Lotus vs. Lotus; Team Lotus announces Caterham deal

Renault F1 to be renamed Lotus Renault GP for 2011

The Renault car company has sold its remaining shares in the eponymous Formula 1 team, which will be renamed Lotus Renault in 2011.

Renault was left with a 25% shareholding in the team in 2010 after selling the remainder to private investment group Genii Capital.

Those shares have been sold to Genii and will be then taken by Lotus Cars, which is owned by Proton.

The move means there will be two F1 teams in 2011 with Lotus in their name.

The team that competed as Lotus Racing in 2010 will be renamed Team Lotus after buying the historic rights to the name under which Lotus raced from the 1960s until collapsing with financial difficulties in 1994.

Team Lotus boss Tony Fernandes, the owner of the Air Asia airline, is in dispute with Proton over the rights to use the Lotus name in F1.The cars produced by Lotus Renault will still be called Renaults - changing that would need the permission of all the other F1 teams.

A Renault F1 statement said: "Lotus plc will become a major equity partner of Genii Capital in Lotus Renault GP, and the two parties have concluded a title sponsorship agreement that will run until the end of the 2017 season."

It appears as if both teams plan to run their cars with black and gold liveries, reflecting the historic John Player Special sponsorship of Lotus in the 1970s and 1980s.

Renault's statement said: "For 2011, the Lotus Renault GP cars will race in a new interpretation of the iconic black and gold colours that were last used when Lotus and Renault joined forces in the 1980s."This livery, which has been on the drawing board for over two months in order to reinterpret its iconic graphic signature to suit modern media requirements, is sure to strike a powerful chord with the sport's enthusiasts around the world."

Lotus Racing announced its plans to use a black and gold livery at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in November.

Renault's statement continued: "Renault will continue its strong support of the team with which it won the 2005 and 2006 world championships, as a supplier of engines and technological and engineering expertise."Reflecting this technological support, Lotus Renault GP will continue to compete with the Renault chassis name and Renault will enjoy pre-eminent brand exposure on the livery."

Team Lotus boss Fernandes responded on his page on social network site Twitter : "Dany Bahr has done us a favour. Never felt better about our future and Team Lotus.

He added: "Looks like [they're] trying to hijack our black and gold idea."

Renault's decision to sell its remaining shares in the team ends a 10-year involvement in F1 as a team owner.

The French car company has been a competitor since buying Benetton Formula in 2000 and renaming it Renault for the 2002 season.

BBC SPORT

Ok, I have to agree with Gascoyine on this one. Why are Lotus or more specifically, Proton, buying up more than one F1 team, going into Indy Car etc when they are not making any money currently?

This seems an odd move to have two teams, maybe this would make sense for Fiat or General Motors or Honda etc as they are somebody that has that big brand image and cashflow to back this (even if GM are bust or were a while ago, they could turn it around) but this seems like a very odd decision to try and win the championship when they entered due to buget cuts. Very odd moves here it seems :?

It will be interesting to see how this works. It sounds like Proton are going to walk away from One Group if they are running their own team. I could see this working if Renault were a front field team pushing for the title as the Team Lotus could become the feeder team like Toro Roso to Red Bull. However this seems more like Proton are trying to make a team seperate to that of their original group team.

Something has gone on that we do not know about here I think.

Yeah, I think they have to keep the Renault name next season dont they due to contractual obligations?

It will be interesting to see what happens to Team Lotus now as I really dont see them being allowed to race under a very similar team name to another in the sport. That or Hispania become McLoren over night in the hope sponsors accidently think they are McLaren and give them loads of cash. Muwahaha evil plan is evil and worth trying.

LOTUS F1 PLANS RECEIVE PROTON SUPPORT

Group Lotus's plans to buy into the Renault team have received the support of Malaysian car maker Proton.

While the creation of Lotus Renault GP will put the team directly in competition with Team Lotus next year - leaving F1 with the bizarre scenario of having two black-and-gold Lotus Renault teams in 2011 - Proton says it is fully behind the plans for Lotus to become a title sponsor and shareholder in Renault.

Dato' Sri Mohd Nadzmi Mohd Salleh, chairman of Proton that owns a majority shareholding in Group Lotus, said: "We know that Group Lotus has much to offer Formula 1 and vice versa. After careful consideration, we believe this arrangement will be fruitful, both from a commercial and marketing point of view."

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Proton advisor and former Prime Minister of Malaysia, said: "This is an exciting development which delivers strategic benefits to both Group Lotus and Proton. I fully support the partnership."

SOURCE: Autosport

TEAM LOTUS STILL BULLISH OVER NAME

Team Lotus chiefs Tony Fernandes and Mike Gascoyne have responded defiantly to the announcement of Group Lotus's entry into Formula 1 with Renault.

The two organisations are currently battling over the use of the Lotus brand in F1, with Group Lotus and its owner Proton insisting it has sole rights over the name, while Fernandes' squad is adamant that the car company and F1 team were separate in the original Lotus days so its purchase of Team Lotus rights from David Hunt is valid.

In messages on their Twitter pages this morning, both Fernandes and Gascoyne signalled that news that Group Lotus had become a partner of Renault and Genii Capital would not deter them from fighting to use Team Lotus next year.

"Thanks for all the messages of support from our fans," Gascoyne wrote.

"Rest assured, we are Team Lotus and we are here to stay and we at Team Lotus are in F1 to design, build and race F1 cars from our home in Norfolk, and in the future to win as a Team, bring it on."

Fernandes said he was also still extremely positive about his team's prospects in the row - and noted that Group Lotus and Renault were using black and gold colours, the livery his squad had recently announced it would switch to in 2011.

"[Group Lotus CEO] Dany Bahar has done us a favour," Fernandes wrote. "Never felt better about our future and Team Lotus. Looks like they're trying to hijack our black and gold idea."

Gascoyne also took a light-hearted dig at Group Lotus and owner Proton when congratulating Fernandes on being named Businessman of the Year for 2010 by Forbes Asia.

"Congratulations to Tony Fernandes, Forbes Asia businessman of the year. Bet the guys from Proton have never won that!!!" Gascoyne tweeted.

SOURCE: Autosport

BAHAR: TWO LOTUS TEAMS "NO PROBLEM"

Group Lotus CEO Dany Bahar has insisted he would have no problem with Tony Fernandes' Team Lotus continuing with the same name in Formula 1 next year despite his company also entering the world championship with Renault.

Today's confirmation that Group Lotus will become a shareholder in and title sponsor of the Renault team next year, and Fernandes' insistence that he owns the rights to the Team Lotus title and can therefore use it in F1, raises the prospect of two separate Lotus Renault teams appearing on the 2011 grid.

But Bahar said that he would regard this as extra promotion for his brand, rather than a potential source of confusion or competition.

"Not [a problem] at all - for me, four are better than two," Bahar told BBC Radio Norfolk. "The controversy, that is something that has mainly been pushed up by media I would say, has been dealt with directly by our shareholders in Malaysia and with the owners of the 1Malaysia racing team [Team Lotus' parent company], and doesn't really touch us.

"However, my personal opinion is that four Lotus brands out there is better than two. I have nothing against that."

