Wednesday 8th December 2010

Group Lotus Buys Into Formula One

Renault will morph into Lotus Renault GP next year, meaning two Lotus teams on the grid

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Group Lotus has bought a 'major equity stake' in the Renault F1 team, and will rebrand the outfit as Lotus Renault GP from the start of the 2011 season, it's been announced today.

The deal between Lotus, Renault, and Genii Capital (the majority shareholder in the Renault F1 team) marks the return of the partnership between sports car maker and engine builder that produced the first win for Ayrton Senna back in the 1980s.

It also marks the start of some serious confusion for F1, as it means that two entirely separate teams could be competing under the Lotus name with Renault engines in the back - and all four cars could be wearing black-and-gold colours.

Lotus Renault GP has announced that it is to use the iconic black-and-gold JPS livery for its 'official' return to F1, a matter of weeks After Tony Fernandes's Lotus Racing - the team that's been competing under the Lotus name in F1 this year, but has nothing to do with Group Lotus the car maker - announced its intentions to do exactly the same thing

But the confusion is unlikely to remain. Group Lotus has withdrawn the licence for Tony Fernandes's team to use the Lotus name and, although Fernandes is fighting this, arguing that Lotus's F1 operations and its road car business have been historically separate, he may not be able to hold onto the Lotus name.

It looks like Lotus Renault GP has the stronger claim to the famous badge - being the only outfit officially connected with Lotus. The battle goes before the high court in London next year, but until then the two Lotuses (Lotii?) will be left to settle their differences on the track.

[sklar]

Now just send those horrible red Total graphics back to PSA and get Elf on board!

[A911DOM]

What the hell is going on with Lotus?

Its like infighting and one-up-man-ship on a majorly stupid level.

Surely some measure of common sense and a more united face would have been better for the entire Lotus group?

[JMC1]

How stupid is this. The Lotus team of 2010 have had a hard first year but they are trying and now it looks like they will use the name.

This is how manufacturers eventually mess the sport up, it has happened before and it will keep happening. A shift in board room politics and a team either gets increased funding or is shut down.

[Lawrence5]

Sniff petrol article gets more true by the day !

http://sniffpetrol.com/2010/09/29/lotus-and-lotus-...

[AV12]

JMC1 - Top-drawer lurking.

good point. Its corporate oneupmanship, and abuse of a good brand.

[PhantomPH]

AV12 said:

Its corporate oneupmanship, and abuse of a good brand.

Is it bks.

It's Lotus realising that they fancy a real slice of the F1 pie and in a competitive outfit at that. They allowed the use of the name before they decided on coming back officially and now they want to remove confusion by reclaiming their brand.

Abuse of a good brand was to simply sell the name in the first place - NOT the claiming of it back.

Edited by PhantomPH on Wednesday 8th December 11:31

[JMC1]

The Court documents will eventually make interesting reading............

Group Lotus says that bla bla and Team Lotus says that Group Lotus bla bla, but Group Lotus rebuffed that Team Lotus whilst Group Lotus etc. etc.

Pity the poor typist who has to prep that.

[Muzzer]

DDg said:

Where's all the money coming from? Along with all the new model development, they must be haemoraging cash by the truckload right now. Proton must have cojonnes the size of Space Hoppers!

The whole Lotus/Group Lotus operation is being supported by loans underwritten by the Malaysian government.

So, if Lotus goes belly up, there'll be a lot of Malaysians footing the bill.

I still don't understand why Fernandes didn't sell Team Lotus to Bahar and buy Renault himself, or take the money and get out himself.

Seems to be a lot of nose cutting off here. Surprised Bernie hasn't intervened to sort them out.

[A911DOM]

We need someone like Tyrell to get involved in the 2010 Lotus team (as was), and bring some clarity to the naming next year I reckon. (Leave big corporate Lotus to it and stick to racing instead of boardroom toy throwing).

I loved the idea of Lotus being back in F1, now they've made it.... well, just silly!

[The Hypno-Toad]

Looks terrific apart from the gawdawful red Total bits.

As for whats going on at LotusLotus, who knows? As somebody on here has already said its getting to be an awfully long gravy train that's pulling into Hethel station...

Here's a whisper I've heard: Next time you go into a Lotus showroom don't expect to get a brochure from the salesman without a struggle. A little red robin has told me that the dealers are being charged £9.00 for each one.

Madness.

[Dodgey_Rog]

The stupid thing is, from what i understand, Team Lotus is an older entity than Group Lotus, so one would assume it has the right to the original name?

David Hunt must be livid, having sat on the name he bought back in 1994 only to be told its worthless because the part part of the original company makes a product under that name??

The way i see it, Team Lotus are legally entitled to be called that as it was and still is a trade mark. Interesting to see how the courts decide.

[soad]

The Hypno-Toad said:

Looks terrific apart from the gawdawful red Total bits.

Yeah, it ruins the livery. But must be displayed no matter what

[kevseymour]

4 cars, all called Lotus Renualt, all wearing black and gold.

Legard isn't going to stand a chance, he already has enough trouble telling who's who!

What odds do you think i could get of 3 Lotus Renualt's on the podium in 2011?

[Vantagefan]

If they were sensible they would allow both teams to race with Lotus association - much like Red Bull and Torro Rosso thus achieving twice the brand exposure in a very publicity based sport.

ETA - I actually quite like the red on black on gold

Edited by Vantagefan on Wednesday 8th December 11:48

[Forbes82]

Mike Gascoynes twitter feed.

1. Lotus, just like buses, you wait for ages and then 2 come along at once

2.Thanks for all the messages of support from our fans. Rest assured, we are Team Lotus and we are here to stay

3. 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


Nice little dig at the new 'lotus' not being from Norfolk. While Renault have got group lotus/proton behind them, at the moment it looks like nothing more than a name on the side. In my mind thats still Renault just with Lotus Sponsorship. I'm much more impressed and behind the Fenandez/gascoyne lotus, cars designed and built in norfolk with respect for the heritage and philosophys of Team Lotus.

Edited by Forbes82 on Wednesday 8th December 11:53

[Unf]

To avoid confusing the likes of Jonathan Leggard next season, suggest that Team Lotus has the black and gold JPS style livery and the Renault Lotus plumps for the old Camel colour theme. Just an idea...

[Riggers]

sklar said:

Now just send those horrible red Total graphics back to PSA and get Elf on board!

Except that Elf and Total are one and the same - Total bought Elf in 2000. As for the PSA group, I'm not quite sure where that comes in .

Edited by Riggers on Wednesday 8th December 12:16

[RTH]

Isn't it about time they announced a factory world rally team for Lotus Protons ?

After all they are doing everything else , why leave that out ?

[Jerry Can]

can you imagine having scuderia ferrari and team ferrari ltd in F1?

I think Gascoigne should just rename the team tyrrell.

[Streps]

Reminds me of a nursery playground fight.

fking ridiculous