user icon
user icon
icon
link-icon
<< Return to the news list
Valsecchi rather be reserve at Lotus than racing for slow team

Valsecchi rather be reserve at Lotus than racing for slow team

  • Published on 08 Mar 2013 14:45
  • comments 0
  • By: Rob Veenstra
Davide Valsecchi, the reigning GP2 champion, insists he would rather be Lotus' reserve driver than a racer for one of F1's slowest teams. A look at the standings of last year's GP2 championship shows that drivers Italian Valsecchi beat to the title - Esteban Gutierrez, Max Chilton and Giedo van der Garde - have successfully made the step up to the F1 grid for 2013.

But 26-year-old Valsecchi, struggling with fewer sponsors, has to be content with the reserve role at Lotus, having admitted recently that he received offers to race, but only if he could meet those teams' sponsorship needs. Asked how he is enjoying his new job, he told Russian website f1news.ru: "Fantastic. Last year I won the GP2 title, now I'm making the first steps in F1. I will try to learn as much as possible from Kimi Raikkonen, and eventually become a driver the team will hopefully choose (to race) for next season."

Asked if he is disappointed that those he beat last year - Luiz Razia, Gutierrez, Chilton and van der Garde - were all offered race seats before him, Valsecchi smiled: "Good question! No. I didn't have the opportunity to race; this is the only opportunity I had, and for this I say thank you to Lotus. Some of my colleagues of GP2 are now with Marussia and Caterham. First, to get there you need a huge budget, which is impossible to find in Italy. Secondly, Lotus is one of the best teams. A top team. If the question is whether it is better to be chasing with one of the last teams or to be a backup driver with Lotus, maybe opening up something really worthwhile for the future, I would have chosen the second option in any case," he insisted. (GMM)

Order the latest Lotus merchandise here!
F1 News Esteban Gutierrez Lotus F1 Marussia
<< Previous article Next article >>

Replies (0)

Login to reply

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

Related news

World Championship standings 2021

Pos
Team
Points
1
Mercedes
356.5
2
Red Bull Racing
339.5
3
McLaren
214
4
Ferrari
201.5
5
Alpine F1
95
6
Alpha Tauri
83
7
Aston Martin
59
8
Williams
22
9
Alfa Romeo Racing
3
Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing

See full test schedule

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Driver profile

MX Esteban Gutierrez
  • Team -
  • Points -
  • Podiums -
  • Grand Prix -
  • Country Mexico
  • Date of b. Aug 5 1991 (30)
  • Place of b. Monterrey, Mexico
  • Weight 63 kg
  • Length 1.8 m
Show full profile

Team profile

Lotus F1
Lotus F1
Show full profile

Formula 1 Calendar - 2021

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
26 - Mar 28
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
16 - Apr 18
Italy
Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
30 - May 2
Portugal
Autódromo Internacional do Algarve
7 - May 9
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
20 - May 23
Monaco
Monte Carlo
4 - Jun 6
Azerbaijan
Baku City Circuit
18 - Jun 20
France
Paul Ricard
25 - Jun 27
Austria
Red Bull Ring
2 - Jul 4
Austria
Red Bull Ring
16 - Jul 18
United Kingdom
Silverstone
30 - Aug 1
Hungary
Hungaroring
27 - Aug 29
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
3 - Sep 5
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
10 - Sep 12
Italy
Monza
24 - Sep 26
Russian
Sochi Autodrom
1 - Oct 3
Singapore
Marina Bay Street Circuit
8 - Oct 10
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
22 - Oct 24
United States of America
Circuit of the Americas
29 - Oct 31
Mexico
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
5 - Nov 7
Brazil
Interlagos
19 - Nov 21
Australia
Albert Park
3 - Dec 5
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
10 - Dec 12
United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2021

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
-
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
26 - Mar 28
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
16 - Apr 18
Italy Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
30 - May 2
Portugal Autódromo Internacional do Algarve
7 - May 9
Spain Circuit de Catalunya
20 - May 23
Monaco Monte Carlo
4 - Jun 6
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
18 - Jun 20
France Paul Ricard
25 - Jun 27
Austria Red Bull Ring
2 - Jul 4
Austria Red Bull Ring
16 - Jul 18
United Kingdom Silverstone
30 - Aug 1
Hungary Hungaroring
27 - Aug 29
Belgium Spa-Francorchamps
3 - Sep 5
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
10 - Sep 12
Italy Monza
24 - Sep 26
Russian Sochi Autodrom
1 - Oct 3
Singapore Marina Bay Street Circuit
8 - Oct 10
Japan Circuit Suzuka
22 - Oct 24
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
29 - Oct 31
Mexico Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
5 - Nov 7
Brazil Interlagos
19 - Nov 21
Australia Albert Park
3 - Dec 5
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
10 - Dec 12
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule
show sidebar