Lotus-Renault V Team Lotus

[Jag_Warrior]

As much as I wanted to see Lotus return to Formula One, this certainly isn't what I expected... or hoped for.

This sad, confusing saga reminds me of a scifi TV show ("Tales from the Darkside", I think) I watched where this fellow had been married to a beautiful woman. She died and some time later he concocted a spell to bring her back to life. He was expecting the same beautiful woman that he remembered. But what he got was this horrid looking zombie with rotting flesh... that wanted to wrap her arms around him.

Clearly, "Team Lotus" died a long time ago. Maybe it would have been better to let the Lotus name rest in peace.

[nigelred5]

I thought the team was still KVRT? Certainly confusing to have Group Lotus using the colours in Indycar and Team Lotus using them in F1. Quite what happens when they start doing the aero package is anyone's guess. There's also the whole GP2 thing to consider, as I thought both Lotuses (Lotii?) were also going to be involved in that?

Renault must be loving it - they still get the gig as engine supplier, and every article makes use of the word Renault about five times.

It is still KVRT, but Takuma Sato's Honda powered Dallara was sponsored by LOTUS and wore the classic Green and yellow colors with twin racing stripes and the traditional thin stripe and Lotus on the sidepod. They also ran a JPS inspired gold and black car, but it just doesn't work with out the actual JPS logis and script IMHO.

FRom the enigne announcemnt:
"said Dany Bahar, CEO of Group Lotus. “This year, we teamed up with KV Racing for IndyCar and we will significantly increase our participation next year. However in 2012 IndyCar competitors will have the exciting opportunity to choose an IndyCar with a Lotus engine and body kit, immediately become part of a legacy that is Lotus: one of the most innovative and successful sports and racing car brands in the world.”

In essence, Lotus "customer cars" for Indycar.

[Mia 01]

Both teams is acting childish.

[UltimateDanGTR]

Both teams is acting childish.

I fail to see what Team Lotus have done wrong.

[snellman]

i'm glad fernandes dropped the JPS livery, just shows he's the bigger man of the two.

[Sonic]

I fail to see what Team Lotus have done wrong.

Indeed. Here's a team that brought the Lotus name back to F1 with a five year licence to the brand (IIRC) and new head honcho Bahar comes and pulls the rug out.

Group Lotus want to be a serious manufacture of road cars (and their new line up looks yummy) but the fact remains that at the moment they are a loss making organization so why the hell weren't they happy with getting all the free publicity of TF's Lotus without having to stump up the millions they must now be investing in Renault.

[Giuseppe F1]

Lotus Racing release Fauzy........is he on his way to Lotus Renault? ;D

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/88671

[ZEROX]

Lotus Racing release Fauzy........is he on his way to Lotus Renault? ;D

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/88671

Hope so...
Move to a better team is the best for him. ^^
It's not like Team Lotus sucks but he's 28 years old now. :P
Fast progression could be better...or worse. lol.

[F1boat]

very stupid way to act from grown up people. Shocking.

[Malbec]

Well it is...if either does well people hear "lotus" and the road manufacturer benefits. I think Bahar's been pretty clever in buying into an estbalished team, one where the owner wanted a way out but without losing face. So now they get decent engines, and a great platform to participate in F1.

The only problem with that is that the chassis will remain titled 'Renault', and on the race timing screens on TV we'll see how well Kubica is doing in his Renault, not Lotus. The Lotus name won't appear during the races at all. By merely being the title sponsor they've missed out massively. And if they want to have the chassis renamed Lotus they will have to ask the rest of the grid for permission to do so including Fernandes who may be slightly obstructive in that regard.

Group Lotus would be better off spending their money actually designing and developing real cars they can sell rather than frittering it away sponsoring every team that moved. I doubt they'll be around long enough to see out the duration of the contract they've signed with Genii.