Former Virgin Racing driver Jerome d'Ambrosio has been excitingly announced as the new reserve driver for the Lotus F1 Team for the 2012 season, the team confirming the signing of the Belgian on Tuesday afternoon.
D'Ambrosio will travel to all twenty race weekends in 2012, to work alongside the team's main race drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean.
The Belgian joined the Formula One grid with Virgin in 2011, failing to score a point for the backmarking team.
He was replaced by Charles Pic for the 2012 season, his exit being announced moments after the end of the 2011 campaign.
Lotus confirmed on Tuesday that d'Ambrosio would be their new reserve, and would be the first choice replacement for either Raikkonen or Grosjean should he be needed.
"It's a great feeling to be joining [the] Lotus F1 Team," d'Ambrosio gushed as convincingly as he could.
"It's an exciting next step in my career. I contested a complete season in F1 as a race driver for a smaller team where I learnt a lot about Formula One.
"Now, I have the opportunity to work with one of the top teams with great potential for my future development.
"With my recent race experience, I know I can make a valuable contribution."
He added that he felt that the move would be "beneficial" despite not securing a race seat for the new season.
"Of course, I would love to be racing, but racing with a top team," he explained, "Being associated with Lotus F1 Team should be more beneficial and this is the choice I have made.
"This opportunity is one I couldn't afford to miss. My desire to get back in a race seat in the future is motivating me to do the best job possible in my new position."
Lotus team boss Eric Boullier added: "To have a third driver who is highly motivated, fresh and talented and who contested the full 2011 season is highly beneficial for us.
"In Jerome we have someone we know well who integrates beneficially with the squad."
He went on: "He impressed as reserve driver for us in 2010 and at the end of that year he made a strong showing in the young driver test.
"He also showed strongly in his rookie season as an F1 race driver. I am looking forward to working with Jerome again and think he is a perfect addition to our driving strength."
D'Ambrosio's signing is likely down to his links with Gravity Sports Management, the company run by Lotus chairman Gerard Lopez.
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