The Motorsports world is a very big one. With lots of different cars, tracks, languages and rules. So every once in a while I get completely baffled by news and its significance.
So instead of simply looking up the background and keeping it to myself, here is my case study as to why the news surrounding André Lotterer’s chance to run a Caterham this weekend at Spa is so epic.
Kamui Kobayashi’s race seat may be in jeopardy after the sale of Caterham and shakeup within the organization. Despite the rumors of his departure, he has told follower’s on Twitter that he is ready for the Belgian GP. Whether its from the pits or in a car is yet to be seen.
Formula One doesnt see one off drives or driver changes midseason anymore
Way back in the day maybe, but in the day and age or iron bar politics in a sport that sees hundred of billions of dollars spent on it annually, driver’s who sign to a seat are stuck in that seat until injury or season’s end.
But this situation, which sees Lotterer’s friend and Caterham advisor Colin Kolles, who gave him his Le Mans 24 Hours Debut within the Audi family, tipping Lotterer for the seat.
I love a story that breaks traditions, or “the way its been.”
Winning Le Mans and racing in Formula One in the same season is bad-ass
It is a silly thought, but Lotterer has the chance to win in Formula One… with the help of a monsoon, or the chance that Mercedes, Red Bull, McLaren, Williams, Marussia, Sauber, Lotus, Toro Rosso, Force India and Ferrari forgot to pay their electrical bills over the break ofcourse.
But really, looking at it from the standpoint of someone who loves of ALL forms of racing, I think it is a massive feat to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and compete in Formula One all in the same season.
It takes one seriously talented driver to pull that off.
Which brings me to my next point.
Andre Lotterer is insanely talented
Because the sports car world is so diluted by three driver lineups at teams with two cars and more foreign names than the Tour de France, you really don’t get the chance to learn much about the accomplishment’s of individual drivers.
But when you remove Lotterer from his dream team lineup in his factory backed Audi LMP1 car, you see a hard working racing enthusiast at the top of his career.
Depsite winning three of the last four 24 Hours of Le Mans, nothing has been handed to Lotterer.
He has been cutting his teeth in open wheel cars his entire career. Winning Formula Nippon and F3 championship gave him an opportunity to be a test driver with Jaguar in 2002. We all know what happens to test drivers.
Lotterer never stopped pushing for greatness and focused a lot of his time in Japan, running their Super Formula Series.
So, from a Formula One test driver more than a decade ago, a career can in fact come full circle in racing. Now we just have to hope that he can wheel the underdeveloped Caterham…provided he gets the seat.
