Lotus' 35 per cent team investor Quantum wants Nico Hulkenberg at the wheel in 2014, according to Germany's Auto Motor und Sport. However, the Enstone based team is running out of time as it waits for the deal to be completed, and has set a mid-November deadline, the German trade magazine said.
If the deadline passes, Lotus will surely resort to signing Pastor Maldonado, whose PDVSA backing is estimated at up to a staggering EUR 41 million per year.
An insider is quoted as saying: "When will Pastor realise that everyone is only after his money, not him?"
Until Lotus gets its hands either on Venezuela's or Quantum's money, team owner Gerard Lopez is reportedly dipping into his own pocket.
"The budget will not be touched (reduced)," he is quoted as saying. "We want to finish second in the championship."
Lotus is currently fourth, but the difference between finishing behind Ferrari and Mercedes or ahead of them is reportedly EUR 15 million in Concorde Agreement cash.
That might help pay for German Hulkenberg.
Team boss Eric Boullier was asked if the sport has taken a worryingly bad turn if competitive teams cannot afford to sign someone as talented as the German.
"I don't want to comment," he said.
Team owner Lopez, however, said: "With Grosjean and Hulkenberg, we would have the best driver pairing for the future."
Quadruple world champion Alain Prost has joined those who think it is ridiculous that F1's financial situation could lock the promising Hulkenberg out of the grid.
"You would like to see him have five offers on the table and he can choose the best one for him," said the Frenchman in Abu Dhabi.
"30 years ago," Prost told the German newspaper Welt, "a guy like Hulkenberg would have been snapped up by a top team."
Lotus investor Quantum wants Nico Hulkenberg
- Published on 02 Nov 2013 17:55
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- By: Danny Sosef
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Driver profile
- Team Renault
- Points 27
- Podiums 0
- Grand Prix 19
- Country VE
- Date of b. Mar 9 1985 (41)
- Place of b. Maracay, Aragua, VE
- Weight 68 kg
- Length 1.73 m
- 27,547 comments on Renault
9 members have this team as their favourite
Tweets about Pastor Maldonado
Team profile
- Team name Lotus F1
- Base Enstone, United Kingdom
- Daniel Ricciardo 3
- Kimi Räikkönen 7
- Romain Grosjean 8
- Kimi Räikkönen 9
- Romain Grosjean 10
- Pastor Maldonado 13
- Pastor Maldonado 13
- Kevin Magnussen 20
- Nico Hülkenberg 27
- Jolyon Palmer 30
- Esteban Ocon 31
- Carlos Sainz jr 55
- 65,124 comments on Lotus F1
- 17 members have this team as their favourite
- Tweets about Lotus F1
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