Lotus returns to the Indianapolis 500
Discussion
Following on from F1............Indycar 2010 series with KV Racing including the 500.
http://www.crash.net/indycar/news/157693/1/lotus_r...
http://www.crash.net/indycar/news/157693/1/lotus_r...
Crash.net said:
Lotus and Cosworth have entered into a new technical and commercial partnership with established IndyCar outfit KV Racing Technology to compete in the 2010 IndyCar Series with former F1 star Takuma Sato.
The Lotus-Cosworth IndyCar will feature the classic Racing Green and Yellow livery used on Lotus Racing cars in the 1950s and 1960s, and this new colour scheme will debut at the first USA round of the IndyCar Series.
Lotus participated for a number of years in the IndyCar Series in the 1960s, winning the iconic Indianapolis 500 outright in 1965 with the pioneering Lotus Type 38, driven by Jim Clark, and narrowly missing victory as it took the chequered flag second in 1963.
“Racing has always defined Lotus,” underlined Dany Bahar, CEO of Group Lotus plc, “and on many occasions in motorsport history, Lotus' numerous innovations have re-defined racing. It's only fitting that as the Lotus Racing name re-enters Formula 1, we will also race and innovate again in IndyCar. The Lotus name will, once again, compete in the top two open-wheel racing series' for the passion and enthusiasm of car fans around the globe.”
The return to the IndyCar Series follows on from the recent announcement that Lotus and Cosworth are to become closely-associated through a strategic partnership looking at the opportunity to develop high-performance engines for Lotus cars.
'We are delighted to be part of Lotus and Cosworth's return to the IndyCar Series, and with Takuma at the wheel, we expect to be formidable competitors this year,' added a statement from KV Racing Technology co-owners Kevin Kalkhoven and Jimmy Vasser.
“This is fantastic news for everyone!” enthused Sato. “It is exciting for me to be a Lotus driver, and I'm really looking forward to great success with this new project.”
The 2010 IndyCar Series begins with the São Paolo Indy 300 in Brazil on 14 March.
The Lotus-Cosworth IndyCar will feature the classic Racing Green and Yellow livery used on Lotus Racing cars in the 1950s and 1960s, and this new colour scheme will debut at the first USA round of the IndyCar Series.
Lotus participated for a number of years in the IndyCar Series in the 1960s, winning the iconic Indianapolis 500 outright in 1965 with the pioneering Lotus Type 38, driven by Jim Clark, and narrowly missing victory as it took the chequered flag second in 1963.
“Racing has always defined Lotus,” underlined Dany Bahar, CEO of Group Lotus plc, “and on many occasions in motorsport history, Lotus' numerous innovations have re-defined racing. It's only fitting that as the Lotus Racing name re-enters Formula 1, we will also race and innovate again in IndyCar. The Lotus name will, once again, compete in the top two open-wheel racing series' for the passion and enthusiasm of car fans around the globe.”
The return to the IndyCar Series follows on from the recent announcement that Lotus and Cosworth are to become closely-associated through a strategic partnership looking at the opportunity to develop high-performance engines for Lotus cars.
'We are delighted to be part of Lotus and Cosworth's return to the IndyCar Series, and with Takuma at the wheel, we expect to be formidable competitors this year,' added a statement from KV Racing Technology co-owners Kevin Kalkhoven and Jimmy Vasser.
“This is fantastic news for everyone!” enthused Sato. “It is exciting for me to be a Lotus driver, and I'm really looking forward to great success with this new project.”
The 2010 IndyCar Series begins with the São Paolo Indy 300 in Brazil on 14 March.
Eric Mc said:
Which Lotus company is this? It looks like they are showing the original Lotus insignia - which the F1 team cannot.
As the press release is from Dany Bahar (sp) CEO of Lotus, I would imagine that the official ACBC insignia would be allowed, as opposed to if the press release came from the Malaysian Government. Maybe it's to do with the American market, maybe it's because they realise that they have got more of a chance for positive exposure in a series where everyone has the same car/engine combination.Eric Mc said:
Which Lotus company is this? It looks like they are showing the original Lotus insignia - which the F1 team cannot.
On one press release from the F1 team, the drivers had one discrete original Lotus badge on their clothing. Maybe the driver bought themselves a genuine Lotus cap each? Wish I could find it now.Alan
Northern Munkee said:
How much innovation and engineering excellence of Lotus Cosworth do you think can be input into a defacto one chassis/one engine series?
