Lotus name D'Ambrosio as third driver
Image: BBC
Lotus have announced that Jerome D'Ambrosio will become their third driver for the 2012 season, supporting racers Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean. D'Ambrosio spent last year competing for Virgin but was dropped from their race line-up at the end of 2011.
“It’s a great feeling to be joining Lotus F1 Team,” said the 26 year-old Belgian. “It’s an exciting next step in my career. I contested a complete season in F1 as a race driver for a smaller team where I learnt a lot about Formula One. Now, I have the opportunity to work with one of the top teams with great potential for my future development.
“With my recent race experience, I know I can make a valuable contribution. Of course, I would love to be racing, but racing with a top team. Being associated with Lotus F1 Team should be more beneficial and this is the choice I have made. This opportunity is one I couldn’t afford to miss. My desire to get back in a race seat in the future is motivating me to do the best job possible in my new position.”
Lotus team principal Eric Boullier added: “To have a third driver who is highly motivated, fresh and talented and who contested the full 2011 season is highly beneficial for us. In Jerome we have someone we know well who integrates beneficially with the squad.
"He impressed as reserve driver for us in 2010 and at the end of that year he made a strong showing in the young driver test. He also showed strongly in his rookie season as an F1 race driver. I am looking forward to working with Jerome again and think he is a perfect addition to our driving strength.”
D’Ambrosio endured a tough start to his Formula One racing career in 2011, struggling for pace in Virgin's uncompetitive MVR-02, but his two 14th-place finishes put him ahead of experienced team mate Timo Glock in the final standings. He had previously competed in GP2, International Formula Master, the F3000 Euroseries and Formula Renault.
Formula1.com
Image: BBC
Lotus have announced that Jerome D'Ambrosio will become their third driver for the 2012 season, supporting racers Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean. D'Ambrosio spent last year competing for Virgin but was dropped from their race line-up at the end of 2011.
“It’s a great feeling to be joining Lotus F1 Team,” said the 26 year-old Belgian. “It’s an exciting next step in my career. I contested a complete season in F1 as a race driver for a smaller team where I learnt a lot about Formula One. Now, I have the opportunity to work with one of the top teams with great potential for my future development.
“With my recent race experience, I know I can make a valuable contribution. Of course, I would love to be racing, but racing with a top team. Being associated with Lotus F1 Team should be more beneficial and this is the choice I have made. This opportunity is one I couldn’t afford to miss. My desire to get back in a race seat in the future is motivating me to do the best job possible in my new position.”
Lotus team principal Eric Boullier added: “To have a third driver who is highly motivated, fresh and talented and who contested the full 2011 season is highly beneficial for us. In Jerome we have someone we know well who integrates beneficially with the squad.
"He impressed as reserve driver for us in 2010 and at the end of that year he made a strong showing in the young driver test. He also showed strongly in his rookie season as an F1 race driver. I am looking forward to working with Jerome again and think he is a perfect addition to our driving strength.”
D’Ambrosio endured a tough start to his Formula One racing career in 2011, struggling for pace in Virgin's uncompetitive MVR-02, but his two 14th-place finishes put him ahead of experienced team mate Timo Glock in the final standings. He had previously competed in GP2, International Formula Master, the F3000 Euroseries and Formula Renault.
Formula1.com
No idea how he managed to do what he did hehe.
