Lotus sign Pic

Once you lose your seat in Formula One there are very few options remaining for a driver.

French driver Charles Pic was dropped by Caterham last month, after the team opted to replace both Pic and team-mate Giedo van der Garde for the new look line-up of Kamui Kobayashi and Marcus Ericsson.

The 24-year-old has two years experience of Formula One behind him having raced for Marussia in 2012, before switching to Caterham in 2013.

From 38 Grands Prix his best finish of 12th in Brazil in 2012 was his best result of his career.

However losing his seat with Caterham so late has meant that he will be without a race seat for the 2014 Formula One World Championship.

With other motor sport formula’s mainly set for new seasons, the avenue to switch to the likes of Indy Car racing or DTM, as others have done in the past was closed.

But he has been snapped up by another Formula One team, with Lotus signing him as their main reserve driver.

‘Obviously, the big change is that I won’t be racing in Formula 1, but I will be at the races and working in meetings which will help me develop and progress as a driver,’ Pic told Autosport Magazine.

‘Working with a top team is the next step in my development and I think I will learn a lot from this.

‘I’m happy with my progress from my first two seasons in Formula 1 and at 24 I still have good potential for the future.’

Lotus have also announced the signings of Formula Renault 3.5 driver Marco Sorensen and sportscar driver Nicolas Prost.

The duo will join the teams test and development programme, working at the factory with the designers and working in the simulator.