Group Lotus buys Renault F1 Team

[Blackout]

I think Lotus cars is castigated especially because

-they treated Lotus racing very bad while they could tie up with them and form an united, sympathetic and strong Lotus F1 team
-their motorsport projects are very 'superficial', they put Lotus logos on cars they didn't build.

That's why they are not very popular in comparison to Lotus racing. Both are legitimate and have the right to compete in F1, but LR is far closer to the Lotus we knew and loved...

In addition Lotus cars, especially Bahar, talks too much and is full of contradictions. They also seem to be very 'naive' and not very credible IMO.
They said they plan to

-Fully buy LRGP and run it alone
-Compete in GT2 and GT4
-run in le Mans
-build an LMP2
-run in Indy car
-provide engines to the Indy car
-build an F1 engine
-build 5 or 6 new road cars
-build engines for these cars
...

And when you know that

-Proton and Lotus are midgets in comparison with Honda, Toyota or BMW
-Genii and Renault want to stay in LRGP
-Proton and Lotus are very fragile
-some of Lotus projects are just 'dreams' (the F1 engine),

you understand that all of this is mainly PR and advertising...

[CHT]

Something is telling me that Team Lotus might just go belly up before the end of the season.

http://en.espnf1.com/f1/motorsport/story/37732.html

[Byronrhys]

If lotus is just the sponsor, why is that big logo right at the front of the nose?, isn't it the manufacturers first?

[Pandamasque]

Something is telling me that Team Lotus might just go belly up before the end of the season.

http://en.espnf1.com/f1/motorsport/story/37732.html

On the other hand I've heard rumours about Group Lotus being in serious trouble (already?).

If lotus is just the sponsor, why is that big logo right at the front of the nose?, isn't it the manufacturers first?

It's the owner. Formally being the title sponsor is the only way to get 'Lotus' in the name of the team without having to ask for permission of other teams. They don't want to do that.

[fenix4life]

Lotus Renault takes a British license and drops the French license

source: lequipe.fr

[djones]

I'm sure this has been spoken about, but can somebody just give me a quick summary...

Why on earth have Renault decided to be sponsored by another car maker and vise versa??

It no longer looks like a renault (everybody will just think its a renault engine) and anybody who thought it was a lotus would all of a sudden learn they had nothing to do with it - so its meaningless.

[manchild]

I'm sure this has been spoken about, but can somebody just give me a quick summary...

Why on earth have Renault decided to be sponsored by another car maker and vise versa??

It no longer looks like a renault (everybody will just think its a renault engine) and anybody who thought it was a lotus would all of a sudden learn they had nothing to do with it - so its meaningless.

I think that they've calculated that advertising effect will be the same with much less investment.

Besides, Renault and Lotus shared technology almost two decades before Lotus started using Renault turbo engines in F1.

Lotus Europa was powered by engine from Renault 16, which was at the time most advanced passenger car engine (all aluminum, alternator instead of dynamo etc.).



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_Europa

[forty-two]

I'm sure this has been spoken about, but can somebody just give me a quick summary...

Why on earth have Renault decided to be sponsored by another car maker and vise versa??

It no longer looks like a renault (everybody will just think its a renault engine) and anybody who thought it was a lotus would all of a sudden learn they had nothing to do with it - so its meaningless.

+1, Agree with most of that.

Seems like an act based more on attacking TF's team than improving the sales of Lotus cars to me.

TBH, up until the launch of the Lotus Racing team last season, I am ashamed to say that I wasn't aware that Group Lotus was now Malaysian owned, I thought they were still UK owned.

Perhaps buying into the Renault team is therefore intended as a "damage limitation" move?

[ESPImperium]

http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2011/01/i ... tus-again/

Trouble is still at mill in the tema Lotus Vs Group Lotus thing.

And with the Lotus sponsored renault team now british, im sure that Tony is not thinking about the same thing, race under the British licence as well.

Its the battle of the Lotus, whitch is an anagram of Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious.

[forty-two]

Its the battle of the Lotus, whitch is an anagram of Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious.

Sorry to nit-pick, but that is not an anagram.

[forty-two]

http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2011/01/i ... tus-again/

Trouble is still at mill in the tema Lotus Vs Group Lotus thing.

Its the battle of the Lotus, whitch is an anagram of Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious.

Actually, the Renault team apparently changing to a "British" classification is IMO a good thing. I think it's misleading of teams to be registered as one nationality where in fact, the team is based in and staffed by people from somewhere else (Eg. Red Bull). It speaks of the "money talks" aspect of F1 rather than the spirit of dedicated people making great racing cars.

This is a tough one to call, but I think that on this occasion I am totally behind Team Lotus, and a little disappointed with Group Lotus. But there again I've changed my mind in the past and I may well do so again!

[RAF]

Surely Renault wouldn't mind Proton investing in Renault F1 team as they already have a relationship together in the car industry. Renault supply the engine and gearbox for the Proton Savvy.

Then there's the 25% stake Renault have in Russia's state owned Lada hence the sponsorship last year and Petrovs continued involvement in the team.

[CHT]

http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2011/01/i ... tus-again/

Trouble is still at mill in the tema Lotus Vs Group Lotus thing.

And with the Lotus sponsored renault team now british, im sure that Tony is not thinking about the same thing, race under the British licence as well.

Its the battle of the Lotus, whitch is an anagram of Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious.

TF, who is unlikely to be able to afford financing this team by himself, will need a good excuse to quit F1. And this could be it.

[Morteza]

Didn't know where to put this so forgive me if it's not the right place:

Renault to switch to British licence
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/88902

[sticky667]

Renault sold all of their shares recently to Genii, which Group Lotus was intending to purchase. So Renault is officially an engine supplier only now.