Still if it sells more Lotus road cars in the US, fair enough.
havent followed carts for years but tell me it aint so! One Chassis and One engine? What a POSStill if it sells more Lotus road cars in the US, fair enough.
stigmundfreud said:
Northern Munkee said:
How much innovation and engineering excellence of Lotus Cosworth do you think can be input into a defacto one chassis/one engine series?
Still if it sells more Lotus road cars in the US, fair enough.
havent followed carts for years but tell me it aint so! One Chassis and One engine? What a POSStill if it sells more Lotus road cars in the US, fair enough.
Dallara chassis and Honda engines.Teppic said:
stigmundfreud said:
Northern Munkee said:
How much innovation and engineering excellence of Lotus Cosworth do you think can be input into a defacto one chassis/one engine series?
Still if it sells more Lotus road cars in the US, fair enough.
havent followed carts for years but tell me it aint so! One Chassis and One engine? What a POSStill if it sells more Lotus road cars in the US, fair enough.
Dallara chassis and Honda engines.
And for those of you who didn't see the race you missed more action and overtaking than a year of F1.
There were actual on track passes, even for the lead. 3 cars nose to tail....
And as for thinking the same chassis/engine rules are bad the series has always had it in most either because a single engine is used or certain chassis makers are preffered. In Nigel Mansells year everyone except Penske ran Lola chassis and Cosworth XB or Chevrolet engines.
There were actual on track passes, even for the lead. 3 cars nose to tail....
And as for thinking the same chassis/engine rules are bad the series has always had it in most either because a single engine is used or certain chassis makers are preffered. In Nigel Mansells year everyone except Penske ran Lola chassis and Cosworth XB or Chevrolet engines.
The 'Lotus Indycar' and the Aston Martin Toyota iQ...oops, sorry, I mean Cygnet...are two of the most cynical marketing exercises I have seen for a long time.
Indycar is a strictly controlled single-spec chassis/engine series with virtually no scope for development by the teams. So exactly what innovation will Lotus be bringing to this team? (Hint - nothing.) And exactly what will Cosworth be doing with the engine or electronics? (Hint - nothing. Nobody is allowed to touch them).
But, paint an Italian designed and made Dallara in the colours of Malaysian-owned Lotus and put the Australian/American-owned Cosworth name on it too and I can hear Union-Jacks fluttering in the breeze.
And Colin Chapman turning in his grave.....
Indycar is a strictly controlled single-spec chassis/engine series with virtually no scope for development by the teams. So exactly what innovation will Lotus be bringing to this team? (Hint - nothing.) And exactly what will Cosworth be doing with the engine or electronics? (Hint - nothing. Nobody is allowed to touch them).
But, paint an Italian designed and made Dallara in the colours of Malaysian-owned Lotus and put the Australian/American-owned Cosworth name on it too and I can hear Union-Jacks fluttering in the breeze.
And Colin Chapman turning in his grave.....
Hold on there.
Yes, it stinks that it's a single engine/single chassis but they still have to setup the car at the track. I reckon the Lotus team may have some unique skills at that. Furthermore, Lotus sells very few cars in the USA. I still see 2008 Exiges at dealers that haven't been titled yet! I wild guesstimate but twice as many Dodge Vipers are sold each year in the USA than all the Lotus models! (around 300 or so Vipers iirc - I'm not entirely sure how many Elises are sold so could be entirely mistaken
)
With regards to it being soulless marketing - is Lotus Racing team in F1 really Lotus or is it a Litespeed F3 and MGI Limited or is it Proton?
Yes, it stinks that it's a single engine/single chassis but they still have to setup the car at the track. I reckon the Lotus team may have some unique skills at that. Furthermore, Lotus sells very few cars in the USA. I still see 2008 Exiges at dealers that haven't been titled yet! I wild guesstimate but twice as many Dodge Vipers are sold each year in the USA than all the Lotus models! (around 300 or so Vipers iirc - I'm not entirely sure how many Elises are sold so could be entirely mistaken
)With regards to it being soulless marketing - is Lotus Racing team in F1 really Lotus or is it a Litespeed F3 and MGI Limited or is it Proton?
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