Last week Team Lotus terminated the 5 year contract with reserve driver Fairuz Fauzy after just 12 months. The 28 year old Malaysian completed 2 test days for Team Lotus over the winter and 5 Friday Free Practise sessions throughout the season. Fauzy’s father and manager, Haji Fauzy released this statement:
“Just last week, Lotus Racing prematurely released Fairuz from what was supposed to be a five-year contract, a move some may see as a detriment to the team after the insight, experience and exposure Fairuz has gained over the last 12 months with Lotus Racing,” said a statement from his agent. “We respect the decision, but as Fairuz’s driver development programme began 25 years ago, we are determined and committed to pursue his career goal as a professional driver. We are now looking at all avenues to fit him as a fulltime race driver in an international racing series of the same stature, but of course Formula 1 is our main priority.”
With no news from the team on why the decision was made, it’s reason is unclear however with the Malaysian ex-Prime Minister recently reaching out and expressing his disappointment in Team Lotus’s first season, perhaps politics are at play.
