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Group Lotus gains notable supporters
Two names synonymous with the original Lotus F1 project have lent their backing to the new alliance between Renault and the Proton-owned Group Lotus due to make its debut in 2011.
The names Chapman and Mansell are both closely linked with the history of Lotus in F1, and have now added their voices to the debate over which of the two teams claiming to continue the legacy has the biggest right to do so.
Although Team Lotus founder Colin Chapman passed on even before his creation faded from the F1 scene, his family have remained curators of the team's memory. However, even though Chapman's son Clive appeared at times during 2010 to be coming around to the idea of Tony Fernandes' Lotus Racing being a legitimate successor, he has now lent his support to the new Lotus-Renault alliance formed by the Proton-owned Group Lotus' decision to get involved in F1, claiming that Fernandes' determination to run as Team Lotus in 2011 was against his better judgement.
"During 2010, the Chapman family, as and when appropriate, made it clear to those involved that it would prefer that the Team Lotus name should not be used in F1," the Briton said in a statement, "Indeed, assurances to this effect were received."
Despite having lent Malaysian airline entrepreneur Fernandes the black cap his father used to throw in the air when his team won a race, Chapman insisted that his support now lay with the Renault-Proton project which intends to revive the famous black-and-gold livery for its 2011 return. Fernandes also had plans to change the equally iconic green-and-gold colours his team used in 2010 for black-and-gold in 2011 but, despite backtracking on that, insists that he will use the Team Lotus title he acquired from David Hunt in October.
"The Chapman family was impressed by the achievements of Lotus Racing as a new team, and appreciated its respect for Team Lotus history," Chapman continued, "However, then its license to use the Lotus name was terminated and things changed. [The family] now looks forward to giving continued support to Group Lotus as the ongoing Lotus entity created by Colin and Hazel Chapman."
Mansell, meanwhile, has Colin Chapman to thank for his grand prix break, joining Lotus for his maiden F1 season in 1980 and remaining with the Hethel-based squad until beginning his successful relationship with Williams five years later.
"I am extremely grateful to Lotus - and especially to Colin Chapman, who was so inspirational and almost like a second father to me - and have been watching with great interest the developments that have been taking place recently at Hethel with their ambitious race and road car projects," the 1992 world champion was quoted as saying in a statement appearing on the Group Lotus website.
"I am really delighted to see that Lotus is back where it belongs, competing with the best in the top echelons of motorsport. It is particularly pleasing for me to see the union of Lotus and Renault again and the return of the iconic black-and-gold colours as driven by the late greats Ayrton Senna and Elio de Angelis, Johnny Dumfries and, of course, myself in the 1980s."
Fernandes, meanwhile, underlined his determination to press ahead with the change of name from Lotus Racing to Team Lotus for 2011.
"The migration to Team Lotus brand has started," he wrote in a recent Twitter update, "It's a shame, [as] I liked Lotus Racing and always thought Team Lotus [should] be returned to Chapman family. But that's the deck of [cards] we got handed." |
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Lotus in LM P2: Claudio Berro
Eighty days after the announcement of the return of Lotus to endurance racing, Sports Director of Brand reveals the first directions of the LM P2 project, scheduled for the 2012 season.
Claudio Berro spent fourteen years at Fiat, successively the director of Ferrari sports (except F1), Abarth and Maserati. He today has the responsibility for the renewal of Lotus in Formula 1 at Indianapolis and Le Mans.
What are the reasons why Lotus are going endurance racing?
Claudio Berro: "There are two reasons. The 24 Hours of Le Mans is a technological challenge for chassis and engines, but also a challenge because a great sports competition awaits us."
Why did you choose the LM P2?
"We will use our Evora in GT, but we also wanted to build a prototype because this type of vehicle offers fascinating possibilities. LM P2 is a suitable client program and does not require the presence of the factory team."
Does this mean we will not see an official Lotus LM P2?
