Lotus have suffered a major blow to their title ambitions with the announcement that technical director James Allison has elected to leave the outfit.
Allison has been at the centre of speculation following the recent technical reshuffle which saw Paddy Lowe confirm his departure from McLaren. He will join Mercedes next season.
Allison is one of the most highly regarded designers in the sport and has been tipped as a key figure in Lotus’s recent resurgence which sees them sitting second in the constructors’ championship after four races.
It isn’t clear which team he will join, but it’s believed to be one of three- McLaren, Mercedes or Ferrari – though his contract forbids him revealing such details until an official announcement is made by his future employer.
Lotus confirmed that Nick Chester will replace Allison with almost immediate effect.
