Having had two Lotus teams for a while it now looks like there’ll be none with Renault about to buy the existing team.
Not sure how I feel about that.
Sad to see brand out of F1 (if it happens), but Id support anything that keeps the team members employed and on the grid, but for me it’s not a factory team as such now. The name to me felt more good marketing than an effort genuinely tying road to race cars such as at Ferrari.
That said Id definitely rather see the brand racing on a Sunday. I personally wish GT4/GT3 racing got F1 style and quality coverage with the sports cars we can relate to.
I can only think the current team exists in the hope of selling it for a profit. If they do, what happens to the Lotus name? Does it go back to Lotus Cars or does Renault own the Lotus name in F1?
I don’t think Renault would operate the Lotus name, no marketing value from their perspective to promote a mixed brand renault/lotus or Lotus solely. I imagine the rights revert to Lotus.
Isn’t Force India the former Jaguar team? And I think that was Arrows before that.
I do not think Renault would operate under the Lotus name either but I expect they would own the name in racing, in the same way as BMW own some of the old British Leyland names. They would not give it back just in case there is a chance of selling it in the future.
It has been an oddity anyway F1 team with the Lotus name that is nothing to do with the car or consultancy company.
Red Bull used to be Jaguar Racing.
Jaguar used to be Ford and that used to be Stewart.
Jaguar used to be Ford and that used to be Stewart.
Force India is the former Jordan I think.
Isn’t the current Lotus F1 team previously Renault (as far as the entrant licence history, anyway)? That evolved from Benetton which in turn used to be Toleman.
Same as the current Mercedes can be traced back to Tyrrell…via Brawn - Honda - BAR - and finally Tyrrell!
The current Lotus F1 team has no link at all, in any way, with the former Team Lotus that Colin a Chapman set up.
See Lotus versus Lotus in one diagram… – joeblogsf1 for the links up to 2011. When the ‘new’ team Lotus pulled out in 2012 the Enstone team took on the Lotus F1 mantle.
