Lotus has finally confirmed that Heikki Kovalainen will compete in the last two races of the season in car number seven.
Eric Boullier said that the team had considered Davide Valsecchi, but made no mention of dealings with Nico Hulkenberg or a somewhat ambitious request to Michael Schumacher.
Boullier said: “Obviously we had to move quickly following the news of Kimi’s non-participation in the final two races of this season, and we found ourselves facing a difficult decision in terms of who should take the wheel in Austin and São Paulo.
“On the one hand we had our reserve driver Davide Valsecchi – who is a talented young driver that has shown a great deal of promise – and on the other we had the opportunity to bring in a seasoned Formula 1 competitor in Heikki.
“Whilst we have every faith in Davide’s abilities, we are obviously involved in a tight Constructors’ Championship battle, so it was decided that the experience Heikki could bring to the team would be invaluable as we aim to finish the year in the best position possible. We must thank Tony Fernandes and Caterham F1 Team for their professional conduct in allowing Heikki to join us for the final races of this season.”
Kovalainen said: “It is a fantastic opportunity for me to join Lotus F1 Team for the final two races of 2013. We’ve seen this year that the E21 is a car which can win races and finish on the podium, so I will be pushing hard for the best results possible.
“Jumping into a car so late in the year when you have not been competing in the races all season will be a challenge, but I know the team at Enstone well so I have no concerns about getting up to speed. This is a great opportunity for me, so I would like to thank Tony Fernandes and Caterham F1 Team for allowing me to take advantage of it.”
Meanwhile Kovalainen remains in the frame for a 2014 Caterham seat. Team boss Cyril Abiteboul said: “We were asked by Lotus F1 Team if we could release Heikki from his contract with us for the final two races of 2013 and we are pleased that we can help to give him the chance to race again in 2013. He is a valued member of the Caterham family and we’re sure that he’ll do a good job in the USA and Brazil.”
Adam Cooper F1 
This should make Heikki the first person to drive for two Lotus-named F1 teams, if I’m not mistaken (but feel free to correct me if I’m wrong, as I’m sure to have forgotten someone from the old days) 🙂
Forgive me if I can’t get excited for Heiki or Lotus. Heiki has never delivered on his often hyped promise of performance, has he?
Maybe in a Lotus we’ll see some of that promise fullfilled? But do we expect anyone to jump into a new car and drive the wheels off with little practice time to learn the cars sweet spot of handling?