Talk around the paddock that Lotus will be switching engine supplier for the 2015 Formula One World Championship has been circulating for sometime.
The rumour was that the Enstone team would be dumping the Renault power-train for the all conquering Mercedes for next season.
A slot opened up for Mercedes to provide engines to another team following the news that McLaren would be switching from Mercedes to Honda power.
The deal was in the pipeline for several weeks, but was finally confirmed in Russia.
Mercedes customers for 2015 will be Lotus, Force India and Williams.
‘We are pleased to have been chosen by Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains in a significant long term deal,’ Lotus F1 CEO Matthew Carter said in a statement.
‘We intend to return to the front of the field with the goals of winning Grands Prix and being a strong championship contender once more and we see this new agreement as one step towards this aim. The Mercedes-Benz Power Unit has shown good performance on track and it is our goal to marry this motive force to Enstone’s chassis expertise.
‘It is our desire that the E23 Hybrid, powered by Mercedes-Benz, heralds a new era of success for Enstone. At this juncture we would also like to thank Renault, who have been so closely associated with the team over its history and for the joint success we have achieved together.’
Unlike other customer deals Lotus will continue to design and build their own gearboxes.
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