Lotus is keeping a seat open for Nico Hulkenberg, in the hope the German can wait a little longer for the 'Quantum' investment deal to be completed. In Austin at the weekend, Pastor Maldonado's feisty mood with Williams tied in with paddock rumours the Venezuelan has now agreed to move to Lotus for 2014.
The Enstone based team has been open about its talks with Maldonado, but also clear is that his candidature - involving about EUR 40 million a year in PDVSA sponsorship - would be a fallback option in the event the Quantum deal collapses. Many in the paddock believe the money will indeed never arrive at Lotus. "He (Mansoor Ijaz) told me the same as he told everybody else," said Hulkenberg.
The German has always been Lotus' first choice to replace the Ferrari-bound Kimi Raikkonen, but as he is not substantially sponsored, he will only secure the seat if the Quantum millions do arrive. Hulkenberg admitted to Germany's Auto Motor und Sport that, like many in the paddock, he is now "sceptical".
That is why there are still reports doing the rounds that Hulkenberg's manager Werner Heinz is working hard on a couple of fallback options; Force India and Sauber. Lotus boss Eric Boullier, however, admits he would rather sign Hulkenberg than Maldonado. "I think he would like to come to us," said the Frenchman. "And we would also like him. Grosjean and Hulkenberg would be one of the best driver lineups in formula one, and also very attractive for the financial side."
But Boullier said he would understand if Hulkenberg gives up the long wait. "Yes," he acknowledged. "He has had a bad experience at Williams and doesn't want to be in the same situation again. So you couldn't blame him if he signs somewhere else. It would just mean the timing was not right for him or for us," said Boullier. (GMM)
Lotus keeps seat open for patient Nico Hulkenberg
- Published on 18 Nov 2013 14:57
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- By: Rob Veenstra
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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 Sauber
- Base - Switzerland
- Gabriel Bortoleto
- Kimi Räikkönen 7
- Felipe Massa 8
- Marcus Ericsson 9
- Nico Hülkenberg 11
- Felipe Nasr 12
- Esteban Gutierrez 12
- Felipe Massa 12
- Felipe Massa 12
- Kamui Kobayashi 14
- Sergio Perez 15
- Charles Leclerc 16
- Kamui Kobayashi 16
- Sergio Perez 17
- Kimi Räikkönen 17
- Esteban Gutierrez 21
- Kamui Kobayashi 23
- Guanyu Zhou 24
- Nico Hülkenberg 27
- Antonio Giovinazzi 36
- Valtteri Bottas 77
- Pascal Wehrlein 94
- Adrian Sutil 99
- 115,816 comments on Sauber
- 5 members have this team as their favourite
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