Bahar explained that he felt Group Lotus stood a better chance of achieving cost-effective success by linking up with Renault than if it had got behind Fernandes' team.

"I think that's just a strategy decision, whether you want to build a team from scratch, which is a much, much more costly exercise," he said.

"Maybe there is more satisfaction [with a brand new team] for some individuals, but I think the time you consume and the money you spend in building a team from scratch into a winning team, we can just not afford that exercise.

"And I believe that our brand should be participating in all motor racing activities not for the sake of participating, but for the sake of winning. And that's why we decided to go with one of the top five teams because we believe there is the potential to go back to where they were when they were winning world championship titles."

Group Lotus's F1 move follows a string of expansion announcements, including IndyCar and Le Mans programmes, a tie-up with ART for GP2 and GP3, and a wide variety of new road car projects.

Bahar said he had no doubts at all about the company's strategy and is certain that the F1 programme will pay off.

"I don't think that myself, my management team, the shareholders and all the stakeholders involved would actually agree to a step like this if we were not convinced that it gives us the necessary returns for the brand we are now, and the brand we would like to become in the next two years," he said.

SOURCE: Autosport

GROUP LOTUS HINTS AT FULL TEAM TAKEOVER

Group Lotus says its Formula 1 ambitions extend beyond being a title sponsor and shareholder of the re-branded Lotus Renault team - as it hints about taking full control of the outfit in the next few years.

The Malaysian-owned car maker has taken a significant stake in Lotus Renault, with the other half of the company remaining under the control of Genii Capital.

And although nothing has been decided yet about future ownership plans, Lotus CEO Dany Bahar has hinted about a full-on takeover in the next few years.

"Our way of doing things means that at the end of the project we would like to control it ourselves," he told this week's AUTOSPORT in an exclusive interview.

"It's the same route - it starts somewhere and then you slowly take control. We would not be in for the long-term just to be a sponsor on the team."

Gerard Lopez, the head of Genii Capital which brought a majority shareholding in the team at the end of last year, said that his company remained committed to staying involved for now.

"There is no real timescale to it," he said. "There is the opportunity for the partnership to evolve in the future. To discuss, even between ourselves, what the world is going to look like in five years is really difficult.

"I wouldn't be surprised if there were changes in the future but at this stage things are good the way they are. We are committed long-term."

Lotus's ambitions plans in racing and on the road car front have prompted questions about whether or not the company has the finances in place to see its plans turned into reality.

Bahar is adamant, however, that the money is there for Lotus to succeed.

"We would not commit without backing from shareholders, banks and investors," he said. "If we didn't it would be foolish to come up with ambitious plans like this."

SOURCE: Autosport

This sounds more and more odd as it goes on. So they have got their name on the Renault car but are using a name that has no significance to road cars. If this was a Proton branded car it would make more sense but do Lotus road cars even exist?

Something also seems odd about having two Lotus teams with the same livery and same engine and other parts quite possibly. I am also concerned by Proton having not made any profit last year (apparently from what I read on another article in this union from the Lotus team original comments) and why they are wanting to get the brand into Indy Car or Nascar, whichever it was.

Something seems fishy here, why are two teams running presumably with little in reserve for a real championship push finance wise? If this was a bigger car company I could understand or if Proton had a big cash reserve and branded the cars with Proton then it would make marketing sense but to brand a team with an effectivly dead name seems odd. Is there going to be a Lotus road car made in the future or something?

TEAM LOTUS TO KEEP GREEN LIVERY

Team Lotus will now stick with its green and yellow colours for 2011 after chief Tony Fernandes said it would be 'ludicrous' for his squad to run in the same paint scheme as the rebranded Lotus Renault outfit.

In the wake of the announcement this week that Lotus Cars was buying a stake in the Renault team and becoming its title sponsor, there had been fears that confusion could be caused by both the Enstone outfit and Team Lotus racing with the same black and gold colours for next year.

However, although Fernandes remains steadfast that he will stick with the Team Lotus moniker, he thinks it better for his outfit to stick with the famous green and yellow brand that it used this season rather than see through his original plans to run in black and gold.

Speaking exclusively to AUTOSPORT for the first time since the Lotus/Renault announcement, Fernandes said: "I have no problem that there will be two Lotuses on the grid. But I do think it would be ludicrous if we are both black and gold, and I can inform you that we will be changing our plans for the colour scheme.

"We declared that we were going to run in black and gold, and I'm not going to be childish to say we were first with our plans, so we will do it whatever. They have painted their car black and gold, they have made their intentions clear on that front, so be it.

"But every cloud has a silver lining, and I received some messages from people suggesting that by being black and gold we would be promoting a cigarette company. I wasn't actually aware that JPS [John Player Special] was still being sold in the United Kingdom and various parts of the Commonwealth. So did I need that controversy? No.

"And after yesterday's announcement by the FIA about the new engine plans for 2013, which means F1 is going green - so what better colour to be than green? So, we have been testing our fans' reactions and many have come back to us to say we should stay green and yellow. So, I am 99 per cent sure that we will be green and yellow."

Fernandes has expressed some frustration that Lotus has decided to team up with Renault, rather than throw its weight behind Team Lotus.

Speaking about the Lotus Cars decision, Fernandes said: "My first reaction is obviously disappointment. We were originally given a mandate for five years to go and develop a Formula 1 team.

"There are comments that have emerged in the Malaysian press that Proton was disappointed with our performance, which is one of the reasons that they gave up. I don't know how anyone in their right mind could expect us to be competing in the top half of the grid, or even up in the bottom half of the grid, last year - having just been given an entry in September.

"I stand by the fact that I think we did very well in the year and I think that 99 per cent of the paddock would agree considering where we came from. We built a classy team - a team that could do pitstops in the same time as Ferrari. We looked good, we had a good motorhome and performed well on the track with two good drivers.

"We were the best of the new teams. We had two good drivers and Heikki Kovalainen said he had the greatest season he has had in F1 - which is great testament from a guy who has driven for McLaren and Renault. So I am a bit disappointed that we did not get a chance [from Proton/Group Lotus]."

He added: "Logically I think we could have built a great brand together. I think this year if anyone says that we didn't help Lotus then I think they are mad, because we have helped them. And the reaction from the public is very strongly in support of us. So I think given time we would have built something good, and the perfect scenario for me would have been a merger of the two with one ambition."

Fernandes has said that he will push on with legal moves to get a clarification on the Lotus name situation in the courts, and said he has been hugely encouraged by messages of support from fans.

"You cannot win people overnight," he said. "This support we have got has been built up over a year.

"As I always say, things take time and things have to be done properly. You cannot parachute yourself into a brand. If you look at all my business strategy I have always believed in organic growth. It needs foundations and it needs strategy. You cannot parachute into something and say it is yours.

"People are not stupid any more, and I think the reason for the support is the people see we are trying to do something the right way.

"I am not Colin Chapman, and I never will be. He is a legend and we are not going to emulate him - but everything he did is what we are doing. He built it from scratch and did not buy into anything. You have to have brands that people love. There is lots of competition out there and people have to have respect for what you do."

SOURCE: Autosport

I agree with what he is saying here. Effectivly Proton are likely to end up competing with themselves. I would love to see a Super Aguri situation here where the Team Lotus beat Renault Lotus in the constructors championship next season. The Renault Lotus move may make sense if they were to become partners in road car construction i.e. Renault engines in Lotus cars but seeing as most parts are now General Motors made that would seem unlikely perhaps. I am not sure on the finer details so I may be wrong.

This just seems a messy situation that two cars will run as Lotus but one seems to be a manufacturer and one seems to now be caught in no mans land in terms of who actually owns the team. Do the Malaysian Government and Proton still have any shares in the team and who else outside of Fernandes has any actual investment in the team?

This sounds more and more odd as it goes on. So they have got their name on the Renault car but are using a name that has no significance to road cars. If this was a Proton branded car it would make more sense but do Lotus road cars even exist?

Something also seems odd about having two Lotus teams with the same livery and same engine and other parts quite possibly. I am also concerned by Proton having not made any profit last year (apparently from what I read on another article in this union from the Lotus team original comments) and why they are wanting to get the brand into Indy Car or Nascar, whichever it was.

Something seems fishy here, why are two teams running presumably with little in reserve for a real championship push finance wise? If this was a bigger car company I could understand or if Proton had a big cash reserve and branded the cars with Proton then it would make marketing sense but to brand a team with an effectivly dead name seems odd. Is there going to be a Lotus road car made in the future or something?

Garfield360UK

Currently and under Bahar's CEOship the Lotus brand is projected to come forward and produce 5 new models (some admittedly are reboots of old models) the new Espirit, Elise, Elan, Elite and Eterne. Lotus also shares strong ties to Toyota whom they often use to source engines which they tune and use in their road cars.

In the past Lotus was split into two separate entities – Team Lotus and Lotus the car company – it appears at present that Lotus that competed this year is using the Lotus car manufacturer moniker which has no real motorsport history and is allowed to be used via Proton who is the current parent company of Lotus. Renault on the other hand have purchased the Team Lotus name rights from a different party hence the current conundrum. So I guess they aren't really racing themselves…

Heh.

Should point out Super Aguri never beat Honda. Toro Rosso did beat Red Bull, though.Redders1989

I thought they did in the 2006 season where they out scored the Earth Honda car? Thus the embarasment and the way Nick Fry seemed happy to get the team kicked out in 2007.

[QUOTE="Redders1989"]Should point out Super Aguri never beat Honda. Toro Rosso did beat Red Bull, though.Garfield360UK

I thought they did in the 2006 season where they out scored the Earth Honda car? Thus the embarasment and the way Nick Fry seemed happy to get the team kicked out in 2007.

2006 was their debut year. In 2007 they scored 4 points (all from TS) to Honda's 6 (all from JB).

BAHAR: LOTUS SOUGHT FERNANDES TIE-UP

Group Lotus CEO Dany Bahar has revealed his company did try and broker a deal for an official tie-up with Tony Fernandes in Formula 1 - but says the conditions put to them on the table made it a no-brainer to go and back Renault instead.

With F1 still facing the prospect of there being two Lotus names in the sport next year, Bahar has offered some extra insight into why his company chose to become title sponsor and shareholder of Renault rather than throwing its weight behind Lotus Racing.

Speaking at the RAC Club in London during a Lotus media lunch on Wednesday, Bahar said that his company had originally sought a solution with Fernandes - but said when a deal with Renault was on offer for around a third of the price it was obvious which route had to be taken.

"A question that has come up many times was why did you not find an amicable solution with Tony Fernandes? Well we tried," he said.

"Let me just say when the counter proposals are so ridiculous and absurd, it makes no sense to continue these discussions. And if you can go with a top five team that is maybe one third of the cost that was asked by the other side, then that makes sense.

"We do not have the financial resources, and we don't have the time to invest in a newly formed team that really deserves respect. By buying into an existing one which is well financed, which has the right partners in there, it was just the more conservative approach and we just wanted to fight at the top end of the grid. And that should not sound disrespectful to anyone, but we have such an ambitious plan ahead of us, we don't want to lose time and we want to support the brand out there."

When asked by AUTOSPORT whether he shared Fernandes' view that it would have been a perfect solution for the two entities to tie up, Bahar said: "Yes, I think so. If the price had been right and if some conditions would have been more realistic, then I believe this would have been the right approach.

"We were not afraid of partnering with Mr Fernandes, but as I said, there is one way that Lotus does business - and this is getting involved and not just putting the logo on the car. We need to be involved in the management. We need to take decisions together. We need to fund it together as well, which is fine, but it cannot just be that we are seen as a sponsor, we pay the cheque and everything else is run by someone else. That is something that we will never do. And even if it is a public perception, it will never happen.

"But, as I said before, if we have to take a detour for one year or two years in order to reach control, then we will take this into consideration as long as our brand is respectfully presented and we have the maximum benefits of it for our support and sales. But it was not just the price. There were many elements that meant we could not find the deal."

Bahar has hit back at any suggestions that he had deliberately gone out of his way to scupper Fernandes' F1 ambitions

"Although the public perception is I am the bad guy and I am doing everything I can to sabotage them, this is complete nonsense," he explained. "You cannot imagine that Dany Bahar can influence prime ministers, the board of Lotus, the board of Proton, the shareholders. There are so many people involved and it would not make sense.

"We have to see it a little bit from a reality point of view. We believe F1 is a very good way to flag our brand values for now and for the future. It is the right transportation if you want - and absolutely 100 per cent what we communicate for the future. From that perspective everyone is in agreement."

Bahar also says he is optimistic that a solution will be found between Fernandes and Lotus parent company Proton about the use of the Team Lotus name in F1, which will end once and for all current confusion over the brand's activities in F1.

"The legal battle is what it is," he said. "Will be there be four Lotus cars or two Lotus teams out there? I have no idea. My personal opinion is I don't believe so. I think our shareholders and the other team will probably get to an amicable solution, I hope so, but if not there is always a court who will decide who is right and who is wrong.

"We do not crave to be Team Lotus. We do not want to be Team Lotus. We do not want to change our name to Team Lotus. That is not us. It was a glorious past.

"The Lotus Group was a separate company, but it is part of Mr Chapman's empire if you want. We see it as part of the car manufacturer, whether it was used to support sales or to raise money - it was under one umbrella and they were two different companies. Maybe some formalities will confirm that.

"That is why we believe Team Lotus should be kept where it is. It is a glorious brand. They achieved a lot and they should rest in peace. We as Group Lotus and Chapman himself used Lotus to promote the cars, and we will be doing the same. We are not doing anything wrong; it is what the brand has always done. We see it as a marketing tool.

"The only thing we believe we have a right to is to the name Lotus. If you see any car, whether it is a F1 car or a road car, that is our right - we believe this is the right way for the brand and our lawyers believe we are on strong legal ground saying that Lotus is a brand that belongs to Lotus Cars. So we are not fighting to be Team Lotus.

"We want to use our brand as much as possible, we have a very big promotional budget for the next few years in F1, based around our existing cars, and that is all we want to do. I don't believe any judge in any court in the world can stop us from promoting our brand in any sport, so the fight is not us against Team Lotus."

SOURCE: Autosport

GROUP LOTUS RELAXED OVER RENAULT NAME

Group Lotus CEO Dany Bahar says he is happy with his company just being a Formula 1 team sponsor and shareholder for now - and accepts people will call his Lotus-backed outfit 'Renault'.

Although Renault's F1 team has been rebranded as Lotus Renault because of the title sponsorship deal, the outfit has not designated its chassis as Lotus, which means it is still officially running Renault cars.

Speaking in London on Wednesday, Bahar made it clear his company was not pretending that the team was now wholly Lotus - and said he fully understood that people will continue to call it the Renault team.

"Yes I understand that and we are fully aware of this, and we were aware of this before we did this move," he said. "However, when we fully decide to enter into an activity of this size, it is a long-term agreement, a long-term activity for us. It is not about the next year or the next two years, it is something to establish, to give the sustainability to the whole company for the next 10 years.

"We are well aware that we cannot change the mechanisms that are in place today by changing the chassis name, because this would have a lot of negative consequences. We are fine being a sponsor at the moment, and we have to respect the fact that commentators will just use the name Renault. That is unfortunately as it is."

Bahar once again admitted that the future plans remain open, however, with the possibility of Lotus taking over full control in the next few years.

"I don't think it makes sense to enter just for two years with the sticker on the car without having a long-term plan for it and without having a heavy involvement," he said. "And having involvement is something that we are trying to maximise as much as possible from day one by setting up a group of engineers that are working in Enstone and trying to get technology transfer from F1 into our new road cars.

"This is all we can do in the short term, but it is a long term plan and the time will come when we will be in charge of doing the things the way Lotus was always doing."

SOURCE: Autosport

FERNANDES DENIES BAHAR OFFERED DEAL

Lotus Racing boss Tony Fernandes has called for an end to the public mud-slinging in the fight over the future of the brand in Formula 1, after he moved to dismiss any suggestion he priced out Dany Bahar from a tie-up deal.

Bahar, the Group Lotus CEO, claimed at a media lunch in London on Wednesday that he had tried to do a deal with Fernandes to tie-up Group Lotus and the F1 team but was forced to abandon the move when he suggested that Renault offered him a similar deal for a third of the price.

Fernandes has strongly denied Bahar's claims, however, and says the time has come to stop accusations being thrown about in public.

"There was no such thing as an offer," Fernandes told AUTOSPORT about Bahar's claims. "There is an understanding that Lotus's involvement with Renault is worth £20 million, which would therefore mean that I was seeking £60 million - which is a complete fabrication.

"We never got past an initial dinner meeting. Dany Bahar and Riad Asmat met and that was it. No offers were ever exchanged.

"We were very open to equity sharing, working together and other combinations. We wanted it to work for the good of the Lotus brand - and it made sense to combine.

"I can state categorically that there is no way we were three times more expensive. Dany got it into his mind that Mike Gascoyne was old school and that it would take a long, long time for Lotus Racing to be a challenger at the top.

"I think with the package we have got, towards the end of next season we will be not very far away from Renault F1 and if he had been a bit more patient, given it a bit more time and been open to news then a super collaboration could have happened."

Fernandes has said several times that his biggest fear in the fight over the future of the Lotus name was in the brand getting damaged - which is why he now wants the matter to get sorted out behind closed doors.

"It has got too much," he said. "Over the last few days I have had attacks from Dany Bahar, Eric Boullier and Gerard Lopez. Personally I think it has got a little bit out of hand and a lot of it is fabricated.

"How Eric Boullier can say we have fooled fans - I think that is an insult to fans. Fans will make up their own mind. If we are not up to the mark they will not give us any support. You cannot fool anyone.

"This will be my last statement on the matter and hopefully some common sense will arise.

"All we wanted to do was bring Lotus back to racing and build a good relationship with Group Lotus and I think that would have been the best solution for everyone.

"We never wanted to bring these matters up in public, and when it (Lotus sponsoring Renault) came out we kept a very low profile about it.

"But there have been so many accusations that we have had to defend our position. If Group Lotus value the brand then we should try and find a solution to this. We are open to that."

SOURCE: Autosport

Team Lotus rebrands factory

Team Lotus is pressing full steam ahead with its plans to use the famous name in Formula 1 next year after rebranding its factory and relaunching its team website in the build-up to Christmas.

With intense focus on the use of the Lotus name in F1 in 2011, as Lotus Racing becomes Team Lotus and the road car company Group Lotus throws its weight behind the Renault team, the latest move provides a clear indication that the Hingham-based team is not stalling in its intentions.

Lotus Racing bought the rights to use the Team Lotus moniker from previous owner David Hunt back in September, and is currently locked in a legal dispute with Group Lotus over the use of the name in F1.

At Hingham this week the old Lotus Racing branding was removed and replaced with Team Lotus, while the team's official website has been changed to http://www.teamlotus.co.uk/.

Team Lotus boss Tony Fernandes wrote on his Twitter account on Tuesday: "The migration to Team Lotus brand has started. It's a shame. I liked Lotus Racing and always thought Team Lotus [should] be returned to Chapman family. But that's the deck of hand [cards] we got handed."

Group Lotus CEO Dany Bahar said last week that his company had no intention of trying to grab the Team Lotus brand, or making a claim to the heritage of the name.

"We are not claiming to be Team Lotus or to become Team Lotus," he said. "Team Lotus is something that should rest in peace. They had a glorious past, and incredible success. All we are trying to do is to make use of the heritage, as probably any other car company would do as well to support their sales and to market their products.

"But we do not want to become a second Team Lotus. We will never be. It is just, as you say, a car company trying to come up with a new Formula 1 programme."

Interestingly, Team Lotus has been forced to use a British domain name for its website, with the international http://www.teamlotus.com/ until yesterday directing viewers to the web pages of Group Lotus.

SOURCE: Autosport.com

Team Lotus unveils winning design

Team Lotus has unveiled the black-and-gold paint scheme that it would have based its 2011 design on if it had not decided to keep the colours it ran this year.

The Hingham-based team launched a fans' competition in November to design its car's colouring for next year after announcing its intention to run in black and gold.

However, with rivals Renault revealing its own black-and-gold car for new title sponsor Group Lotus, the outfit's plans changed and it decided to stick with the green-and-yellow colours that it used this season.

Due to the quality of the offerings from fans, Team Lotus pressed ahead with the competition plans anyway and, after revealing the winner, it has announced that it will paint up a 2011 show car in the livery.

The full design from competition winner Raphael Campos can be viewed here.

SOURCE: Autosport.com

CHAPMAN FAMILY BACKS GROUP LOTUS

The family of Colin Chapman has thrown its support behind Group Lotus's ambitions with the Renault team, after expressing its view that it would prefer the Team Lotus name not to return to Formula 1.

With no end in sight to the naming row that will see the Group Lotus-sponsored Renault team going up against Team Lotus in F1 next year, Lotus founder Colin Chapman's son Clive has now made his views clear for the first time.

In a statement issued on Thursday on behalf of the Chapman family by Clive, who is managing director of CIassic Team Lotus, he says he is fully behind the efforts of Group Lotus CEO Dany Bahar.

And although previously he gave his blessing to the efforts of Lotus Racing when it had a deal in place with Group Lotus to use the name, he claims the situation is different now that the outfit's licencing deal with the road car company has ended.

"The Chapman Family is impressed by the exciting developments underway at Group Lotus, and it is very grateful to Proton for the significant investment that is being made, to secure a strong future for the excellent workforce at the Hethel factory," stated Chapman.

"In 2010 the Chapman Family and Classic Team Lotus have been pleased to support Group Lotus in many ways. In consultation with Proton, this included supporting the use of the Lotus name in Formula 1, which was licensed by Group Lotus.

"The Chapman Family was impressed by the achievements of Lotus Racing as a new team, and appreciated its respect for Team Lotus history. However, then its license to use the Lotus name was terminated and things changed."

Tony Fernandes' operation is taking Group Lotus to court over the termination of its licencing deal. While that matter is ongoing, the outfit purchased the Team Lotus name from its owner David Hunt in a deal agreed in September so it could rebrand the outfit.

The Team Lotus name is the moniker that Colin Chapman's F1 team originally ran under, and his son says the family would like its name not to be used in F1 again.

"During 2010, the Chapman Family, as and when appropriate, made it clear to those involved that it would prefer that the Team Lotus name should not be used in Formula 1. Indeed, assurances to this effect were received," he said.

"The Team Lotus identity represents the motor racing legacy of Colin Chapman, and this was preserved by the Chapman Family and invested within CIassic Team Lotus. The association by Group Lotus with Team Lotus history is much appreciated and entirely appropriate, especially as it is in keeping with how things were in Colin Chapman's time.

"The Chapman Family is looking forward to continuing to give its support to Group Lotus, which is the ongoing Lotus entity created by Colin and Hazel Chapman. After all, the Lotus marque is the responsibility of Group Lotus, and Hethel is the home of Lotus."

SOURCE: Autosport

BAHAR: LOTUS ROW CAN AVOID COURT

Group Lotus is confident that its naming dispute with Team Lotus will be settled before it hits the courts later this year.

The British sportscar manufacturer is at the centre of a legal row with Team Lotus over its rival's right to use the name, plus the termination of a deal the outfit had to run as Lotus Racing last season.

The arguments have overshadowed Group Lotus' title sponsorship deal with Renault - and neither side has shown any sign of backing down over the matter.

Unless a settlement is reached, the case will hit the courts in the early summer - although Group Lotus CEO Dany Bahar is upbeat that the situation can be sorted out before that.

"I don't think it will be a matter solved by English courts," Bahar said in an interview with the BBC. "I think it will be solved before that. But if we have to go the legal way, we will - and our shareholders will support that."

Bahar has reiterated that he never set out to end Group Lotus's tie-up with Fernandes when he originally joined the company, but instead claims the two parties had to go their own way because they had different visions for the future.

"When I arrived with a new management team, we had our own ideas and plans and that's nobody's fault, not the shareholders' and not Mr Fernandes' fault," he said. "We have a crystal clear vision of where we want to go in future.

"I think with any business relationship, you start on good terms and if it turns out to be beneficial for both parties, you continue. If not, you just stop - it's like in a marriage. And this one turned out to be an unsuccessful relationship."

SOURCE: Autosport

TRULLI: LOTUS DISPUTE HAS MOTIVATED TEAM

Jarno Trulli says that his and Team Lotus's motivation for 2011 are higher than they have ever been before - as he claims the naming row surrounding the outfit has actually helped spur it on this winter.

With less than a fortnight to go before the new Team Lotus car hits the track for the first time at Valencia, Trulli says there is genuine excitement within the Hingham-based outfit about what is achievable this year.

He believes his team's deal for Renault engines and Red Bull Racing transmission will be critical in helping the team deliver a good car.

"We know we have the package to compete for at least the midfield and our aim is to race for points at every race," Trulli told AUTOSPORT in an exclusive interview on Monday. "I know it will be hard, but we know the package has the potential.

"We have a brand new Renault engine, we have a Red Bull gearbox - so we are thinking we can do well. Mike [Gascoyne, technical chief] has worked hard to set up a great team and get ready for this year.

"But while no-one exactly knows where they are going to be, I always dream and hope that we can do better than we expect. It has happened many times in the past - so maybe we can exceed our expectations for this year. I feel very confident."

Much of the talk surrounding Team Lotus over the winter has focused on the naming dispute between it and rival Renault, which has signed a sponsorship deal with Lotus.

Although that spat became quite heated in public, Trulli thinks the situation has been a blessing - acting as a rallying call for all the staff at Hingham.

"I think it has motivated a lot of people here," he said. "That stretches from the management like Tony Fernandes through to the shareholders, who have been through a lot of difficulties, and down to the last members of the team.

"What Tony did was unique. He has worked hard to bring the Lotus name back on track, which no-one had done for many years. He also just didn't go out there and buy a team.

"He and Mike [Gascoyne] made up the team from scratch - which comes from the Lotus mentality. It would have been easier to buy a team, but that is not what Colin Chapman did. He drew his own and manufactured his own F1 cars.

"That is why this is the real Team Lotus - and that is what makes it unique and different from the other Lotus team on track. We know that Group Lotus is going to sponsor the Renault team, and that is a very different thing - we have to make that very clear.

"They can argue and they can go to court, but at the end of the day the people understand what Team Lotus is and why it is doing what it is doing.

"It belongs to the heritage and the story of Colin Chapman. I am sure that Colin Chapman would have been proud of what we are doing. And to do that we need to deliver. That is not going to happen from just one day to another, and it will take a bit of time, but there will be more satisfaction when we do that.

"In my opinion, Tony is doing the right thing, even though we feel a bit sad about the row."

Trulli also says the progress Lotus has made over the winter has left him eager to get back to his best on track.

"Last year was the beginning of a new era for Team Lotus and we knew that with even limited time we could compete," he said. "So we put all our efforts onto this season, so we are very confident.

"I am very fired up, to be honest. It is like my first day of racing again. I admit that 2010 was difficult - but my confident feeling is back now."

SOURCE: Autosport

LOTUS NAMING CASE TO BEGIN NEXT WEEK

The legal battle over the use of the Lotus name in Formula 1 is to hit the courts much earlier than originally anticipated - with the car company's bid for a summary judgement to be heard next week.

It had been expected that the legal row between Group Lotus and Team Lotus would not be in court until the early summer.

But Group Lotus is seeking a summary judgement on the main legal issues - that its early termination of its licencing deal with Lotus Racing was a breach of contract and over whether Team Lotus is allowed to use the name in Formula 1 this year.

The matter is set to be heard in the London courts on January 24.

A summary judgement is applied for by parties involved in legal disputes as a way of trying to avoid a full-blown trial and all the legal costs associated with it.

In a separate development, the Renault team's plans to run a black-and-gold livery for title sponsor Lotus has come under the spotlight of anti-tobacco campaigners.

With the colour scheme synonymous with the John Player Special sponsorship of the 1970's and 1980's, concerns have been voiced in Canada about whether the team will be allowed to run it there because of the country's strict anti-tobacco advertising legislation.

A spokesperson for Health Canada, which enforces the country's Tobacco Act, told the Toronto Globe and Mail: "Tobacco inspectors would need to fully review to assess whether a violation of the Tobacco Act has occurred.

