Palmer secures Lotus race seat for 2016
Jolyon Palmer will partner Pastor Maldonado at the Lotus Formula 1 team next season, the Enstone-based team announced on Friday.
The Briton, the GP2 champion in 2014, joined the team as its reserve driver for this year, running in Friday practice in several grands prix.
Palmer will take the seat left vacant by Romain Grosjean, who will race with the Haas F1 team next season.
The 24-year-old Briton, the son of former F1 driver Jonathan, made his debut at the wheel of F1 machinery last year, when he tested for the Force India team.
He secured the GP2 crown in 2014 with DAMS, beating this year's champion and McLaren protege Stoffel Vandoorne to the title.
"It feels pretty unbelievable! It's been such a long journey and I'm so glad to have been confirmed as a race driver with the team next year," Palmer said.
"A lot of hard work has gone into preparing for this to happen and into proving what I'm capable of delivering.
"I'm very grateful to everyone who has so far helped me at the team; I'm now looking forward to 2016 and to build on the experience that I already have."
Team boss Gerard Lopez added: "We are very pleased to announce that exciting British racing talent Jolyon Palmer is promoted to a race seat with the team for next season.
"We've seen Jolyon's hard work and talent this season in the way he's approached his third driver role and he is a really popular choice for the team.
"As well as having a great future ahead of him behind the wheel, Jolyon is an intelligent and highly marketable asset to the team. He deserves this opportunity, and everyone at Enstone is excited to see what he can achieve next year."
Share Or Save This Story
Alpine becomes Pramac's main partner in MotoGP
Liberty Media's $4bn MotoGP deal facing EU probe
Ocon wants answers to understand pace slump against Alpine team-mate
F1 pundit warns against early Kimi Antonelli verdict after British GP
Jolyon Palmer: Charles Leclerc could be "absolute menace" to Mercedes in Lewis Hamilton's title bid
Williams is emerging as one of the “biggest disappointments”, according to Jolyon Palmer
The Lotus 72 was "an extension of my body," Emerson Fittipaldi reveals
Romain Grosjean turns 40 – here’s his career in 10 key moments
Ayrton Senna's 1986 Lotus F1 car hits auction for eight-figure estimate
F1 Bahrain GP in Malaysia: Saturday schedule, weather forecast and how to watch
Turner Motorsport chases unprecedented North American sports car title trifecta
WRC Sardinia: Thierry Neuville snatches lead from Adrien Fourmaux as Hyundai remains on top
Winward faces Petit Le Mans challenge in bid for IMSA GTD three-peat
What we learned from Friday practice at the 2026 Bahrain GP in Malaysia
The hidden F1 performance differentiator nobody is talking about in 2026
As Mercedes looks to deal F1 2026 knockout blow, will its driver fight reignite?
Top 10 F1 results changed by backmarkers – the passes
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments