Driver lineup to remain unchanged at Renault

Renault's confirmed buyout of Lotus will have no bearing on the 2016 contracts the Enstone outfit has signed with Jolyon Palmer and Pastor Maldonado according to Matthew Carter, the team's current chief executive.

Maldonado, who brings substantial backing from Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA, was thought to have been in jeopardy since Renault's announcement last week as many believed the French manufacturer would perhaps seek to have one of its race seats filled by a French driver.

"The contracts have been agreed with Renault," Carter told Reuters after attending a High Court hearing involving Lotus and the British tax authorities.

"No decision has been made on a third driver, so whether or not they have someone French maybe lined up for that role I don't know."

Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn said however that more details about the "the aims, the drivers, the strategy and the partners" would be revealed in January.
"As we all know, contracts can be broken if parties particularly want to", Matthew Carter added.

"But they have both got contracts and therefore I think in January it's just going to be an announcement of everything. I think there's going to be team name, driver lineups, colours of car or sponsors etc..."

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