Photo : CHRISTOPHE JOUNIAUX / VSA

 

André Lotterer has already rolled in F1 with Jaguar in tests in the early 2000s, but his record in Super Formula, Japanese single-seaters, allowed him to obtain the FIA Super Licence, a valuable document in order to break into F1.

The rumour had been spreading for several days and gained even more traction when the announcement was made that Lotterer was to be replaced by Andrea Caldarelli in the Tom's Toyota in Super Formula this weekend at Motegi, Japan. This time, the rumour was confirmed and the German driver raised in Belgium will race at home in Kamui Kobayashi's place in the Caterham. Certainly a surprise, but the involvement of Colin Kolles - who debuted Lotterer at the 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans - with Caterham Racing could explain the arrival of the 2012 FIA World Endurance Champion in F1.

Though his experience in F1 is minimal, Lotterer is quite familiar with single-seater championships thanks to his participation in the Super Formula Japanese championship. He barely missed the title in 2013 following his absence at an event due to a race in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) with his main employer, Audi.

The German won the title in Formula Nippon (previously Super Formula) in 2011, five years after his first victory in Super GT 500 with Lexus. He repeated the exploit in 2009, becoming the third non-Japanese driver, after the French driver Erik Comas and the German Michael Krumm, to win the title twice.

To debut in F1 at 32 years of age is uncommon, but Lotterer's career reflects his talent and uniqueness. He will once again take the wheel of the Audi R18 e-tron quattro with his teammates Marcel Fässler and Benoît Tréluyer on September 20th at the fourth round of the WEC at Austin, Texas.

Cécile Bonardel / ACO - Translation by Nikki Ehrhardt / ACO

PHOTO: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, 24 HOURS OF LE MANS, TUESDAY JUNE 10 2014, PRESS CONFERENCE. André Lotterer, three-time winner at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, will debut in F1 this weekend at Spa-Francorchamps.