Lotus will return to Le Mans in 2012 with an all-new LMP2 car.
The car is currently being developed under Lotus’s “technical genius” Paolo Catone, and will be on-track by the end of 2011.
Lotus has revealed few details about this “very special project”, but has confirmed it will be a closed-cockpit car and has been designed to conform to the new ACO rules.
See a drawing of the new Lotus racers, including the LMP2 car
The announcement was made in a detailed Lotus statement outlining its plans to once again become a major player in multiple forms of motorsport around the world.
The other big news is the confirmation of a new GT2 racer based on one of its upcoming Paris motor show road cars, believed to be the Elite.
Lotus will once again race in IndyCar in 2011 with the KV Technology team. A minimum of two cars will be entered at each event. Lotus will also be working on a new IndyCar chassis and bodywork for 2012 when there is a major change in the IndyCar regulations.
Read about Lotus motorsport’s plans next year
As confirmed last week, Lotus will also enter teams into the GP2 and GP3 championships for the next three years in conjunction with ART Grand Prix. The firm will also commence deliveries of its Evora GT4 car next month (20 orders have already been received) and Lotus has also revealed it will adapt the car to meet GT2 and GT3 regulations.
Read more about the Lotus Evora GT4 car
Lotus will also be expanding its Lotus Driving Academy (LDA) programme in 2011, starting with a redevelopment of its current Hethel facility and test track. The 3.6km, 12-metre wide track will boast 12 pit-lane garages and will be able to hold 24 cars at one time. It will conform to current FIA safety regulations and will be able to hold events including GT racing and F1 testing.
LDA will be launched in the UAE, Eastern Europe, the US, Japan, Russia and Malaysia with the aim of developing racing drivers’ talents and allow customers to test drive Lotus products. Lotus Cup one-make race series will also undergo a rebranding with full support from Lotus Motorsport based at Hethel.
The flagship of the Lotus motorsport programme will be the Lotus T125 F1-style race car and Exos Experience, which has already attracted 10 customers who will receive their cars in April following hot-weather testing this winter.
Lotus director of motorsport Claudio Berro said: “Lotus is motorsport and racing is in our DNA. We have a special place in motorsport history and now as we unveil the beginning of our future plans it’s important for people to realise just how committed we are to doing our heritage justice.
Join the debate
Add your comment
Re: Lotus set for Le Mans in 2012
All this money being thrown around and forthcoming model blitz does not buy credibility.
Re: Lotus set for Le Mans in 2012
Need to see a Lotus touring car now.
Re: Lotus set for Le Mans in 2012
Autosport has had a couple of good articles in the last week on the squabbling over the Lotus name, all of which looks like tarnishing the work being done to try and resurrect the brand and the race team. But they clearly can't be taken seriously as a manufacturer when they can't even control their own name.
In the meantime, it looks like Lotus are throwing out ideas all over the place to show how premium they are, but until they actually start making some of these cars it's all just hyperbole and marketing over actual engineering. Maybe they should work on taking one step at a time?