FR3.5: Stockinger set for Lotus deal

GP2 driver Marlon Stockinger is set to contest the final three Formula Renault 3.5 races of the year for the Charouz-run Lotus team. The Filipino-Swiss driver was called up by Lotus to race at the Red Bull Ring earlier this year, following the team's parting of company with Meindert van Buuren.

Stockinger will miss this weekend's Silverstone FR3.5 round owing to a clashing GP2 commitment for Status Grand Prix at Monza. Lotus is believed to be still in negotiation with potential partners for championship challenger Matthieu Vaxiviere for the Silverstone round.

Elsewhere on the grid, Mexican Alfonso Celis Jr. will forsake a GP3 outing with ART at Monza to race in FR3.5 for AVF at Silverstone. Celis Jr. has been contesting parallel campaigns in GP3 and FR3.5 this year.

"Alfonso chose finally to race with us at the World Series weekend," AVF team boss Adrian Valles told AUTOSPORT. "Even though he did a podium in GP3, he said he preferred to race in FR3.5."

Pons Racing is likely to run just one car for Philo Paz Armand this weekend, as regular driver Roberto Merhi will compete in Formula 1's Italian Grand Prix for the Manor team.

Indonesian Armand sat out the preceding meeting at the Red Bull Ring owing to visa difficulties, where he was replaced by Lotus exile van Buuren. The visa issues are not entirely resolved for the final three rounds at Nurburgring, Le Mans and Jerez.

"Philo Armand is going to be able to do this race, as it's an EU country, not a Schengen country, so a visa does not apply in this case," explained Pons team manager Emilio de Villota Jr.

The Schengen Visa is the representative of the collective of 26 European countries that have mutually decided to eliminate passport and immigration controls at their joint borders.

"The visas provided are based on the eurozone, and on the visa aspect it is a bit like the pound and the euro, it doesn't apply for England," de Villota added. "The visa will be a difficult target for the Schengen countries, which are the remaining countries – Germany, France and Spain. But it all depends on how the process goes.

"Negotiations are ongoing for a replacement for Roberto, but if we can't find a suitable candidate, we will run just one car."

Originally on Autosport.com