Busy Times For Lotus

[Jag_Warrior]

^^^

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.

I very much agree with this. Even when he sold his share of the automotive company, he still had some involvement, from what I've read. But once he died, his spirit seemed to leave every facet of the company(s)... both racing and automotive.

[00steven]

Lots of lawsuits on the way.

[Mark in Oshawa]

It is a mess, and I wish the Series had found some way of putting up a performance clause. If no engines by a set date, then the teams were to be free to find new suppliers. I just think the engine issues and the speed of the rollout for them has really hampered the credibility of this season. This pains me, because I am enjoying this year more than previous years...probably I have enjoyed things as much now as anything going back to the 90's...except for Lotus giving someone like Sebastien Bourdais a dog engine. Some of these teams probably hope Bourdais never does get a good engine because he has been damn quick with the dog.

[beachbum]

It is a mess, and I wish the Series had found some way of putting up a performance clause. If no engines by a set date, then the teams were to be free to find new suppliers. I just think the engine issues and the speed of the rollout for them has really hampered the credibility of this season. This pains me, because I am enjoying this year more than previous years...probably I have enjoyed things as much now as anything going back to the 90's...except for Lotus giving someone like Sebastien Bourdais a dog engine. Some of these teams probably hope Bourdais never does get a good engine because he has been damn quick with the dog.

If the only problem with the Lotus situation was performance, the problems would be bad, but perhaps tolerable. But they have been blowing up with some regularity (according to TSO, 14 engines used already) and the teams can't get engines to test, so they haven't done any significant testing. A real no-win situation. Considering how many engines they claimed to have built, do they even have enough left to get through May with a single car? (I discount Alesi as that just doesn't seem like a serious effort)

You have to feel for HVM and Simona as they they don't have anyone to race as they are now a class of one. Somehow, I see a Honda in the back of that car after Indy (or at Indy)

[Phoenixent]

The biggest issue I see is that Lotus promised under their MOU to supply two chassis to Dragon Racing. If that's the case how many other teams were suppose to get chassis from Lotus to run their motors? I see a lot of lawsuits coming down the pipeline and I said it earlier in this thread that Lotus would be gone before Indy. We are weeks away and two teams (3 cars) are looking for a motor to put in their DW12's as Lotus will be missing.....

[Nikki Katz]

Hmm, will Indy be the last race for Lotus? I hope that the remaining three full time cars get proper engine deals and aren't just dropped.

[00steven]

I think Lotus is gone after Indy.

[Phoenixent]

I think Lotus is gone after Indy.

I don't think there will be a Lotus in the field when the green flag drops at Indy......

[00steven]

I don't think there will be a Lotus in the field when the green flag drops at Indy......

That's highly possible too.

*sigh*

[Chris R]

You will know the end has come when Alesi switches to a "Chonda" at the last minute.....