25 August 2011

Bruno Senna to drive for Lotus Renault Grand Prix

Bruno Senna: “It feels like Christmas and my toughest exam have both arrived on th esame day!”

Lotus Renault GP can confirm that Bruno Senna has been nominated to race alongside Vitaly Petrov at this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix and at the Italian Grand Prix two weeks later. The team’s present intention is to give Bruno the opportunity to race for the rest of the season. However, some legal issues have not been fully resolved as yet and, as a result, the team will make another announcement on this matter in due course.

Bruno Senna started his career in British F3 in 2005 before moving to the GP2 Series in 2007, where he immediately showed his raw speed. By 2008 he was fighting for the GP2 Series title, narrowly missing out on winning the championship in the final race, finishing as series runner-up. A move to sports cars in 2009 and a shot at the Le Mans 24 hours proved a stepping stone to Formula 1 for the 2010 season when he made his debut for HRT (Hispania Racing Team).

The 27-year-old Brazilian arrived at Lotus Renault GP in February as third driver. He has attended all the races, which allowed him to gain experience and fully-integrate himself. During this time, he has taken part in pre-season testing in Jerez, aero-testing in Duxford in May, and most recently he took the wheel of the R31 during the first practice session of the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Nick Heidfeld remains contracted to the team.

Eric Boullier, Lotus Renault GP Team Principal & MD: “We are happy to provide Bruno with the chance to begin racing with Lotus Renault GP, starting at Spa-Francorchamps this weekend. He has proved himself to be an attentive member of the team since he joined almost seven months ago, and we are confident that he will demonstrate his ability alongside Vitaly.”

Bruno Senna, Lotus Renault GP race driver: “I am delighted that Lotus Renault GP has offered me the opportunity to become their race driver. I’m very motivated to get behind the wheel of the R31. I’ve gained a lot of experience thanks to the time spent with the team this season, and the opportunities I’ve had of driving in Jerez, Duxford and recently in Budapest have whet my appetite to become a successful driver for Lotus Renault GP. I am both excited and nervous - it feels like Christmas and my toughest exam have both arrived on the same day ! I am really thrilled and motivated to be getting in the car to race in F1 again, especially with such a big team. Getting back to racing is something I’ve been craving for a while, and it’s not often you get an opportunity like this with a team of this stature. I feel I am fully prepared to rise to the challenge, and I would like to thank the team for believing in me. I will not disappoint.”

About Bruno Senna:

Full name: Bruno Senna
Born: 15 October 1983
Nationality: Brazilian

Fresh from his first full season of Formula 1, Bruno Senna arrived at Enstone in February as one of the team’s third drivers for 2011.
In August, he was announced to race alongside Vitaly Petrov at Spa-Francorchamps for the Belgian Grand Prix.
Although a latecomer to motorsport, Bruno’s rise through the ranks has been remarkable.
He started his career in British F3 in 2005 before moving to the GP2 Series in 2007 where he immediately showed his raw speed and talent.
By 2008 he was fighting for the GP2 Series title, narrowly missing out on winning the championship in the final race, finishing as series runner-up.
A move to sports cars in 2009 and a shot at the Le Mans 24 hours proved a stepping stone to Formula 1 as Bruno made his debut at the start of 2010 with Hispania Racing.