FAIRUZ FAUZY JOINS LOTUS RENAULT GP AS RESERVE DRIVER

From Jeffri Mohd Rafiee

OXFORDSHIRE, Jan 19 (Bernama) -- Lotus Renault GP (LRGP) has named 28-year-old
Malaysian, Fairuz Fauzy, as its reserve driver for this year's Formula One (F1)
season.

Announcing this at the team's headquarters in Enstone here Tuesday, team
principal Eric Boullier said the arrangement for Fairuz was a one-year renewable
contract.

He said the plan was for Fairuz to be the first driver to enter the LRGP
Academy, race in the GP2 Series and do some testing with the programme designed
to bring on promising talents and prepare them for F1 racing.

"We will focus on Fairuz's progress and evaluate his capabilities to be a race
driver for us," he told Malaysian journalists visiting the team's facilities.

Commenting on his appointment, Fairuz said: "First of all, I would like to thank
LRGP for giving me the opportunity to be their reserve driver and also to be
part of the team known to be a very successful team.

"To be part of a team which is a frequent point scorer is an honour and this
will give a big boost to my career and I'm looking foward for it," he said.

Fairuz said 2011 would be an interesting year for him as he would also be racing
in the main GP2 Series and the GP2 Asia.

"To keep me racing while being a reserve driver is a good thing to keep the
momentum going," he said, expressing the hope for a long-term contract with the
team.

In the 2010 season, Fairuz was the third driver for Tony Fernandes' Lotus Racing
(now known as Team Lotus).
-- BERNAMA