Lotus is close to deciding who will partner Pastor Maldonado at its team when it is taken over by Renault at the end of the year.
Although the Renault deal is not yet complete and some doubts have been cast on the plans in recent weeks, Lotus deputy team principal Federico Gastaldi says there is a "strengthening resolve at Enstone as we have a positive outlook for the future". The team has already confirmed its plans to keep Maldonado for 2016, but with Romain Grosjean leaving for Haas it has a second seat to fill.
Kevin Magnussen, who announced his split with McLaren this week, is believed to be in the frame along with Ferrari test driver Jean-Eric Vergne and current Lotus reserve Jolyon Palmer. Gastaldi says he now has a good idea who the successful candidate would be.
"The remorseless passing of time means that you always get closer to something in the future, so yes, we are closer to making an announcement," he said. "I would say something will come sooner rather than later.
"We won't be disclosing who it is before we announce it, but we certainly have been speaking to drivers with good provenance and we have a pretty good idea who we will have in the car."
Gastaldi said he was feeling positive about the team's future now Renault has made its interest public.
"There's an underlying confidence and strengthening resolve at Enstone as we have a positive outlook for the future, all of which will become evident before too long. There's no point dancing faster than the music, but our dancing shoes are being polished in readiness. Do I feel good? Yes, I feel positive and know we're doing everything we can to capitalise on the opportunities ahead."