"The Tobacco Act prohibits the promotion of tobacco products or tobacco product-related brand elements in Canada, except as authorized by the Act or regulations. Tobacco product sponsorship is prohibited entirely and tobacco advertising is severely restricted."

Group Lotus CEO Dany Bahar told AUTOSPORT in December that he was not worried the black-and-gold colours would be linked with tobacco.

"I don't think we are using the kind of logos that the John Player Special cars used," he said.

"I simply believe, and again this is my personal opinion, I believe this is one of the two most beautiful liveries in Formula 1. This is why we will use it, and nothing else. I do not believe we will have any negative implications with potential tobacco advertising."

SOURCE: Autosport

COURT HEARING WILL NOT RESOLVE LOTUS ROW

The row over the use of the Lotus name in Formula 1 hits the courts in London today - but irrespective of the outcome of the first legal skirmish, the matter will certainly continue to drag on until much later this year.

Team Lotus, which is owned by Tony Fernandes, is facing a legal battle with Group Lotus over the rights to use his outfit's name from the start of 2011.

He is not only involved in a court case over what he claims was an illegal termination of a five-year licencing deal he had to run as Lotus Racing, but he is also fighting an action from the sportscar manufacturer which believes that he is not allowed to race under the Team Lotus banner either.

Group Lotus is going to court today to apply for a summary judgement over the termination of the licencing deal, which it believes means Fernandes' operation - 1Malaysia Racing - is not allowed to continue using the Lotus name in F1.

A judge will decide whether there are grounds for a full-blown legal case, or whether the matter is so cut-and-dry that there is no need for one. The latter outcome is believed to be unlikely, however.

Even if the judge did decide that Group Lotus has a valid argument to prevent 1Malaysia Racing from using the Lotus name in its title, the ruling would almost certainly go to appeal - forcing the court case further down the road anyway.

Fernandes himself said on Monday there was no possibility of the legal situation coming out of this week's court case preventing Team Lotus from racing under that name in 2011.

"Many confused about case today," he wrote on his Twitter feed. "It's not about Team Lotus name who owns it, which is in November. We brought that case to prove once and for all.

"Today's case is Group [Lotus] desperate attempt to use their one way unlawful termination of license agreement of Lotus Racing. Saying 1Malaysia can't use Lotus [name]. Part of post termination clauses. So nothing changes on Team Lotus."

The court hearing is scheduled to begin at 2pm on Monday, with a verdict not expected until Tuesday.

SOURCE: Autosport

LOTUS DISPUTE GETS MARCH COURT DATE

The dispute over the Lotus name in Formula 1 will now go to trial much earlier than originally expected, after a High Court judge today pushed for a swift resolution to the matter.

Although Mr Justice Peter Smith rejected a bid by Group Lotus for a summary judgement on one of the naming matters at a hearing on Monday, he told legal representatives that the situation needs to be settled as quickly as possible.

He has now pencilled in a March 21 date for the trial to begin - which means it will commence the week before the second race of the season in Australia.

With an intention to have the trial wrapped up in 10 days, the Lotus name row should be settled in the early stages of the 2011 campaign. It had originally been likely the situation would drag on beyond the end of the season.

It is understood that the March 21 trial will hear all the legal matters relating to the dispute between Team Lotus, which is run by Tony Fernandes, and the road car company Group Lotus.

The row revolves around what Team Lotus claims was an early termination of the five-year licencing deal it originally had with Group Lotus to run a Lotus team, plus issues relating to its right to use the Team Lotus moniker in F1.

Although the judge's decision to bring an early trial does not provide any indication about which party will win in the court case, one legal expert said the refusal to grant a summary judgement was an early triumph for Team Lotus.

Tim Lowles, an associate partner at Collyer Bristow, one of the UK's leading motorsport legal experts, said: "The summary judgement application was made by Group Lotus, and it was a fairly gutsy application to make.

"You have to be fairly confident when you make an application like that, and it would appear to me, as I was not in the court, that the judge did not decide to get into the nuts and bolts of the application. He felt it better to decide all the issues at a proper hearing on March 21.

"If anything, it is a victory for Team Lotus because Group Lotus has not been able to bring the claim to an end. However, all the issues remain in the air, and there has been no further clarity as to the issues involved in the dispute."

SOURCE: Autosport

TEAM LOTUS CONFIDENT OVER NAMING CASE

Team Lotus has declared itself 'confident' that it will win its legal dispute with Group Lotus and be able to use its famous name in Formula 1 this year, in the wake of the first court skirmish between the parties.

The London High Court on Monday rejected a bid by Group Lotus for a summary judgement on issues relating to what Team Lotus claims was an early termination of a five-year licencing deal it originally put in place from 2010.

But as well as Mr. Justice Peter Smith stating that he felt the dispute could only be settled with a full-blown case, he also said that he wanted the trial to begin as early as possible.

A push to try and get the matter into court before the start of the 2011 season could not be realised, but a March 21 date has been pencilled in for the proceedings to begin.

With that date falling between the first two races of the season in Bahrain and Australia, it means that unless there is an out-of-court settlement in the next few weeks Team Lotus will definitely be starting the campaign with its current name.

A statement issued by Team Lotus after the court hearing said it was pleased with how the proceedings went and that it remained bullish the final outcome would go its way.

"Team Lotus is delighted that we were successful at the Summary Judgment Application hearing today and that the Judge threw out Group Lotus' application even before hearing the arguments of the barristers on either side," said the statement.

"Although this decision was never in doubt, it means that we start the 2011 season under the Team Lotus name. Whilst we expected that the Judge would refuse this application, it is good to have the decision in black and white.

"The Judge also felt that it was in everyone's best interests to bring the hearing date for the full trial forward and that is now fixed for 21st March rather than us having to wait until Autumn 2011 or even later. We remain confident that we will succeed at the full trial and we can now focus on the challenges ahead in the 2011 FIA Formula 1 World Championship."

Team Lotus boss Tony Fernandes wrote on his Twitter feed that he too was delighted with the current situation.

"Very, very happy over the judgment today," he wrote. "And extremely happy that full trial brought forward to March 21st.The good do always eventually win."

SOURCE: Autosport

GROUP LOTUS UPBEAT OVER NAMING ROW

Group Lotus says it is upbeat that it will prevent Tony Fernandes from using the Lotus name in Formula 1 when their dispute hits the courts in March.

The London High Court on Monday demanded that the row over the use of the Lotus name in F1 should go to trial as soon as possible - with a March 21 court date having now been laid down.

Although Team Lotus viewed the judge's decision as a triumph, because he had failed to give Group Lotus the summary judgement it sought, the car company says it is equally positive about the development.

In a statement issued on Tuesday afternoon, the company said: "Group Lotus and Proton are delighted with the outcome of yesterday's hearing in which the Judge ordered a full trial of this matter to be heard as soon as possible given the proximity of the start of the new 2011 Formula 1 season in a few weeks. The trial has been fixed at the English High Court for 21 March 2011.

"Group Lotus and Proton have been made aware of the press release issued by 1Malaysia Racing Team (1MRT), it is completely incorrect and a misrepresentation of the Judge's decision suggesting that Group Lotus' application was "thrown out".

