» Still no Lotus deal – yet – for Chandhok

With his maiden test outing in the Lotus T128 fast approaching, Karun Chandhok has insisted that – despite common perception – he is still to ink a contract at the team’s test and reserve driver for the 2011 season.

With the 27-year-old having been spotted milling around the Lotus team at the last pre-season test at Valencia – dressed in the team’s regalia, no less – it was widely thought that Chandhok had already entered into an agreement with the team.

Reports have also been doing the rounds that Chandhok is required to bring some sponsorship backing with him to secure the role, which could lead to a chance to race in front of his home crowd at the inaugural Indian Grand Prix at Delhi this October.

“Right now I am here to do a test drive in one of the next three days. The deal is later and the rest comes way later,” he told the Times of India newspaper.

“It has been months since I last drove an F1 car and I am very excited to be back in the elite club,” he added.

“The final deal is yet to be finalised but things look bright at this point.”

[Original image via GP Update]