Lotus has the funding in place to complete the season, the team’s CEO has confirmed, despite its recent financial problems.
The Enstone-based team was served a winding-up order following the British Grand Prix and was visited by bailiffs at Spa-Francorchamps, but was able to settle both disputes. Today the team’s CEO Matthew Carter insisted preparations were already underway for it to attend the next round of the championship.
“I can guarantee you that we’ll be at Singapore,” said Carter during today’s FIA press conference. “One of our sea freight containers has left, our air freight will leave next week. We will be in Singapore.”
Carter said the team is “working as hard as we can behind the scenes” to sort out its financial problems. “We’re still here, we’re still racing and we will continue to do that.”
Lotus remains in discussions with Renault, which is considering taking over the team which it previously owned between 2002 and 2009.
“I’m hopeful that’s going to secure our future one way or the other going forward,” said Carter, “and when I say one way or the other it just means we have more than one option going forward to secure the future of the team.”
“As far as the race of the races this season, we have a budget in place and we will operate to that budget and will be at all the races.”
Andre Furtado
4th September 2015, 23:55
I wonder how many Maldonado is included in this budget? Anyone cares to guess?
Verstappen GP (@verstappengp)
5th September 2015, 9:53
Zero, PDVSA has stopped sponsoring Lotus because it’s not sure if he will drive next season if Renault buys it while he has a contract. That’s what I read on another website.
ajsa4ward
5th September 2015, 12:08
So if this is true there will be no reason for the staff not to get paid on time in future then?