"Team Lotus will be delighted to come to Le Mans 24 Hours (*), but in parallel we would like to see our satellite organisations evolve in ILMC, LMS and ALMS. Many teams are interested in our project."
When the program be launched?
"In September, shortly before the Paris Motor Show."
So the concept image that was presented at this year's show does not necessarily correspond with reality?
"Exactly, it was an exercise in style. It is indeed a prototype with an enclosed cockpit, but it will be more obviously in conformity with the regulations of the ACO."
How is your work progressing today?
"A group of six people, led by Paolo Catone, completed the first phase. We expect to receive the model that we will test in a wind tunnel at the beginning of next year (2011)."
The engine will also be developed in-house?
Absolutely. This will be the 3.5-litre V6 of the Lotus Evora (based on Toyota). Two solutions are possible. Is transformed into 4-liter air, or 3.2-liter turbocharged. The database will be identical for both GTE and the LM P2, except that the gearbox will cross over the first and second longitudinal.
Will it be a 100% Lotus prototype?
"Almost. The gearbox could be the X-Trac as in the Evora or Ricardo with whom we work for the Lotus 125 (a single seater car with a production of 25 units)."
What are the upcoming deadlines?
"We would like to introduce the prototype model at the next Geneva Motor Show (from 3 to 13 March 2011), and begin track testing from September 2011."
* Subject to an application form and its acceptance by the selection committee of the Automobile Club de l'Ouest.
Julien Hergault
Photo: Hethel (UK). Claudio Berro in charge of the future of Lotus at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Formula 1 and at Indianapolis. |
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Reply 21# ShadowChaser
better dedua CEO airasia dgn Lotus makan tosei kat restoran lotus |
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dedua CEO degil sangat lah takmoh mengalah, padahal mende ni leh compromise, apa salah ada dua team lotus, ni sebok declare memasing official team lah, apa pun betul byk dipihak group lotus lah |
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Reply 24# ShadowChaser
tp yg pasti lotus renault ni lagi berpotensi dari Team lotus tu |
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tahun ni ye la sebab nama je lotus tapi takde pembabitan langsung dari lotus group
tgk tahun depan camne
dari segi duit tu memang la selagi proton nak bankrole |
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rasanya mid season nanti ada pembabitan lotus group rasanya.. |
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Renault ditch French connections
Thu, 13 Jan 17:55:00 2011
The Renault Formula One team slapped a silencer on the French national anthem on Thursday after announcing they will race under a British licence this season.
With no active French F1 drivers, and no French grand prix since 2008, Renault were the last ones flying the flag for a country whose heritage and language permeates the sport from chassis to grand prix and on to parc ferme.
British-based sportscar company Lotus, owned by Malaysian carmaker Proton, have joined as title sponsor and significant stakeholder this season after Renault sold their shares in a team that retains their name.
"Lotus is an English manufacturer," team principal Eric Boullier said after a launch of the team's new livery at the Autosport International show in Birmingham with their Russian driver Vitaly Petrov.
"I have not announced this before, but we will be running under a British licence now," added the Frenchman, whose team factory is at Enstone in Oxfordshire.
"It means that if we win, we will play the British national anthem. And that is important for everybody inside the team. We are rebranding everything inside the company now."
Renault, world champion constructors in 2005 and 2006, last won a race in 2008 with Spain's Fernando Alonso, now with Ferrari.
The team's 2011 line-up partners Petrov with highly-rated Pole Robert Kubica.
The French company also provides engines for Austrian-owned champions Red Bull and the rival Malaysian-backed Team Lotus operation.
Reuters |
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ni kira dah lancar ke belum nih |
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Lotus Renault GP reveals livery in Birmingham
Birmingham’s NEC was the venue as the newly-branded Lotus Renault GP outfit unveiled the final version of its 2011 livery at the Autosport Show on Thursday. The John Player Special-inspired colour scheme of the late 1970s follows a team buy-in from Norfolk-based sports car manufacturer Group Lotus, owned by Proton.
