Lotus will run with the Mercedes V6 in 2015

It had been an open secret for many months. Mercedes has finally confirmed that Lotus F1 Team would join its client teams next year to replace Renault Sport F1 which is experiencing difficult development of its Power Units. The factory of Brixworth will thus continue to supply four teams in the Championship, its official team and three client teams (with Force India and Williams) since McLaren will be powered by Honda during the next season.

“It was strategically important for Mercedes to continue to power three other teams with this new generation of Power Units, and it became clear that we needed another customer team in 2015”, commented Toto wolff, the president of Mercedes Motorsport. “Lotus F1 Team is an impressive organization that has delivered top performances in recent seasons. We are delighted to welcome them and we look forward to a productive and successful partnership for several years. »

Lotus F1 Team can truly hope to emerge from the tunnel after a missed season where the E22s are playing at the back of the pack. The future younger sister, baptized “E23 Hybrid” in the press release, will have the 6l turbo/hybrid V1.6 currently the most efficient in the field. “We are delighted to have been chosen by Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains for a long-term contract,” added Lotus F1 Team CEO Matthex Carter. “We intend to return to the front by fighting for victory in the Grands Prix and once again becoming strong contenders for the Championship. This agreement is a step towards this goal. The Mercedes-Benz Power Unit showed great performance on the track and our goal will be to assemble it with the expertise ofenstone on the frames. Our desire is that the E23 Hybrid marks a new era of success for Enstone. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Renault, who has worked closely with this team and with whom we have celebrated many successes. »