Eric Boullier leaves Lotus; Gerard Lopez in as team principal - MotorSportsTalk

In a stunning development, Lotus has announced the immediate departure of team principal Eric Boullier. Replacing Boullier at that post will be team owner Gerard Lopez.

In the accompanying statement on the subject, the team added it would officially unveil its 2014 challenger, the E22, at the beginning of the first Bahrain preseason test in February and “confirm its organizational structure for 2014 ahead of this test.”

“Lotus F1 Team has never stood still and we head into what promises to be an exciting 2014 season with an innovative new car, new partners and a new management structure at Enstone,” an optimistic Lopez said in his own thoughts.

“Great things have been achieved over the past years and we need to continue this momentum…We thank Eric for all his hard work over the past four years and we are confident we can continue to fight as one of the top teams in Formula 1 over the seasons ahead.”

Boullier had been team principal for the team since the 2010 season, when it was still known as Renault. Last year, he helped the team claim a solid fourth place in the constructor’s championship.

But off-track, there was much talk about the team’s financial status – talk that was fueled by Kimi Raikkonen’s mid-season revelation that he had not been paid by Lotus; more recently, Lopez said that Raikkonen (now back at Ferrari) has received part of his 2013 salary and would get the rest in due time.

Lotus’ decision to not attend next week’s first preseason test of 2014 at Jerez de la Frontera, Spain also did nothing to stop a growing sense of unease about the team. Boullier’s sudden exit will likely only make that unease deepen further.

As for where Boullier may end up, multiple reports including those from British F1 broadcaster Sky Sports (who says that Boullier left Lotus on his own accord) and the UK’s Telegraph newspaper have linked the Frenchman to McLaren, which launched its new MP4-29 earlier this morning.

With Ron Dennis promising changes after he returned to the CEO post in Woking, the future of current McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh has been debated.

It bears noting that Whitmarsh was not quoted in team statements regarding today’s MP4-29 launch or yesterday’s promotion of Stoffel Vandoorne to reserve driver.

Now it appears that F1 observers will be waiting to see if Dennis indeed replaces Whitmarsh as principal and then puts the now-former Lotus man Boullier into the role.

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FORT WORTH, Texas – Defending series champion Will Power’s name is off the board of potential IndyCar free agents, but there’s still much to be settled in the field – starting with the reigning Indy 500 winner.

Marcus Ericsson is waiting on a contract offer to remain with Chip Ganassi Racing beyond the 2023 season (his fourth with the team). The Swede said he’s made it clear to car owner Chip Ganassi that he wants to stay in the No. 8 Dallara-Honda, which has four victories since June 2021.

“Yeah, it’s up to him, basically,” Ericsson said Friday at Texas Motor Speedway. “He needs to give me an offer for ’24 onward. The ball is in his corner. I really enjoy it at Ganassi, and we’ve done a lot of great things together and would love to continue, but the ball is in his corner. He knows very well what I want.”

Two days before Ericsson won the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg season opener March 5, Ganassi sang the praises of the emerging star driver to a small group of reporters.

“I want him here beyond this year,” Ganassi said of Ericsson. “He seems to have gotten more out of winning the Indy 500 than anyone else has of recent time, which is a good thing. He did a good job. He’s been everywhere. It’s been a really positive thing for Marcus, the team, the series. He’s grown with that as well.”

Ericsson didn’t sew up his current deal until late in his breakthrough 2021 season (after a memorable victory in the inaugural Music City Grand Prix). So he isn’t necessarily anxious about it but conceded he “was thinking a bit about it over the winner in the offseason and talking about it

“But now that the season has started, I told my managers and everyone I want to focus on the driving. They focus on those things. Now the season is on, and I want to try to win races, win another 500 and championship. That’s where my focus is. (A new contract) is one of those things that happens when it happens. But I’m happy where I am, and I want to do well.”

IndyCar’s two best teams, Team Penske and Chip Ganassi Racing, tend to be very tight-lipped about their drivers’ contract status.

Power confirmed Friday to journalist Bruce Martin that his new deal was for multiple seasons. That means all three of Penske’s drivers are in multiple-year contracts (unlike Power’s deal, Scott McLaughlin’s extension was announced by the team last year).

But there is more uncertainty at Ganassi’s four cars aside from Ericsson. While Scott Dixon has a ride for as long as he wants (and the six-time champion has given no indication of retiring), Ganassi’s other two other seats have yet to be solidified beyond 2023.

The No. 11 is being split this year by rookie Marcus Armstrong and veteran Takuma Sato this season. In the No. 10, Alex Palou is believed to be in his final year at Ganassi before heading to Arrow McLaren.

That expected move would cast doubt on the future of Felix Rosenqvist, who returned to Arrow McLaren when the team was unable to bring in Palou (who was embroiled in a contract dispute with Ganassi).

Aside from Penske, virtually every other IndyCar team (including Andretti Autosport, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and Meyer Shank Racing, which has Helio Castroneves in a contract year) has seats that potentially could open for next season, and even drivers who appear to be under contract for next year still could be on the move (via buyouts and option years).

Though Juncos Hollinger Racing announced a “long-term, multiyear contract partnership” last July with Callum Ilott, but the second-year driver was cagey Friday when asked about how long the extension ran.

“It’s for whatever I want it to be,” said Ilott, who finished a career-best fifth at St. Petersburg. “I’ll say that.”

Before returning to JHR, Ilott turned enough heads as a rookie to draw interest from several teams, and he indicated Friday that he still would be listening.

“I’d love to talk to some other big teams,” Ilott said. “Nothing stops me from talking. Look, you’ve got to be fair. I agreed to (the deal), but it’s pretty obvious that I’m quite interested as people are interested in me as a driver, but I need to focus on the job I’ve got here.

“I’m confident whether it’s in one year, two years, three years, four years, that if I’m wanted now, I’ll always be wanted. I’m a good enough driver that I don’t need to lack confidence in that side. … I’m not worried.”