‘Carmen Jorda Couldn’t Develop a Roll of Film, Let Alone a Hybrid F1 Car.’ Tweets Former Teammate

Spanish race car driver Carmen Jorda was recently added to the Lotus F1 Race Team, but not only is the intent of the addition of Jorda in question, but her qualifications as well. Jorda begins her new position as a developmental driver for Lotus in the face of harsh criticism.

“We have a strong program for her attending Grand Prix as well as extensive time in our sophisticated simulation facility in Enstone. She is a unique addition to the team and we are looking forward to helping her progress her goals as well as receiving he benefit of her insights and contributions to the development of the E23 Hybrid,” Lotus F1 CEO Nick Carter says of Jorda in an in interview with Fox Sports; but some wonder if the only benefit that Lotus gains by adding Carmen Jorda to the roster is financial.

“Carmen Jorda Couldn’t Develop a Roll of Film, Let Alone a Hybrid F1 Car.”

Former GP3 teammate Rob Cregan slammed Jorda’s credentials via Twitter in response to the announcement that she has been added to the Lotus team, and Cregan’s comment may not be unfounded. Carmen Jorda’s racing record will exclude her from qualifying for a superlicence this season, virtually eliminating the possibility of her seeing any significant drive time.

Drivers must meet a number of requirements participating at the junior motorsports level in order to earn the superlicence needed to compete at the elite F1 level. Exceptional performance and finishing well at the junior level (such as GP2 and GP3) are just a couple of criteria taken into consideration for a superlicence. The problem is, Jorda has not met that criteria. She has been competing at the junior level since 2005 and has never won a race. She raced in GP3 for the past three seasons, and has never scored a point. Jorda’s lack of credentials bolsters speculation that Lotus brought her on-board for the significant sponsor dollars that she brings to the table.

“Extremely proud to announce that I am now the Development Driver for @Lotus_F1Team”

Despite limited qualifications and much criticism, Carmen Jorda is looking ahead and looking to improve. “I will be working to improve myself as a driver as well as helping the team to develop the car by testing new developments in the simulation; it’s such a fantastic opportunity,” she said in a team statement.

The car to which she refers is the Lotus E23 Hybrid, featuring an innovative air-intake system that is positioned to reduce drag and potentially increase performance.

Jorda appears to appreciate her new position and the road that lies before her. In an ESPN report she said, “I know this is just the beginning and the biggest challenge is yet to come,but already being part of a team with such a history is a real honour. This is a great achievement, but an even greater opportunity which will lead to bigger and better things.”