Although Enstone’s Renault – which is now set to run under an English racing licence as opposed to a French – had already revealed that a black and gold colour scheme would be used for 2011, quashing the plans of Tony Fernandes’ Team Lotus in the process, the final edition was yet to be viewed until today.
The car, predominantly black but with a gold trim, also features red wing end fences and mirrors courtesy of sponsorship from French petroleum firm Total. Both Poland’s Robert Kubica and Russia’s Vitaly Petrov are contracted to the squad until the end of the 2012 season.
"I’m pretty sure everyone will be excited to see the new F1 livery up close at the NEC but, in addition to F1, the show will be the first time so many of our race cars will be united in one location," comments Lotus Director of Motorsport Claudio Berro.
"The event will provide the perfect opportunity for fans of the Lotus marque to come and have a look at the exciting developments we have made in the past year. We’re also delighted to bring our IndyCar to the show, especially, as we will be celebrating the 100th Indy 500 race with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this year." |
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Reply 31# ShadowChaser
livery je bukan model baru |
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Reply 32# satusembilan
nampaknya market amerika target utama lotus, indy racing league, lotus one make series, f1 lagi, dgn keta-keta baru lotus yg akan keluar nanti, strategi cara racing ni lah marketing terbaik utk pengeluar kereta |
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betul..
mix dengan sejarah racing yg terbaik |
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Fauzy joins Lotus Renault GP
Following a year as Lotus Racing test driver, Fairuz Fauzy will join forces with the newly-branded Lotus Renault GP team in 2011. Fauzy's new assignment was announced on Tuesday evening, with the Malaysian driver also confirming that he will be competing in the upcoming GP2 season.
Fauzy joined Lotus Racing at the start of the 2010 season, and was responsible for rolling-out the squad's T127 chassis. The outfit has since changed its name to Team Lotus, and ahead of this year's championship the 28-year-old has decided to move to rivals Renault.
Speaking about the announcement Fauzy said: "I would like to thank Lotus Renault for giving me this opportunity and to be part of this team. The Lotus Renault team is a great team and I will try my best to become a race driver one day.” |
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ada can ke bawak lotus musim depan |
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ko doakan lah kubica/ petrov demam sehari sebelum 1st free practice... |
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Lotus Renault could face Canada trouble
Tue, 18 Jan 16:02:00 2011
The newly named Lotus Renault GP team could be forced to change its livery for the Canadian Grand Prix, according to reports in the press.
The team unveiled its new black and gold colour scheme during the annual Autosport International show in Birmingham at the weekend, with the new livery evoking memories of the famous John Player Special-backed cars that raced under the Lotus name in the 1970s and 1980s.
While there are no links to JPS this time around, the team could find itself in hot water due to strict tobacco advertising laws in place in Canada, with a spokesperson for Health Canada telling the Toronto Globe and Mail that 'tobacco inspectors would need to fully review to assess whether a violation of the Tobacco Act has occurred' if the car makes an appearance on track at the Circuit Gilles Villenueve.
Despite the fact that the livery isn't intended to represent any kind of tobacco adverting, Canadian law states that promotion can include 'a representation about a product or service by any means, whether directly or indirectly, including any communication of information about a product or service and its price and distribution, that is likely to influence and shape attitudes, beliefs and behaviours about the product or service'.
Such is the strictness of the Canadian laws that Imperial Tobacco, the owner of the JPS brand, is unable to use the black and gold colours on its own website, with a spokesperson for the company saying the team should be concerned about the potential issues the livery could cause.
"It is categorically against the law to present any likeness to a cigarette pack," they said. "If I were Lotus though, I would be concerned — I wonder if they are aware of the law in Canada."
Lotus Renault would need to seek approval from rival teams to use an alternative livery in Canada, although the team could argue that Ferrari's controversial barcode - seen as 'hidden' advertising for Marlboro - has featured on its car in Montreal since the Tobacco Act came into place.
Crash.net / Eurosport |
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Post time 27-12-2010 10:08 PM
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