEN: P6, STANAWAY: DNF WORLD SERIES BY RENAULT – MONACO Denmark’s Marco Sørensen claimed an impressive sixth place finish for Lotus on the streets of Monte Carlo on Sunday afternoon when he climbed from ninth on the grid to score eight valuable champion points. The 21-year-old gained two places on the first lap before inheriting sixth place on lap 9 when Fortec’s Robin Frijns retired at the Nouvelle Chicane. Lotus was heading for a double points finish until the closing stages of the race when New Zealander Richie Stanaway crashed at the Swimming Pool complex, ploughing head-on into the tecpro barrier after an apparent mechanical failure. He had been running tenth at the time, in the final points-scoring position. The result boosts Sørensen’s points tally to 14, putting him ninth in the championship, while Stanaway slips to 14th place on 8 points. Lotus has scord 22 points so far this season and lies seventh in the teams’ championship.