OCTOBER 29, 2010

Senna linked to Lotus Renault deal

The Brazilian Globo Esporte newspaper is linking Bruno Senna with a potential Lotus-Renault deal for 2011.

Sources say that Senna, 27 this month, could join Heikki Kovalainen in the team with an announcement as early as Interlagos next week if Lotus Racing is able to solve its naming rights dispute with Group Lotus and confirm its long-rumoured Renault engine supply deal.

Jarno Trulli signed a multi-year deal with Lotus Racing but has options and impressed in a NASCAR test, organised though Toyota at the end of last season. The 36-year-old Italian is believed to have headed Stateside again after last weekend's Korean GP.

Senna has had a tough debut season with the Dallara-built HRT and has been exploring his options for some time. A deal with the Tony Fernandes/Mike Gascoyne team could renew a Senna/Lotus/Renault deal that gave uncle Ayrton his first Grand Prix win at Estoril in 1985. The great three times champion drove with Lotus from 1985-7, two years with a Renault turbo and one season with a Honda. He became renowned for his spectacular high boost qualifying laps in 1985-6, taking 15 pole positions.

Interestingly, the Senna helmet was reacquainted with the black-and-gold JPS Lotus livery when Bruno drove demonstration laps in a 97T on Sunday morning at the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka.