Category: Lotus

Group Lotus recently released this video, which can only be taken as the next move in the Lotus v Lotus debacle. From afar, it would seem the potential moral victors, the Tony Fernandes led Team Lotus, will be affected by this promo. The appearance and ongoing support of Clive Chapman, Colin’s son, right at the end will land a heavy blow.

That aside, it’s still an absurd position to see current day F1 drivers who have only ever driven a “Lotus” built by the remnants of a world champion constructor in Renault F1 and powered by Renault engines claiming they are Lotus.

At the recent Autosport International event the newly named Lotus Renault GP team revealed their 2011 livery. Of course, the new paint job is a definite link back to the John Player Special cigarette advertising so heavily featured on Lotus F1 machines back in the 1970s. With many governments across the globe now having strict tobacco laws, which prevent any advertising or glorification of smoking, will the new look Lotus-Renault face any issues?

Well, as it happens they just might. A recent report states Canadian authorities have banned Imperial Toboacco, owners of JPS, from using gold and black colours on their own website; so strongly is the connection between the colour scheme and the John Player Special brand.

On the surface, then, Lotus-Renault could be in a spot of bother. But, this is F1 and as the old saying goes, money talks and…

Mind, given the British car company, owned by a Malaysian car company, sponsoring the F1 team bearing the name of French car company has already stolen the plans of the other Lotus team, then, maybe this possible controversy is a mild dose of karma.

[Source: Yahoo Sport UK | Pic: F1 Fanatic]

Amid all the controversy about the use of the Lotus name in Formula One, Group Lotus CEO, Dany Bahar, took the time out to speak to the press to explain, among other things, his company’s reasons for entering into a title sponsorship role with Lotus Renault GP.

Here’s a little of what Bahar had to say:

Q. You have also said RIP to Team Lotus. So will you be disappointed if there is a Team Lotus on the grid next season, and are you surprised Tony Fernandes is pursuing the route he is going?

DB: No. I cannot comment for Mr Fernandes, but if he believes he has all the legal grounds to own this brand, then he should use it. I don’t believe we are fighting this. What we are 100 per cent certain of is that we own the brand that is called Lotus, which is associated with the car manufacturer. And that Lotus brand has the right to enter in any sports activity. And if any chassis will be called a Lotus then it is our chassis, and no one else’s.

We don’t claim to have the name Team Lotus or to use the name Team Lotus. That is not what it is all about. We just don’t want other people to call their car a Lotus because the Lotus car is our brand and that is all.

Autosport has a full Q&A article on Bahar’s meeting, so follow the source link below for the complete text.

[Source: Autosport]

Following last night’s (Group) Lotus Renault GP announcement here is an image showing what the (Team) Lotus Racing car might look like in 2011. So far as we can tell this is an entry into the Lotus Racing livery competition and it was published via twitter last Friday. The scheme has been based on Emerson Fittipaldi’s Lotus 72D which he drove on his way to the 1972 World Championship.

So far, then, this image looks better than the official rendering provided by the other Lotus team. We know we’re probably only getting half of the real story, but to us here at AUSmotive, we hope the Tony Fernandes backed team gets the rights to use the Team Lotus name and that its paintwork ends up looking the best.

There’s another pic after the break, just click on it to load a 3000px mega image.

[Thanks to Ryan for the tip]

Formula One sometimes gains as much publicity for its off-track dramas as it does for its racing action. And here is a perfect example of that. The team formerly known as Renault F1, which was mostly owned by Luxembourg-based company Genii Capital, will now be known as Lotus Renault GP.

Oh, so Lotus Racing and Renault have merged, right? No, you need to go back and read The Lotus position article to get up speed. Basically the Proton controlled Group Lotus has signed on as major sponsor to the Renault team in a deal set to last until 2017. Muddying the waters further Renault has sold its ownership share back to Genii and will be involved solely as an engine supplier.

As you can see the Lotus Renault GP team has already given us an early glimpse of its planned racing livery for 2011, a great tribute to the famous John Player Special sponsored Lotus machines of the 1970s and 80s.

Are you sitting down, though, because things are about to get even more confusing. Despite Group Lotus now having direct involvement in F1 the other team known as Lotus Racing, headed by Tony Fernandes, is still planning to compete in the 2011 season as well. They will also have their engines supplied by Renault. And they have already announced they wish to race with gold and black livery too.

From a distance it all seems a bit tit for tat and all a bit unnecessary. At least Mike Gascoyne now knows why Group Lotus has been reluctant to talk to Lotus Racing.

If you’ve managed to keep up to speed with this article you’ve done well. On the surface it looks like we’ll be having two gold and black Lotus-named teams in Formula One next year. But, between now and the Bahrain Grand Prix in March expect quite a few lawyers to get a massive Christmas bonus.

Official press releases from Lotus Renault GP and Group Lotus are available after the break.

UPDATE: You can now click on the image above to view a 1780px version.