Mansell named Lotus ambassador

Nigel Mansell has been named as the latest driver who will become an ambassador for Lotus Cars, with the former F1 world champion set to help the company with development of its new T125 single-seater.

The track day car has been designed to give paying customers an experience close to Formula One, with Mansell set to work alongside Jean Alesi and James Rossiter in putting the car throught its paces.

The trio will test the car in Abu Dhabi next week with Lotus hopeful that the T125 will provide the 'most enjoyable and challenging race car experience on the market'.

"I'm really looking forward to getting behind the wheel of the Type 125, I can't wait to see how it handles the new circuit in Abu Dhabi," he said. "Returning to Lotus in this capacity brings back a lot of memories for me. I will always be extremely grateful to Lotus and especially to Colin Chapman, who was so inspirational and almost like a second father to me.

"I've been watching the developments that have been taking place recently at Hethel with their ambitious race and road car projects with great interest. I'm really delighted to see that Lotus is back where it belongs competing with the best in the top echelons of motorsport."

News that Mansell will take on an ambassadorial role comes just weeks after his sons, Greg and Leo, secured a class podium in the Dubai 24 Hours at the wheel of a GT4-spec Lotus Evora.