Former McLaren chief Whitmarsh in the running for team principal position at Lotus



Martin Whitmarsh has been approached by Lotus to take over as team principal from the man who is replacing him at McLaren.



Sportsmail understands that Whitmarsh is among two or three leading contenders for the post vacated by Frenchman Eric Boullier last Friday.



Boullier is destined for McLaren, filling the space left by Whitmarsh, who was effectively deposed as part of chairman Ron Dennis review into the team’s appalling performance last season.

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In the frame: Sportsmail understands that Martin Whitmarsh is in the running for the team principal position at Lotus All smiles: Whitmarsh poses with McLaren drivers Jenson Button (left) and Sergio Perez (right) in January 2013

Although no announcement about Whitmarsh’s departure and Boullier’s arrival has yet been made, Lotus have wasted no time in sounding out Whitmarsh, who, it is thought, has been licking his wounds at his house on the west coast of France since being sidelined by Dennis.



‘There has been contact with Martin,’ confirmed one insider who has close links to to Lotus but asked not to be named.



‘He is not necessarily the only name they have approached. There are perhaps three but he might be the most appealing of them, given his experience at McLaren.’



On the move: Eric Boullier has left his position at Lotus to become team principal at McLaren

Whether Whitmarsh, 55, would wish to take on Lotus is another matter altogether. He has significant personal wealth while the team struggled for money last season, so he may decide to he does not need either the salary or the potential hassle.



But if he wants to return to Formula One ever again then passing up this opening is a risky policy: it is easy to become yesterday’s man in the quick-moving world of the paddock.



Boullier will not be working for McLaren in Jerez, where pre-season testing starts on Tuesday, but his absence is not remotely thought to signify a hitch in his planned arrival at the team.





