With Lotus confirming that Pastor Maldonado will drive for them in 2014 instead of Nico Hulkenberg, many believe it’s a sign that the negotiations with Quantum Motorsport have come to an end.
However sources at both Quantum and Lotus are confident that the deal will still go ahead in the coming days, according to Autosport.
Meetings between the two parties are planned for next week to iron out the stumbling blocks to push the deal through before the end of the year – though things aren’t as urgent now that they’ve signed Maldonado who brings around £20 million in personal sponsorship, therefore securing the team’s short-term future.
Lotus remain confident that the deal is legitimate after the money actually reached owner Genii Capital’s bank account in October, but was later returned to Quantum at the request of the authorities who asked for it to be transferred in smaller amounts to abide by strict banking laws in Luxembourg.
Therefore there is proof that the money exists, which is made up of a number of investments from business interests in Russia, Abu Dhabi and the Kuwaiti Royal Family, despite concerns that Lotus were being duped by Quantum chairman Mansoor Ijaz.