"No decision was made on Group Lotus' application. The Judge proposed that the better procedural route was to order a speedy trial of all the issues in dispute in the case. 1MRT initially resisted the Judge's approach to resolve all matters quickly and before the start of the 2011 Formula 1 season but the order was subsequently made and the first available date was 21 March."

Group Lotus also remained positive that it would win the case - with both sides now saying they are 'confident' of winning.

"Group Lotus and Proton have always held the view that this matter should be resolved as soon as possible in the interests of Formula 1 and the fans," added the statement. "We therefore welcome this decision and look forward to the full trial.

"We are confident that at the trial Group Lotus will succeed in preventing 1MRT, Mr Fernandes and his companies, from using the Lotus name in Formula 1 once and for all."

SOURCE: Autosport

It would be funny if neither were allowed to use the name. Then we would probably get a case of "Group One being sued by Renault Group One over name".

This is really getting pathetic, sort it out outside of courts or keep it stump until the case is settled. All this mud slinging just makes both sides look bad to be honest.

RENAULT FRUSTRATED BY LOTUS NAME ROW

Renault team owner Gerard Lopez has expressed his frustration at the ongoing row over the use of the Lotus name in Formula 1 - and has urged his rival Tony Fernandes to come clean about the real reasons behind the dispute.

Ahead of a court case that will start in March to decide the fate of the Lotus brand in F1, and whether Fernandes can use the Team Lotus moniker, Lopez says he is frustrated that the matter has overshadowed the build-up to the new season.

And although the controversy between his own Lotus-sponsored Renault outfit and Team Lotus has caused much confusion among fans, Lopez is adamant that arguments about heritage and passion are disguising the real reasons behind the situation.

Lopez insists that the fight is purely about money - and that Fernandes is only determined to keep using the Lotus name because otherwise he would have to sacrifice television rights money that could be due to him after finishing tenth in the Constructors' Championship last year.

"I can tell when somebody is trying to twist things - and it is a shame because we've never twisted things in any form or fashion," said Lopez at the launch of the new Renault at Valencia on Monday.

"We've just said that we have a partnership with Lotus - Lotus are a great car company and I think they have decided to be quite aggressive in terms of development. They want to have a business association with F1, they want to promote their brand and, honestly, there is only one Lotus car company. Anything else is a bunch of BS.

"I am aware of the negotiations that took place and I know that money is essentially the centre piece of this. It is not passion; it is not taking over Colin Chapman's legacy or whatever.

"It is a fact that if 1Malaysia Racing changes its name, it loses its FOM money. And yeah, it is an issue for them - and one that probably I would not take too kindly to if I was in their shoes. Obviously I would be fighting.

"But just admit to the reality - and the fact is, it is about money and nothing else."

If a constructor changes its name without approval from rival outfits and the sport's commercial chiefs, including Bernie Ecclestone, then it has to sacrifice its rights to a share of F1's commercial income.

AUTOSPORT understands that Lotus could be eligible for as much as $36 million in future prize and television rights money for its performance last year after breaking into the top ten - although such payments also depend on its performances in the next few seasons too.

Lopez thinks the public arguments about the fate of the Lotus name have only served to damage the brand's name.

"I don't think there is any question about who is going to be who on the race track, but I still think it is damaging to have that go around the Lotus name," he said.

"And what I believe is quite damaging is to act as the small team that has been beaten up, as David and Goliath. Hello? We are a private team. We do have a sponsor but we are privately owned and we just happen to be bigger.

"But the whole thing about being the poor kid who gets beaten up at the back of the room? That makes me laugh sometimes. The fact is it is all about money. They stand to lose money if they change the name, and they should be honest and say that."

Lopez says the issue with television rights money was why Renault decided not to try and changes its name to Lotus, despite the major sponsorship tie-up and plans by the car company to become a future shareholder in the outfit.

When asked by AUTOSPORT about whether a constructors' name change was considered, Lopez said: "No. Because we are honest about it. We would have lost money. And rather than BS, we would rather tell the truth.

"The fact is we have a Renault engine, we have a Renault partnership and we are Renault's preferred team in terms of development for the future for the 2013 engine, so we have a right to keep the Renault name.

"But at the same time, if we tried to change, it we would have had issues with the television rights. We are honest about it and never claimed anything else."

Lopez also confirmed that his Genii Capital company was the 100 per cent owner of the Renault team, despite an initial announcement that Lotus had become a major shareholder in the team when its sponsorship deal was revealed.

"We bought the 25 per cent left from Renault, so we own today 100 per cent," he said. "Lotus is a sponsor number one, and they have actually purchased an option that gives them a right to purchase a certain stake in the team within the next two years.

"But as we speak and, for the foreseeable future, we are totally the owners. We have a lot of relationships at Proton above the F1 level and that is really what makes this work. Whether they own 1 per cent or 51 per cent or 101 per cent , at the end of the day, it is a bigger picture that has really put this together, so in that sense it is less of an issue."

SOURCE: Autosport

My return question is why are your team trying to cheat Lotus from last year out of their winnings? This seems a bit of a dirty tactic, the more this goes on the more I am starting to dislike Renault Lotus for their behaviour. They are the ones suing and then expect the Team Lotus group to lie down and take it.Garfield360UK

What's awkward is, I have the capability of posing that question to them, but I can't for the sakes of it's my one doorway leading me in to F1 right now.

Yeah I would avoid that really. It would not be a sensible question to ask if you were interested in working for the team or formula one writing in general.

It just really bugs me what they have done there, I used to think perhaps there was something Team Lotus had done but this seems an indication of Renault Lotus just trying to take out compeition using diry tricks to be honest.

HUNT HITS OUT AT FERNANDES AS COURT CASE BEGINS

The Lotus naming row has taken a new twist on the day when the court case between Tony Fernandes' Team Lotus and Proton-owned Group Lotus commences.

David Hunt, who Fernandes acquired the Team Lotus naming rights from when Group Lotus withdrew the squad's licence to run as Lotus Racing, has now hit out at Fernandes and revealed a disagreement over the terms of their deal. He had previously been a strong supporter of the second-year squad's right to use the Lotus title in Formula 1.

"When we had to make the Team Lotus staff redundant in 1995 I made a promise to them and the fans to return it to F1 in the hands of a worthy custodian, and initially I had high hopes that [Lotus bosses] Tony, Din and Nasa were going to tick the boxes," Hunt told the Daily Telegraph.

"What angers me is that I have, in good faith, worked extremely hard on the build-up to the hearing because I believed Tony would honour our January agreement.

"He's apparently 'changed his mind' at the 11th hour, by his own admission, now that I've done so much work on his company's behalf, and he's trying to renegotiate by offering new terms which are, frankly, ludicrous.

"All I'm looking for is for Tony to stick to his word and honour our agreement. If he doesn't, then regrettably I don't see why I should continue to provide assistance and this trial won't be the last battle he's facing, even if he wins."

A Lotus spokesman rejected Hunt's claim, telling the Telegraph: "Team Lotus has an agreement with David Hunt which was signed by both parties. David Hunt has tried to renegotiate that agreement, which Team Lotus is not prepared to do."

The court case which commences today is intended to finally resolve all issues in the Lotus versus Lotus row.

