Busy Times For Lotus

[champcarray]

Thanks for reminding me of the RH chassis issues -- I'd forgotten about that part of the problem!

[Mark in Oshawa]

Only if you expected anything from them. I thought it was very telling that the team they had been with, KVR, didn't want to stay with them and the fact that Kalkovin's Cosworth company didn't do an engine deal with them. I think after their couple of seasons with Lotus, they knew they were big on talk and ambition, but didn't have the money to back it up.

That to me has been obvious and I think anyone who signed up with Lotus for motors has only willful optimism and blinders to blame..
Kalkoven isn't a dummy as you say..

[Jag_Warrior]

I'm still hopeful that Judd/Lotus can make progress this year and be a contender next season.

Remember how bad Honda and Toyota engines were during their first seasons in CART? We were in the paddock after the race at New Hampshire in '94 and witnessed Bobby Rahal being taunted and laughed at by other teams' mechanics after his Honda let go yet again during that race. The engines were so bad that he rented two Penske-Ilmors from Roger so that he could compete in the Indy 500.

I recall the Toyotas being fitted with "oil diapers" early on because they blew up so often. I liked the AAR squad, as well as Juan Manuel Fangio II, so I felt bad for them. And yeah, the Hondas were weak too. Although I was also a fan of the Comptech-Honda program. Who was the driver that soldiered on with them, Parker Johnstone?

But I think many questioned how realistic (and serious) Lotus really was. For such a small operation, they just seemed to have too many big dreams (fantasies): F1, GP2, IndyCar, ALMS... what else?

[Marbles]

I think the fan dissatisfaction for Lotus is accentuated by the severe lack of engines available. As mentioned, Honda has been there, a couple of times, and I believe there first go around in the series was powered by Judd. Toyota of course. Cosworth dropped off until Ford came back as a badge. Alfa Romeo and Porsche had very weak efforts. Was Nissan ever the engine to have?

I guess what gave me the impression that Judd may have been onto something was that their engine was so much lighter than the others. I guess they could have used that extra bit of beef after all.

[Phoenixent]

I think the fan dissatisfaction for Lotus is accentuated by the severe lack of engines available. As mentioned, Honda has been there, a couple of times, and I believe there first go around in the series was powered by Judd. Toyota of course. Cosworth dropped off until Ford came back as a badge. Alfa Romeo and Porsche had very weak efforts. Was Nissan ever the engine to have?

I guess what gave me the impression that Judd may have been onto something was that their engine was so much lighter than the others. I guess they could have used that extra bit of beef after all.

Nissan did make engines from 1997 to 2002 and they were dogs with Oldsmobile kicking their butt until Chevy, Toyota and Honda came in after leaving CART. If Judd makes it though Indy this year they will be gone by the end of the year along with those three Lotus teams folding due sponsorship woes based on poor performance.

[anthonyvop]

1. INDYCAR amends Engine Manufacturer Guidelines: INDYCAR has modified the Supplemental Guidelines for Engine Manufacturers for the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series season.

Under the amended rule 3.8, which went into effect beginning April 30, teams can only pair with one manufacturer in any single season unless approval is granted by INDYCAR.

"The intent of the rule is to try to help build a partnership between a team and its engine manufacturer," said Trevor Knowles, INDYCAR's director of engine development. "Having a long-term commitment helps ease concerns about confidentiality of any information the manufacturer may share with a team. It also limits a manufacturer's ability to drop a team from its line-up if they are going through a bad patch. Without it, one would see a drift of all the teams with the best results to the manufacturers with the best results creating a big imbalance across the field.

"However, we have to be pragmatic and realize that there have been and will be times when a team and its manufacturer have to go their separate ways to their mutual benefit. This change allows that to happen while still maintaining control of the process."

Henceforth to be known as the "Lotus rule"

[SoCalPVguy]

Late last year, I posted that I though Lotus "would not answer the bell". I wrote this in about October after Chevy and Honda had already rolled out engines and Lotus was no where in sight. Well I was wrong, Lotus did "answer the bell" well sort of anyway... They did not roll out engines and fit into a chassis until February just a couple of weeks before the first race (Chev/Honda already about three months or more of practice at that point). They have been uncompetitive from the get go and not getting any better after four races. Now two teams have been lucky enough to drop the dog engine but get chev/honda contracts.

My new prediction is that Lotus will drop out after the Indy 500 and three more teams will be scrambling ... Hope there will be additional engines available but I don't know...

The Malaysian Lotus effort has been a disaster from the get go from production vehicles to F1 it was a ego thing for one guy that didn't have the capital or knowhow to pull it off. Now they are bought out by an investment firm.... RIP Lotus... this reincarnation was an affront and I am sure Colin Chapman is turning over in his grave.

[beachbum]

Late last year, I posted that I though Lotus "would not answer the bell". I wrote this in about October after Chevy and Honda had already rolled out engines and Lotus was no where in sight. Well I was wrong, Lotus did "answer the bell" well sort of anyway... They did not roll out engines and fit into a chassis until February just a couple of weeks before the first race (Chev/Honda already about three months or more of practice at that point). They have been uncompetitive from the get go and not getting any better after four races. Now two teams have been lucky enough to drop the dog engine but get chev/honda contracts.

My new prediction is that Lotus will drop out after the Indy 500 and three more teams will be scrambling ... Hope there will be additional engines available but I don't know...

The Malaysian Lotus effort has been a disaster from the get go from production vehicles to F1 it was a ego thing for one guy that didn't have the capital or knowhow to pull it off. Now they are bought out by an investment firm.... RIP Lotus... this reincarnation was an affront and I am sure Colin Chapman is turning over in his grave.

Businesses run on ego never seem to last. It would be sad to see the passing of the Lotus brand, but the companies future doesn't look good. At least most fans are blaming a lack of support from Lotus for the engine issues and not Judd (actually Engine Developments Ltd). Judd had their hands tied from the very beginning. When last years Lotus team (KV) passed on the new engine, that should have been a clue.

[DBell]

^^^

I agree. I've said before that Lotus is one of those companies that is completely tied to their founder. When Chapman died, so did the real Lotus. Now what's left is only a name.

[FIAT1]

INDYCAR: Dragon Racing Sues Lotus; Signing With Chevy?

Great news fo Sebastien.