Lotus has become the first car manufacturer to officially launch a grassroots karting team as it looks to discover the F1 stars of the future.
The ambitious sports car maker is complementing its other motor racing activities, including its F1 team, with an official entry in the 2012 CIK-FIA World Karting Championship.
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Almost every single F1 world champion started out racing karts and it is considered one of the most important stepping stones any aspiring motor racing champ can make.
Lotus’ official works entry is thus extremely significant and shows how seriously the brand is taking its motorsport activities.
The new team will run as ‘Lotus Racing Karts’ and is a fully-fledged division of Lotus Motorsport. It will be operated by the Italian Jefra Racing team, which has four decades’ experience in top-line karting.
‘Our entry into karting is exciting on many levels,’ said Miodrag Kotur, director of operations for Lotus Motorsport.
‘Not only are we nurturing new talent and widening our motorsport programme, but we also have an opportunity to join forces with two world-class specialists.
‘It is exciting to see Lotus Motorsport grow in such an authentic, fresh and exhilarating way.’
Lotus Racing Karts will be officially launched at the Autosport International show at the NEC in Birmingham on January 14 next year.
