Ferrari to buy out Allison’s Lotus contract

Ferrari looks set to buy out the remainder of former technical director James Allison’s Lotus contract.

That is the claim of Finland’s Turun Sanomat newspaper, following reports the Briton is definitely headed to Maranello.

Correspondents Luis Vasconcelos and Heikki Kulta report that Allison neared an agreement with Honda, initially to build a test car ahead of the Japanese manufacturer’s return as works engine supplier to McLaren in 2015.

But when McLaren "did not support the idea" of a Honda test car, Allison’s eyes reportedly turned back to Ferrari, where he worked between 2000 and 2005.

"It is believed Allison could get to work (at Ferrari) in the early autumn", working alongside Pat Fry and Nicolas Tombazis, Turun Sanomat added.