Luiz Razia is not hiding the fact that he is taking a personal sponsor to his new appointment with Team Lotus.
It has been reported that, alongside Davide Valsecchi, Brazilian 21-year-old Razia - a GP2 driver and Virgin reserve in 2010 - will appear several times during Friday morning practice sessions this year.
A report by Globo Esporte quoted Razia as admitting that "sponsorship is essential" for drivers today.
"It was not crucial to the team hiring me, but it was welcomed," he said.
Razia refused to disclose the name of his main sponsor.
"At the moment I can’t say anything," he insisted. "I’ll only talk about it when I am allowed to."
The report said Razia’s first outing in the Team Lotus T128 will be at the Bahrain test prior to the 2011 season opener.