New Lotus INDYCAR Teams Announced

During the season finale for the Indy cars at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Michael Shank Racing announced they'd signed for Lotus, but were not the anchor team.

Today, Lotus PLC announced it has added three teams to the mix for the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series season.

Both Dreyer & Reinbold Racing and HVM Racing will serve as factory partner teams. DRR intends to run two cars with Lotus V-6 engines in their Dallara chassis; HVM has committed to a single car for Simona de Silvestro and, according to Keith Wiggins, are hoping to have the finances together to have a second team.

In addition Bryan Herta Autosport announced it will join these three teams on the Lotus side of the INDYCAR equation.

The Lotus V-6 engine has been on the dynamometer at Engine Developments Ltd since 17 October, making Thursday's announcement of these three teams essentially a one-month anniversary for the mill. Olivier Picquenot, Indy manager for Lotus said, "We're delighted with the progress we've made thus far."

"This is a great opportunity to have a relationship with Lotus," Wiggins confirmed. "I think they'll have the best engine out there next year. Despite the choices, once it was confirmed Lotus would have an engine, it was a clear decision for us to run with them."

While Dennis Reinbold said his team has been talking with Lotus since mid-season 2011, he paid a visit to the factory before going to Japan for the final race at Twin Ring Motegi.  "We signed last week and we look forward to working closely with the other Lotus teams," Reinbold said.

DRR co-owner Buhl said he is "looking forward to the technical relationship.  I'm excited about the completive motor and the marketing relationship with Lotus." DRR intends to run two teams with an addition entry for the Indianapolis 500 in 2012.

Herta, whose Bryan Herta Autosport team secured this year's 100th anniversary Indianapolis 500 victory with the late Dan Wheldon, reminded that Colin Chapman was an outsider who came over with Jimmy Clark and won Indy in the 1960s; he likened his team's victory to Lotus' revolution. "We're excited to be joining Lotus in 2012," Herta said. "From a technical standpoint, this is one of the most interesting times in Indy car racing.

As a factory partner team, DRR will be responsible for a significant amount of on-track testing, off-track research and development activities - and will act as a driving force to create a successful on-track product for all Lotus teams in 2012.

While the Lotus factory car is being fitted for initial track testing, it's not known when that testing will begin.  Reinbold said that his team will get its initial car in mid-December as scheduled, but doubts that track testing will commence until early January as the team preps and understands this new and different race car.

"One year later," remarked INDYCAR CEO Randy Bernhard, "it's great to see the advances Lotus has made. Lotus has always been a winner and this return to the Indy cars is great for Lotus' legacy."

© 2011 Anne Proffit