Lotus F1 Team is proud to announce its roster of
drivers for the newly launched Lotus F1 Junior
Team. The seven drivers announced today will be
supported by the team in all areas of driving
skills, physical fitness, health and nutrition,
social and mental development, business ethics
and principals, as well as PR training.
The seven drivers will contest within a variety
of motorsport championships from the World
Series by Renault Formula Renault 3.5 Series
through the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 to KF
category karting.
Eric Boullier, Team Principal, Lotus F1 Team;
“Lotus F1 Junior Team takes our previous i-Race
Professional young driver academy and builds on
it to be more closely aligned with the Formula 1
team and all the benefits brought by this
association. We have announced seven highly
talented drivers, many of whom will be competing
against their fellow team-mates from the
programme. We’re offering an in-depth and highly
beneficial training regime which should
encourage these drivers to develop and perform
at their very best. Motorsport can be very
daunting for young drivers, particularly
everything that occurs away from the track, so
we hope to give our drivers the very best
preparation possible for their future careers.”
The 2013 Lotus F1 Junior Team
Marco Sørensen, 22, Denmark, FR 3.5 with Lotus
World Series Team
Marlon Stockinger, 21, Philippines, FR 3.5 with
Lotus World Series Team
Alex Fontana, 20, Switzerland, GP3 with Jenzer
Motorsport
Oscar Tunjo,17, Colombia, Eurocup FR 2.0 with
Kaufmann Racing
Esteban Ocon, 16, France, Eurocup FR 2.0 with
ART Junior Team
Alexander Albon, 16, Thailand, Eurocup FR 2.0
team TBA
Dorian Boccolacci, 14, France, Go Kart
International KF category with Energy Corse
Q&As with the 2013 Lotus F1 Junior Team
Drivers
Marco Sørensen – Denmark - World Series by
Renault
How did you come to be involved with the
Lotus F1 Team Junior programme?
At the end of 2011 I was contacted by Gravity
Sports Management and the Charouz team to take
part in a World Series by Renault test. The deal
was that I had to be quickest for them to take a
closer look at me which was tricky as it was a
big step up from Formula 3, so it’s great to be
here and I think this association with the team
can only be good for my career in terms of
exposure to the top levels of motorsport.
What are your targets for this season in
World Series by Renault?
I had some bad luck last year where mechanical
issues ended my race whilst in the lead which
meant P5 in the championship when it could have
been more. At the end, it all comes down to
results; if you don’t perform then you won’t
progress, so I’m hoping for a bit more good
fortune this year and am looking forward to
taking on a new challenge with the Lotus F1
Junior Team.
Marlon Stockinger – Philippines - World
Series by Renault
How significant is joining the Lotus F1
Junior Team programme to your career?
It’s a great feeling to be associated with such
a prestigious team. If you look back through the
years as Benetton and Renault you can see that
this team knows how to win championships, so to
be surrounded by that heritage is a big honour
for me. I really want to make the most of it and
am looking forward to wearing the team colours
with pride.
It’s a big year for you making the step up to
World Series by Renault; what are your thoughts
heading into the season?
Of course, every driver wants to win, but I
understand it’s a big step moving into a new
category so learning is the most important thing.
Starting with testing, I need to take in as much
as I can and from there it’s all about
consistency and building a strong platform to
progress through the ranks. I’m aiming to make a
good start and develop as much as I can as the
championship progresses.
Alex Fontana – Switzerland - GP3 Series
Being part of the Lotus F1 Junior Team must
be a big boost to your ambitions?
Definitely! I haven’t been part of a management
programme before and it’s always tough for a
young driver to find the backing and experience
to help you progress. Being part of Lotus F1
Junior Team will definitely help to give me
those things and it’s great to have people
really behind you, pushing you to do the best
you can. I’m really looking forward to the
season ahead.
This will be your first full year in the GP3
Series; what are you looking for from your debut
season?
I competed in a couple of races last year
alongside the FIA Formula 2 championship and
managed to take P4 in Spa, so I have had a good
introduction to the championship already. This
year the cars have changed slightly and will
have a bit more power so it’s not going to be an
easy transition, but my aim is to prove my
ability over the course of the season and
hopefully move on to the GP2 Series or World
Series by Renault next year. If you want to get
into Formula 1 – which is the ultimate target
for any young driver in single-seater categories
– then these are the ideal stepping stones to
the top level.
Oscar Tunjo – Colombia - Formula Renault 2.0
What does being a member of Lotus F1 Junior
Team mean to you?
It’s a big motivation. Just being at Enstone,
walking around the factory and learning from all
the team members who have such huge knowledge of
their respective areas is fantastic. On top of
that, I’ve been working with people who have
coached so many world class drivers over the
years and their experience is something that has
made a big difference to me already. It’s a
privilege to be part of the team.
You’re competing in Formula Renault 2.0 for
the third year in 2013; what’s the aim for the
season ahead?
I had a solid start in 2011 but 2012 was a tough
year for me, so now I’m even more determined to
come back and push for the championship. I feel
like I have all the elements in place to make a
strong challenge, so my goal is to be
consistently at the front of the pack in every
session; taking podiums and hopefully as many
wins as possible along the way. My motivation is
higher than ever to perform as part of the Lotus
F1 Junior Team programme.
Esteban Ocon – France - Formula Renault 2.0
How does it feel to be part of the Lotus F1
Junior Team?
I’m familiar with Enstone having been with the
Gravity Sports Management programme for the last
four years, but it’s great to be associated with
a team at the top level of motorsport. I’m
trying not to think too much about the link to
Formula 1 as it’s important to focus on what you
are doing now and not look too far into the
future, but I think for any young driver that
must be the ultimate goal.
You’ll be taking on the Formula Renault 2.0
series for the second season in 2013; with your
debut done and dusted, what would you be happy
with this year?
Winning the championship has to be the goal;
even if I can’t win every race, I want to be one
of the drivers at the front all the way through
the season. Last year I learned that consistency
is the key, so my aim is to be up there fighting
from start to finish.
Dorian Boccolacci – France - KF2 Karting
You’ve been coming to Enstone since the
beginning of 2012; how have you enjoyed it so
far?
It’s great to be part of the team; being at the
factory is a real experience and to be
surrounded by people who have worked with the
best drivers in the world means I have the best
people to learn from. Seeing what another French
driver, Romain Grosjean, has achieved with the
team has also been a big inspiration to me and
so to be part of the setup at Enstone is a big
thing for me.
You’re competing in the KF2 World Karting
Championships this year; what are your aims for
the year ahead?
The goal is always to win, and if you can’t win
every time then to pick up the maximum points
possible through the year is the most important
thing. I managed to break into the top five in
the World Championships last year, so the target
is to be right at the front this season.
Alexander Albon – Thailand - Formula Renault
2.0
What does the Lotus F1 Junior Team programme
mean to you?
It’s great to be a part of this programme. Being
at the factory in Enstone is an amazing
experience and I’m looking forward to learning
as much as I can from my time there. Hopefully
this will give me an even better chance to
progress over the course of the season and put
me in good shape for the future.
You’ll be tackling Formula Renault 2.0 for
the second year in succession in 2013; what’s
the plan for the season ahead?
Last year was a very tough one for me, so I’m
almost thinking of this as my first real season.
The first step will be to improve my consistency
and take regular points finishes. With that
baseline I’ll then be looking to push towards
the top five, the podium and eventually race
wins, but the priority is to take things
step-by-step and develop a good solid platform
to progress. Last year didn’t give me much of an
opportunity to see where I stand, so I’m really
looking forward to being able to show what I can
do.
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