Having now entered into a title sponsorship deal with the Renault team, Group Lotus is arguing that Fernandes has no right to continue using the Lotus brand in F1, while Fernandes believes both that he has a legitimate claim to operate as Team Lotus and that his agreement with Group Lotus was unfairly terminated.

SOURCE: Autosport

Three tweets by Tony Fernandes in the past 5 minutes...

Amazing how greed corrupts and turns people into monsters. So damm determined to remain team lotus. Never been so determined. The good will always win. I am so looking forward to go racing and I'm going to enjoy every minute of it.Tony Fernandes on Twitter

Never said it but after all we have been subjected to we deserve to be team lotus. I am so proud of each and every team member for the honesty the hard work and the amazing passion they have put into this team in one year.Tony Fernandes on Twitter

We built a team on trust and belief and passion. That's worth more than all the money anyone can give me. Its what dreams and legends are made of. We did it for the right reasons.Tony Fernandes on Twitter

I wander where the mud throwing will end?

This is a joke for corpate business's to be acting in this fashion. I hope this gets sorted out soon rather than draging on and on. Its even more complex now Renault supply Lotus and their manufacturer team.

Out of interest, who actually owns Lotus the team now? (as in the team known as Lotus last year) as it seems Proton and others were involved but now Mr Fernandes seems to be the face man for the team and little is coming from any other parties other than Renault trying to throw dirt at Team Lotus.

TEAM LOTUS RECEIVES SUPPORT FROM DAVID HUNT

Team Lotus has received a message of support from David Hunt, the man who used to own the name - just a few days after he had hit out at team principal Tony Fernandes.

Ahead of the first race for the Team Lotus moniker since the 1994 Australian Grand Prix, Hunt has now said he is fully behind the outfit.

"This is an emotional weekend for me," said Hunt, who has been in court this week for the Team Lotus v Group Lotus legal battle, in a statement released on Sunday. "The journey has been long and hard and, as many know, it's not yet quite over, which is why I've been unable to travel to Melbourne to witness the event to which I've been dedicated since 1995 when I promised the loyal Team Lotus staff and fans that we would bring it back to Formula 1.

"I therefore wish to thank the many Team Lotus fans around the world who have kept faith and encouraged me over the years, and to wish the new Team Lotus staff both in Melbourne and back in the UK, who are now charged with creating a new chapter of success in the marque's history, the very best of success for this weekend."

Hunt said that one of the key factors that had come out of the court case has been how important Colin Chapman's legacy remains.

"Sitting in a London courtroom all week listening to unpleasant legal wranglings has, however, reminded all present of the towering impact on both the racing and road car industries made by Colin Chapman. His presence dominates the room.

"Whatever the legal issues over his legacy 30 years after his death, racing was his love, Team Lotus the 'jewel in the crown' of his business empire, and Formula 1 the arena in which all of his extraordinary qualities and talents were most passionately unleashed and expressed.

"Living up to 'Chunky's' unique legacy is a big task, but I know the boys and girls of this new Team Lotus relish the challenge and I wish them well in keeping the Chapman racing spirit alive and adding to the marque's glittering history."

The Lotus case continues next week, with several witnesses having already taken to the stand - including former FIA president Max Mosley, Group Lotus CEO Dany Bahar and former Lotus technical director Peter Wright.

SOURCE: Autosport

ED: What the... I don't even...

Team Lotus linked to Caterham tie-up

Team Lotus has been linked to a tie-up deal with sportscar manufacturer Caterham, with an announcement about a takeover possible as early as next week.

The Hingham-based outfit has announced that it is to hold a major press conference at Duxford Airfield next week - although it has not confirmed any further details.

In an invite sent to the press, the team stated that the media event would be "an incredibly exciting announcement about the future of the team".

Sources have revealed to AUTOSPORT that Team Lotus could be on the verge of a takeover of Caterham - which if it came off would provide obvious marketing and technical opportunities between the F1 operation and the road car business.

The link with Caterham could also in theory give the F1 team another option in terms of a future brand name for the outfit, if it opts to move away from the 'Team Lotus' moniker on the back of the dispute with Group Lotus.

Team Lotus declined to comment on the Caterham speculation when contacted by AUTOSPORT on Thursday.

Next week's press event will also likely come before there is any firm answer from the British courts about the ongoing Lotus naming dispute.

It had originally been hoped that the judge could issue his verdict as early as this week, but sources suggest that there will now be a delay for several weeks - meaning the issue will not be settled until next month.

SOURCE: Autosport.com

LOTUS CONFIRMS CATERHAM PURCHASE

Team Lotus Enterprises has confirmed the purchase of British sportscar maker Caterham Cars, as reported by AUTOSPORT last week.

The deal will enable the lightweight sportscar manufacturer to "expand its brand profile and product family," according to Team Lotus.

"Caterham has a unique place at the heart of the motoring world," said Team Lotus owner Tony Fernandes. "As well as being proudly and staunchly British, it has an enviable and uniquely unblemished reputation within the industry for performance, handling and engineering excellence.

"Caterham Cars has remained wholly faithful to Colin Chapman's philosophy of 'less is more', and the DNA of the original Seven can still be traced to the newest additions to Caterham's product offering.

"It is already a successful business with sales across Europe, Japan, Australia and the Middle East, and under the guidance of the existing management team, we now have all the ingredients and the launch pad to further evolve that spirit and take Caterham to new exciting horizons with innovative products and greater global brand exposure."

The announcement comes before a decision from the British courts about the ongoing Lotus naming dispute, although there was no mention of a rumoured name change in the statement.

The team said that the purchase will signal the continued development of its famous Seven brand, using F1 technology.

Caterham Cars' managing director Ansar Ali added: "This is yet another exciting chapter in the Caterham story. Until now, the resources Caterham has had at its disposal have, naturally, limited the exposure of the Caterham driving experience and the legendary Seven has had to rely almost entirely on its remarkable reputation and legacy.

"We will remain entirely true to the philosophy that we, as custodians of one man's motoring concept, have protected for nearly 40 years.

"However, the acquisition of the company by Team Lotus Enterprises will allow our existing management team to take Caterham's core spirit of pure driving enjoyment to a hitherto un-served audience.

"While the Seven will now have the global springboard it deserves and will continue to be evolved yet further, we also have the opportunity to expand the Caterham family beyond the Seven and SP/300.R and breathe new life into our uniquely respected brand and mature it into a truly global business."

SOURCE: Autosport

LOTUS NAME ROW VERDICT ON FRIDAY

The High Court decision on the Lotus naming row will be revealed on Friday afternoon when the judgement is delivered by Mr Justice Peter Smith in London.

Although the case was originally heard back in March, the judge has spent the intervening time - which has also been interspersed with Easter holidays - deliberating on his verdict.

However, the official listing for the High Court of Justice Chancery Division issued on Thursday, said that the judge's decision would finally be made public on Friday.

Mr Justice Peter Smith will deliver his verdict in Court 61 at 2pm in the case that has been listed as Group Lotus PLC & anr v 1Malaysia Racing Team SDN BHD & ors Pt Hd.

The judge is expected to issue his verdict on whether Team Lotus is allowed to use the 'Lotus' name in F1, and also whether or not the team was in breach of the licensing deal that it originally had with Group Lotus.

SOURCE: Autosport