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Jose Maria Lopez open to Formula E move in the future

Jose Maria Lopez

Reigning champion of the World Touring Car Championship series Jose Maria Lopez of Argentina of team Citroen Total, attends a press conference in Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, April 30, 2015. The World Touring Car Championship, will take place on the Hungaroring circuit in Mogyorod on May 2 and 3. (Zsolt Szigetvary/MTI via AP)

AP

BUENOS AIRES - Two-time WTCC champion Jose Maria Lopez has expressed an interest in entering Formula E in the future, hinting that he would be open to a move for 2017.

In 2014, Lopez became the first driver from Argentina to win an FIA-sanctioned world championship since Juan Manuel Fangio won his fifth Formula 1 title in 1957.

The Citroen driver added a second championship to his haul last year, but is on the lookout for future opportunities after the French manufacturer announced that it would be quitting WTCC following the 2016 season.

Speaking in Buenos Aires ahead of this weekend’s ePrix, Lopez said that he would be open to racing in Formula E in the future and giving Argentine fans a home driver to support.

“It would be fantastic for me to be part of this fantastic series, with this fantastic bunch of drivers,” Lopez said. “Today I have compromises with the brand with Citroen and also with the series I’m involved in, WTCC, we are developing the car so it’s a time of timing it’s not possible.

“But it would be fantastic because it’s a series which, [as] I’ve said before, is growing up really quick and it’s very interesting for the drivers. The fact that we have a race in Argentina, it would be fantastic to have as well an Argentinian driver.

“We will see. Today, everything is guessing because nothing is concrete and we talk about why not in 2017? It could be a good option.”

Lopez has previously substituted for the DS Virgin Racing team for a test thanks to its ties with Citroen, and enjoyed trying out a Formula E car.

“I did a small test with a team because there was no driver available and I was lucky enough to be there that day so I jumped in the car a few laps,” Lopez said.

“The first thing is you don’t have the noise of an engine. You hear everything what’s going on in the car - when the car is touching the ground, for example, you can hear the noise of the gearbox all the time, when you hit a kerb you can hear the suspension suffering.

“It’s quite a strange feeling but it’s still racing - the level of the series is fantastic, the driving is fantastic. And that is also very important. I know the drivers - I’ve been racing in the past with them.

“I’ve shared teams with Loic Duval, Jerome d’Ambrosio, Lucas di Grassi - they tell me the races are really, really, really fun, the car is fun to drive and the competition of is very very high.”

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