Lotus HVM Racing gets new team manager

Lotus HVM Racing has announced that Shane Seneviratne will be taking over as the team's new manager, succeeding Vince Kramer who has accepted a position working with the Firestone Indy Lights series.

Seneviratne was part of Dorricott Racing from 1993-2004, a team that dominated Indy Lights and Atlantics and won championships in 1999, 2001 and 2002 with drivers Oriol Servia, Townsend Bell and Jon Fogarty respectively. In 1999, Dorricott swept all three top positions in the championship.

After team founder Bob Dorricott died of cancer in 2002 and following the team's subsequent liquidation, Seneviratne formed a new Atlantics team named US RaceTronics (later renamed Team Stargate Worlds) in 2005 that included equipment purchased from the old Dorricott organisation. Among the team's drivers were former Hollywood actor Frankie Muniz in 2008, and a young Simona De Silvestro who took four poles and four wins in the 2009 Atlantic Championship - a record for a female driver in the competition, and which set her up for a successful IndyCar test.

Taking up his new role with HVM, Seneviratne said that he was thrilled by the opportunity - and by the chance to work with de Silvestro once more.

"I'm excited to be part of HVM Racing and happy to help Simona once more continue her remarkable racing career," he said. "The new IndyCar brings new challenges to teams that have not had to be dealt with for many years. I'm looking forward to contributing to this team in overcoming these challenges, and in strengthening the great chemistry that exists within HVM Racing."

De Silvestro sounded equally delighted at the prospect of a reunion: "Shane is awesome. I'm really excited to have the chance to work with him again. We had great success together in 2009 and hopefully it will be the same here in IndyCar."

HVM team owner Keith Wiggins welcomed Seneviratne to the fold, saying: "He brings qualities demonstrated in the lower categories to the next level of Series with fresh determination and proven organizational and people skills, vital to our progress."

Wiggins also paid tribute to the outgoing team manager, Vince Kramer, saying that "We would like to thank Vince for over 11 years of dedication to our organisation."

For his part, Kramer admitted that it was "with bittersweet regret that I move on" to an unspecified new opportunity with the Firestone Indy Lights series.

"Having been a part of this operation since 1998 I have amassed many good memories and lifelong friendships. I wish nothing but continued success for HVM, Simona De Silvestro, Entergy and all of our commercial partners," he said. "I would also like to personally express my thanks and gratitude to Keith Wiggins for giving me the opportunity to grow professionally within the industry."