Wednesday 6th October 2010

Lotus F1 To Use Red Bull Gears, Renault Engine

Fledgling F1 team gets serious with new running gear deal for 2011

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The Lotus F1 Team seems set to use Red Bull gearbox and hydraulics coupled with a rumoured switch to Renault motive power for 2011 in a subtle reworking of that old adage: if you can't beat 'em, copy 'em.

Lotus has been fairly consistently at the head of the 'newbie' teams this season, but it is still a significant chunk of time behind the F1 establishment.

But if Lotus confirms a deal to use Renault customer engines next season, it will have the same engine and gearbox package as Red Bull, a "real statement of our intention" according to team boss Tony Fernandes.

Those of a misty-eyed persuasion may mourn the passing of the combination of Lotus and Cosworth, but that deal has now been firmly terminated, and using such proven running gear as Lotus will get from Red Bull and Renault gives the team a chance to conentrate fully on chassis design and Aero.

[D18OCK]

Whilst I feel it is a good move for Lotus to make this doesn't automatically mean they will be keeping up with Red Bull. They arn't buying Adrian Newey afterall!

Let us remember that Ferrari and Mercedes have proivded customer engines for years - it is the aero that makes all the difference. This years Mercedes GP vs McLaren for example!

[WMP]

Didn't the old Esprit have a Renault box?

[Stu R]

Not expecting them to be anywhere near the front just yet, but it's certainly a step in the right direction towards making a more competitive grid overall. Some of the best racing this season has been at the middle and back of the grid, the more competitive these new teams can get the better F1 gets for us, the viewers.

I approve

[NISaxoVTR]

Did lotus ever race with their own lotus developed engine/gearbox/mechanicals in the past? The fact the lotus car company want nothing to do with this team and the car seemingly has no lotus developed parts makes them carrying the Lotus name/colour scheme a bit of a farce. I'd love to see a factory lotus team on the grid, but this just smells of a badged up minardi.

[_Batty_]

WMP said:

Didn't the old Esprit have a Renault box?

did indeed.
which was pants, and sh*t itself given any sort of hard workout.

[simonrockman]

Renault engines
Red Bull gearbox

Whose name?

[anonymous-user]

They've hired a load of RB staff as well, things are looking up

[Dodgey_Rog]

Trulli can win races, just Kovalinen lacks consistency, seems bit of a nearly man. Lets hope its brings them forward next season.

[GT Kodiak]

Seems silly to me.

They've not yet really given the cosworth a proper shot precisely because their aero wasn't/isn't up to scratch...

If I could I'd stick with the desired running gear and then build the car around it.

[Gary C]

Seem to be ignoring the fact that Group Lotus are demanding the use of the Name Team Lotus is illegal, and are withdrawing the right to use the Lotus F1 name.

Wonder where this will go.

[PaulMoor]

By all accounts the cossy engine is not up to it, and if it didn't perform then it was always going to be droped. That's the way F1 gose.

[Munter]

PaulMoor said:

By all accounts the cossy engine is not up to it, and if it didn't perform then it was always going to be droped. That's the way F1 gose.

Not doing so bad in the Williams.

Finished 6th in the last race. And was 4th in Europe. Tends to Qualify between 7th and 9th. Given 2 x Mclarens, 2 x Redbulls, 2 x Ferrari, 2 x Merc which you'd all expect to be ahead to it. Either Barri is a miracle worker, or the Engine makes OK power when asked.

[Forbes82]

GT Kodiak said:

Seems silly to me.

They've not yet really given the cosworth a proper shot precisely because their aero wasn't/isn't up to scratch...

If I could I'd stick with the desired running gear and then build the car around it.

Almost every retirement so far has been down to Xtrac hydraulics and gearbox troubles, they were determined to change to a reliable unit and as the red bull gearbox and hydraulics is designed around the Renault engine it requiered an engine change too.

They have already more or less said they had no worries with Cosworth, but the poor Xtrac reliability has meant they have needed to go elsewhere.

Added to this the fact that however much of the red bulls pace is down to its aero, it can't really be a bad thing to be on level ground gearbox wise as the fastest team in the paddock. From what i hear its packaging is superior enabling much better chassis and aero design, looking at the rear end of the red bull you would have to say everything it uses is packaged well.

Edited by Forbes82 on Wednesday 6th October 12:45

[dlockhart]

Slightly strange combonation here - I wonder why they didnt go with 1 supplier for both?

[ukaskew]

dlockhart said:

Slightly strange combonation here - I wonder why they didnt go with 1 supplier for both?

It's not that strange, Webber and Vettel appear to be doing alright with that combo. Shame Lotus can't buy an aero package as well!

[_dobbo_]

Dodgey_Rog said:

Trulli can win races, just Kovalinen lacks consistency, seems bit of a nearly man. Lets hope its brings them forward next season.

That's an interesting comment - both drivers have only ever won a single race each - so neither can be said to win races. On the whole this season Kovaleinen has outperformed Trulli even allowing for Trulli suffering one additional retirement.

[vintageracer01]

simonrockman said:

Renault engines
Red Bull gearbox

Whose name?

But strategically a good move. All what counts is a fast car thats called Lotus, who cares for the rest?

[radlet6]

No need to get too misty eyed about the Lotus Cosworth split. There is a long history between the two firms. THe Renault engine was used in the Europa for example.

[NormanD]

WMP said:

Didn't the old Esprit have a Renault box?

And my Europa TwinCam in 1971

[NormanD]

radlet6 said:

The Renault engine was used in the Europa for example.

Soon changed to the Ford block with a Lotus Twin Cam Head in '71