P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Andre Lotterer has a lot to thank current DS Penske technical chief Leo Thomas for. It was Thomas who effectively opened up the Formula E chapter in Lotterer’s diverse and long motorsports career in the late summer of 2017 when, after enduring Ma Qing Hua, experimenting with Esteban Guttierez and re
André Lotterer owes a lot to Leo Thomas, the current DS Penske technical chief. Thomas played a crucial role in bringing Lotterer into the Formula E championship in 2017, after the team tried several other drivers. Lotterer was left without a drive after Porsche ended their LMP1 Hybrid program, making him a perfect fit for Techeetah. Initially, Lotterer’s potential signing with Techeetah surprised many, as he had been skeptical about Formula E when he had attended a race as a spectator in 2015. However, his former engineer, Leena Gade, believed in his ability to excel in the series. Lotterer initially struggled in his first two races but showed his true potential in Santiago, challenging his teammate Vergne and securing a 1-2 finish for the team. Although Lotterer came close to winning in Rome and Hong Kong, he never managed to secure a victory in Formula E. The closest he came was in Hong Kong in 2019, but he was ultimately beaten by Sam Bird. Lotterer reflected on this missed opportunity and acknowledged that it may have changed his Formula E career trajectory.
Source: The Race
