Official team for 2012 FIA European Rally Championship
Rallying
The Lotus International Rally team is set to make its race debut in April in
the FIA European Rally Championship. In partnership with Italian team United
Business, who won the title last year, the hotly anticipated Exige R-GT will
be painted in Lotus' iconic black and gold colour scheme.
Former Portuguese champion and Super 2000 World Rally Championship (SWRC)
driver Bernardo Sousa is in-line to race the car at the Rally 1000 Miglia in
Brescia, Italy, on 19-21 April, provided the car is ready. Next week the
Exige R-GT undergoes its final testing before being submitted to the FIA for
homologation. Ten cars will be built this year, with seven cars allocated to
the official team and European racing drivers.
Claudio Berro, Director of Lotus Racing, started his career rallying and is
thrilled to be back. "This will be the first GT car to be homologated by the
FIA. Lotus, of course, has been successful in rallying before, winning the
1981 World Rally Championship with the Talbot Sunbeam Lotus. So in many ways
we're all going back to our roots. Partnering with the United Business Rally
Team in the FIA European Rally Championship makes perfect sense because
they, like us, know how to win. I think this is going to be a very strong
collaboration. The championship largely takes place on tarmac, which suits
us too. It's so exciting to go rallying with this new project. It's another
big challenge for Lotus."
Pier Liberali of United Business, commented: "This partnership agreement
with Lotus Racing fills me with pride. Lotus is one of the most famous
manufacturers worldwide in the motorsports field. It is an honour for us to
be able to work with them, and we will do our utmost to exceed their
expectations."