Lotus has announced that Eric Boullier has left the team after four years as team principal.
He will be replaced with immediate effect by co-chairman and team co-owner Gerard Lopez. Rumours following the news are linking Boullier with a move to McLaren, to replace Martin Whitmarsh.
Lopez will combine his co-chairman responsibilities (which he will now share with Andy Ruhan) with the role of team principal at the Enstone-based outfit.
The move is "in order to continue strengthening its management structure, to further increase Genii’s role in the team and to close the gap between its strategic, commercial and sporting activities."
The team will announce new commercial sponsors and confirm the organisational structure of the team ahead of the launch of their E22 prior to the second winter test in Bahrain.
"Lotus F1 Team has never stood still and we head into what promises to be an exciting 2014 season with an innovative new car, new partners and a new management structure at Enstone," said Lopez.
He also confirmed YotaPhone, a Russian mobile broadband service provider and smartphone manufacturer, as a new team sponsor: "Great things have been achieved over the past years and we need to continue this momentum. With this in mind, we are proud to announce that we have concluded an agreement with YotaPhone and its shareholders.
"YotaPhone shareholders will become important partners to Genii and YotaPhone a sponsor to the Lotus F1 team this year."
There was a brief mention of Eric Boullier, who took up the role of team principal at Lotus in 2010 and turned them into a front running outfit, in the statement: "We thank Eric for all his hard work over the past four years and we are confident we can continue to fight as one of the top teams in Formula 1 over the seasons ahead."
Following the confirmation of his exit, he was immediately linked to joining McLaren. Rumours of the Frenchman leaving Lotus started at the end of last year, which he denied at the time.
The team's financial struggles over the past year have been well documented and a large number of their work force have left. Lets hope Lopez can stop this ship from sinking.
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© Octane Photographic
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Lopez will combine his co-chairman responsibilities (which he will now share with Andy Ruhan) with the role of team principal at the Enstone-based outfit.
The move is "in order to continue strengthening its management structure, to further increase Genii’s role in the team and to close the gap between its strategic, commercial and sporting activities."
The team will announce new commercial sponsors and confirm the organisational structure of the team ahead of the launch of their E22 prior to the second winter test in Bahrain.
"Lotus F1 Team has never stood still and we head into what promises to be an exciting 2014 season with an innovative new car, new partners and a new management structure at Enstone," said Lopez.
He also confirmed YotaPhone, a Russian mobile broadband service provider and smartphone manufacturer, as a new team sponsor: "Great things have been achieved over the past years and we need to continue this momentum. With this in mind, we are proud to announce that we have concluded an agreement with YotaPhone and its shareholders.
"YotaPhone shareholders will become important partners to Genii and YotaPhone a sponsor to the Lotus F1 team this year."
There was a brief mention of Eric Boullier, who took up the role of team principal at Lotus in 2010 and turned them into a front running outfit, in the statement: "We thank Eric for all his hard work over the past four years and we are confident we can continue to fight as one of the top teams in Formula 1 over the seasons ahead."
Following the confirmation of his exit, he was immediately linked to joining McLaren. Rumours of the Frenchman leaving Lotus started at the end of last year, which he denied at the time.
The team's financial struggles over the past year have been well documented and a large number of their work force have left. Lets hope Lopez can stop this ship from sinking.
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