MARCH 22, 2011

Chandhok secures Lotus reserve seat

Karun Chandhok has been confirmed as Team Lotus reserve driver for 2011. The 27-year-old Indian joins Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen at Lotus and will make his first appearance in the car in Friday practice in Melbourne.

Karun Chandhok has been confirmed as Team Lotus reserve driver for 2011.

After making his debut in F1 last year and driving the first half of the season with HRT, the 27-year-old Indian joins Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen at Lotus and will make his first appearance in the car in Friday practice in Melbourne.

"I've been talking to the team for quite a while about a role with them and I'm delighted we're now able to confirm that I will be driving in 2011," Chandhok said.

HRT's technical consultant Geoff Willis was complimentary about Chandhok's approach and commitment at the beginning of last season and, from Lotus's point of view, it may not be too far-fetched to imagine a scenario whereby Chandhok is drafted into a race seat for the inaugural Indian GP, where he would hope to beat new HRT signing Narain Kathikeyan to the title of world's fastest Indian.