Lotus deputy principal Federico Gastaldi has suggested that the team is closer to naming who will drive alongside Pastor Maldonado next season.
The Enstone-based outfit is seeking a replacement for Romain Grosjean, who is joining Haas F1 for next season.
However, Gastaldi has refused to reveal exactly when Lotus will unveil their 2016 driver lineup.
He told reporters: "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. 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."
Jolyon Palmer, Jean-Eric Vergne and former McLaren driver Kevin Magnussen are among those linked with the vacant seat.
