Group Lotus buys Renault F1 Team

[andrew]

So do we have 2 fake Lotus teams now? Is Proton (fake Lotus mk I) F1 merging with Renault (fake Lotus mk II) or are there going to be 2 seperate entities on the grid?

[Formula None]

Why do they have that RED total color there!!
that looks awfull, they should paint that black too, ASAP!

Well, how much more black could it be?

The livery for 2011 as Lotus Renault F1


IMHO it looked good as a render, but came out awful in real life

I guess this continues the fine Renault tradition of terrible liveries, carrying into the Lotus era. Last year was an exception, though, IMO. Is this the R31 or a painted R30 promo?

The RW slot looks huge, the front wing seems new (with an F-duct hole?! What is that? Or just a scallop shape cut into the cascade with a shadow beneath it?), and the vanes at the front brake duct look different.

[Giblet]

It's quite obviously not the 31. No team will be done yet, no team will be rolling out without some kind of announcement, and rarely without their drivers attending.

[conni]

team lotus is definately not fake they do actually build their own car as opposed to sticking their name on someone elses strange thing is that although proton own group lotus/cars they also sponsored team lotus/racing in 2010

conni

[Formula None]

It's quite obviously not the 31. No team will be done yet, no team will be rolling out without some kind of announcement, and rarely without their drivers attending.

Oh, you mean they don't bring out the drivers for someone's random cell phone snaps? Silly us. Some of those bits do seem updated though.

[autogyro]

Just sticking the Lotus F1 name on something else can never work conni.
The old Team was not a big car manufacturing company, it was more like a club team for the best in F1.
That old team feeling will never be brought back.
Proton will make a huge mistake if they fight the established Lotus team.
Even if they win legaly they will gain nothing.
Perhaps someone should advise them.

[ESPImperium]

It's quite obviously not the 31. No team will be done yet, no team will be rolling out without some kind of announcement, and rarely without their drivers attending.

Most teams will have chassis number 01 already rolled out by now, exept Ferarri who will have 287 and Hispania as they dont seem to have a chassis at the momment.

01 will generally be used as the seat fitting, with exeption to Team Lotus (Tonys Team) and McLaren who get a polyfoam chassis mock up first and then get each driver in that for a seat fit and then get the drivers to draw arround problem zones.

From what i kno;, McLaren, Mercedes and Toro Rosso have all had their drivers in for seat fits and chassis 01 fired up with the engine installed, albeit a 2010 powerplant and no KERS installed as well.

But that Renault is a R30 and not R31. And no the R31, Mod, can you change the title of the thread to the Lotus Renault R31 now.

[ESPImperium]

From Mike Gascgoines Twitter page on 2011 livery now Lotus Renault seem to be using the JPS era livery:

Green and Yellow - 77%. Black and gold - 15%. Red and gold 4%. Others - 4%. Seems pretty conclusive

[segedunum]

Anybody notice that there are no Russain sponsor logos on the car? Wonder what is the reason for that...

It means goodbye Petrov, that's what it means. However, I can't see the Lotus money lasting for very long because there isn't any. Fernandes will end up mopping up this entire mess, mark my words. I think his only mistake has been not anticipating this and buying into an existing team.

[Giblet]

Actually fellas, Snoras Bank is Lithuanian.

Can't get much closer to Russia than that.

[Florio]

The livery for 2011 as Lotus Renault F1


IMHO it looked good as a render, but came out awful in real life

Man thats ugly.

[Intego]

Petrov apparently had no deal with his sponsors for 2011. I'm sure he'll get new ones. And I don't think Lotus wants Lada to remain as a sponsor.
The order is: First announce driver, then put on logos.
And Bahar wants Petrov to stay.

[GTO]

This reminds me of how new adult lions take over a pride, they often kill the existing young to eliminate the chance of any rivalry against offspring he later fathers.

[Arunas]

Actually fellas, Snoras Bank is Lithuanian.

Can't get much closer to Russia than that.

Snoras Bank is active in country with 3 mil. population, even not the biggest one. Of course, owner is Russian (Konversbank)..
Anybody has idea, what sense is to put it's name on Formula 1 car???

[Intego]

Russians ought to run into depts to visit F1 spectacle.