Lotterer

[Beryl]

I wonder if the CT05-Renault is as quick as the SF14-Toyota. I guess we'll find out at Suzuka.

It would be good to see Lotterer in F1 for a short bit. Not that he would set the world alight, but he could prove that a well traveled driver can still be competent in F1. That being said, Duval might be a better choice as he has done a bit better (in a lesser team) recently in SF. I wonder if Loic would have been rumoured to make this move had he not had his LM accident. Though thinking about the Albers-Lotterer connection from the Kolles Audi days, perhaps not.

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

The only thing that would strike me as intriguing is why Lotterer would want to do it. It's hardly an inspiring career move.......

Those are my thoughts as well.

[Teretonga]

Originally Posted by p-matt

Well put. I'd go as far to say that I would fear a Badoer-esque performance.

But as already said, the man has no reason to do this. And Kolles/Albers getting their mates in is no solution to the problems they have.

Totally agree with that Matt.
Kolle's seems to be simply putting old friends into seats at Caterham because he doesn't really know or have much pull with anyone else inside the paddock. Some of the choices he's made don't really stack up very well in terms of good form, and most look like they are tottering on the edge of 'tip over'.

This is one of them.

[chernaudi]

I rate this as very unlikely. Lotterer already has testing commitments with Audi later this week in Italy, and after that's done, he'll be flying to Japan to run a Super Formula/Formula Nippon race at Motegi. This is by Andre's own admission on his Instagram page.

Either Andre hasn't heard the rumors, or he's not taking them seriously if he has heard them. Or maybe that's his response to the rumors.

Personally, if I were Lotterer (and my bias will show more than a bit here), I'd stay with Audi in the WEC and TOMS in SF, know that I'll be in a car capable of winning in both series and know that I'll be getting paid for my work than got to a team that, like with most other Kolles projects, seems to be teetering on the edge of disaster.

Only reason I can see Catherham doing this anyways is because Andre was raised near Spa and is popular with fans in that area of the world.

Not a good excuse to just plop him in a back-marker F1 car for a single race, though, and I doubt that he'll be bringing a lot of money with him, since I know that at Audi for sure he doesn't have much if anything in the way of personal sponsorship/endorsement deals with him to supplement his salary there.

[Stefvh]

Looks to be a real thing.

Seat fitted, Toms ok to see him miss the SuperFormula this week-end.

[chunder]

Anyone who thinks Lotterer is a better choice than Kamui needs their head looking at honestly

Kamui was dropped for money despite often better performances than Perez at Sauber.

Lotterer has been out of F1 for a very long time, and although a quick driver in sports cars, that has little relevance in F1 does it.

And he is in his mid 30's! For Gods sake, Caterham go from bad to worse.

[Bandicoot17]

Well he is very quick in super formula too so he's not short of single seater experience

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

I don't think there's any doubting how good Lotterer is. However, it's not going to happen, and if it does, Tony Fernandes will likely cry.

[bella]

what makes you so sure that it's not going to happen?

[chernaudi]

Only thing I can see right now is that Andre might be a potential "Friday Driver" for FP1, depending on how soon the Audi test finishes up and if he'll run the SF race this weekend or he can get to Belgium early enough on Friday.

That could be the "publicity coup" there having though about it on that angle.

[Hawkwood]

According to Tobias Gruner at Auto Motor und Sport this will be officially confirmed this afternoon.

[bella]

from some of the other drivers passing through the doors it's almost like kolles is paying back a load of favours he owes drivers who he's shafted in the past with some of his pseudo-projects.

[chernaudi]

Well, no news from Lotterer himself yet, just a Tweet/Instagram post about his dog getting hit by a car. Fortunately, Andre's dog wasn't seriously injured.

[davyboy]

It's about money pure and simple... he's come along with a bag of cash.

[bella]

there ya go, caldarelli's covering for lotterer in the super formula round: http://www.italiaracing.net/notizia.asp?id=47847&cat=6

[TheNo1F1Fan]

Originally Posted by chunder

Kamui was dropped for money despite often better performances than Perez at Sauber.

Whoa, is that true?

[Hawkwood]

Confirmed by Fox at least.
http://www.foxsports.com/motor/story...tw:fscom:speed

Apparently will now be 'unveiled' tomorrow morning after some documentation was delayed.

Also apparently, James Rossiter was/still is in the frame at Caterham.

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by Hawkwood

Also apparently, James Rossiter was/still is in the frame at Caterham.

Roll up, roll up... Colin Kolles is back in town... F1 seats available to the highest bidders.

[bella]

rossiter was "in the frame" for a lmp1 seat with kolles this season with his lotus project, so that one makes sense as a consolation prize.

surprised nobody's mentioned the other lad who was lurking there in the past day or so. maybe the source feeding the press didn't recognise him

[darcym]

Lotterer and Courtney where fantastic in F3 and as young Jaguar test drivers.

Watching Lotterer excel in Japan after the Jaguar dropping and not get a shot at F1 was always a what would have happened type query for me, same with Jame after that big Monza smash in testing.

This is going to be a bum drive for Lotterer no matter his skill as you can't polish a turd and that car is a turd, having said that I'm pleased to see him get a drive even if it's for one race in a dog of a car.

in hisi 30's is there an possibility to open doors for him in F1 going forward, I have no idea but I'd like to find out.

[chunder]

To be honest, when you ahve teams in MotpGP and F1 taking kids who are very young, that has to be the trend.

Marquez, Verstappen, Kvyat, they have all got top drives and rides on merit.

Giving a bloke who is out to pasture in sports car racing is a retorgrade step.

I hope he does well, but you get the feeling there is more to this than meets the eye.

[Gingers4Justice]

Originally Posted by chunder

Lotterer has been out of F1 for a very long time, and although a quick driver in sports cars, that has little relevance in F1 does it.

Really?

I would say the needs of a 2014 LMP1 car is closer to that of a 2014 F1 car than a 2013 F1 car, or a GP2 car.

Aside from the transferable skills in car development, feedback and driving a high downforce car, you have the added element of hybrids, fuel-flow meters, and certainly in Toyota's case - and possibly Audi's too - brake-by-wire.

"Little relevance"? I would argue the opposite.

[airbusA346]

Still seems mad to me that he would throw away the chance of winning the Super Formula championship.

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by airbusA346

Still seems mad to me that he would throw away the chance of winning the Super Formula championship.

'Ex F1 driver' carries more weight in Japan than SF champion. He'll have opportunity to go for the title again.

[Hawkwood]

Originally Posted by airbusA346

Still seems mad to me that he would throw away the chance of winning the Super Formula championship.

Why? He did exactly the same thing last year (as did Loic Duval).
Super Formula is, for those guys, just something to do when not driving sportscars.