Sorensen cites Jorda’s role as reason for Renault F1 exit
Marco Sorensen left the Renault Formula One team after disagreeing with the appointment and retention of Carmen Jorda as development driver, citing a lack of merit-based selection.
Marco Sorensen has explained that his decision to leave Renault’s Formula One team was driven by the continued presence of Carmen Jorda as a development driver, a move he felt undermined merit-based progression within the team. Sorensen, who had held a test role at Lotus prior to the Renault takeover, said the situation became untenable after Jorda was retained for the 2016 season.
Jorda’s original appointment by Lotus in 2015 attracted criticism, with questions raised over her racing record and suitability for a Formula One development role. When Renault acquired the Enstone-based team and opted to keep Jorda on, Sorensen said this prompted him to walk away. He told Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet that Jorda was “12 seconds slower” than him in the simulator, yet continued to receive opportunities and recognition within the team.
Sorensen stated he had spent over 60 days in the simulator across two years, matching the commitment of other test drivers such as Kevin Magnussen during his time at McLaren. Despite this, Sorensen felt his efforts were overlooked in favour of Jorda, whose retention he viewed as being based on factors other than performance. He described the situation as “violating” and said it ultimately left him no choice but to leave the team.
Sponsorship and test driver roles at Enstone
Sorensen’s test role at Lotus was reportedly tied to Saxo Bank, a Danish sponsor which later withdrew its backing. With the loss of this sponsorship and the change in team ownership, Sorensen’s position became less secure, but he maintains that the Jorda decision was the main factor in his departure.
Carmen Jorda, a former GP3 racer, continued to attract attention as one of the few women in a Formula One development position, but her lack of competitive results and the scale of her simulator deficit to Sorensen intensified scrutiny of Renault’s decision. The team did not publicly address Sorensen’s claims about simulator times or internal selection criteria.
After Formula One: Sorensen’s new direction
After leaving Renault, Sorensen switched focus to endurance racing, joining Aston Martin’s factory World Endurance Championship squad. He made no public complaint about Kevin Magnussen, his fellow Dane, securing a Renault race seat, instead pointing to the financial realities of modern Formula One and the high sums required for a drive. Sorensen estimated that a budget of 50 million kroner (about $7.5 million) was needed to secure a seat, a figure out of reach for many drivers without substantial backing.
