IndyCar - Bernard Confirms Engine Supply For Lotus Teams

Sebring, Mar. 8, 2012: Izod IndyCar Series CEO Randy Bernard met with Lotus officials on Tuesday and said he was assured that every team with a signed contract and a deposit credited would have at least one engine by the season opener. Quantity has been an issue for Lotus as Honda and Chevrolet have been focusing on quality for weeks.

Sébastien Bourdais's Dragon Racing car didn't have a Lotus engine for him Monday or Tuesday, costing him two test days. Oriol Servia said he expects, or at least hopes, to be ready to take his Dreyer & Reinbold car onto the Sebring International Raceway course for spring training on Thursday. He used words like “hope” and “faith” in describing both the availability and performance of the mercurial Lotus, odd choices for both a driver and a mechanical engineer such as himself.

“The next two days will tell me at least where we stand,” said Servia, who has been able to participate in just two of the expected 10 to 15 test days this preseason. He is scheduled to test at Barber Motorsports Park next week, he said.

Servia said he believes it is possible for Lotus to recoup the time lost to Chevrolet and Honda.

“I think it is possible,” he said. “I just think you need to make sure every lap counts in terms of data. Where the engine stands right now, I don't know.”