Lopez takes over at Lotus as Boullier leaves team

Former Lotus F1 team principal Eric Boullier has left Lotus while team owner and co-chairman Gérard Lopez will take over the principal role at the team. Reports suggest that Boullier now looks set for a role at McLaren.

Lopez said: "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.

"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."

The move further thins personnel at Lotus which have been bleeding managerial people to various teams. The departure of their team principal is the culmination of this, even though the team remains adamant its finances are well sorted.

"The team will reveal its new commercial partners and sponsors, including new partner YotaPhone, when it unveils its 2014 car, the E22, at the beginning of the first Bahrain pre-season test in February. The team will also confirm its organisational structure for 2014 ahead of this test. The team management, car and partner portfolio will illustrate the team’s will and desire to continue its quest to become one of the strongest teams in Formula 1 in every sense."