[Team] Lotus to race against Lotus

[SJA]

Originally Posted by wolfhound

I notice the new Lotus Renault GP team does not appear to be using the Team Lotus name, I wonder how they will number their chassis?

This is the next bit of major confussion for me. Caterham have already confirmed their full team name as Caterham F1 Team for next year, yet Lotus Renault GP have only stated that they are using the chassis name Lotus from next year. Okay, obvious, thanks! But what about the team name.

I thought just as equal importance to getting "Lotus" as a chassis name as getting rid of "Renault" in the team name. No other team has their engine supplier in their team name (bar McLaren, but this is/was due to ownership, something Renault has none of when it comes to Lotus Renault GP).

The have aquired all rights to use Team Lotus, so on one hand I say why not use it!

On the other hand I can see how they might like to put it to bed and not add to any further confussion by extending the hangover of this saga.

So why not go for "Lotus F1 Team", "Lotus Grand Prix" or something!

Seriously, this is so irritating! Just finish this thing! The team has nothing to do with Renault! No more than (definately less) than Red Bull Racing, Caterham F1 Team and AT&T Williams F1 Team, do you see them with Renault in their team name! C'mon!

[Paradise City]

If Lotus Renault used Team Lotus simply next year there would still be marketing confusion between the two teams. Best wait until a gap between this year and next after the brand becomes more of a brand rather than a pass-the-hot-potato kind of a name. The situation within Lotus Renault is still very complex. I think the Malaysians have buy-in clauses they've yet to take up on.

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by Paradise City

If Lotus Renault used Team Lotus simply next year there would still be marketing confusion between the two teams.

No more 'Team Lotus'.

"BBC Sport understands Renault's new name will be Lotus F1 Team."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/form...e/15661185.stm

[JeremySmith]

Originally Posted by Marbot

No more 'Team Lotus'.

"BBC Sport understands Renault's new name will be Lotus F1 Team."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/form...e/15661185.stm

How about just calling it Lotus...

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by JeremySmith

How about Lotus...

?

[bjohnsonsmith]

This business about the Lotus name is a bit like a Monty Python sketch.

[Bononi]

It's a shame what's happening to the legendary name Lotus.

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by JeremySmith

How about just calling it Lotus...

Well, they have. But they also need to make it a separate entity to the road car business.

[SJA]

Originally Posted by Marbot

No more 'Team Lotus'.

"BBC Sport understands Renault's new name will be Lotus F1 Team."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/form...e/15661185.stm

Thank Christ! That's all I've wanted to hear!

To re-cap:

The Genii owned team:
2010: Renault = Renault F1 Team / "Renault"
2011: Renault = Lotus Renault GP / "Renault"
2012: Lotus = Lotus F1 Team / "Lotus-Renault"

The 1 Malaysia owned team:
2010: Lotus = Lotus Racing / "Lotus-Cosworth"
2011: Lotus = Team Lotus / "Lotus-Renault"
2012: Caterham = Caterham F1 Team / 'Caterham-Renault"

It is now finally put to rest!

[bella]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

This business about the Lotus name is a bit like a Monty Python sketch.

i thought we'd already decided it was the two ronnies

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cz2-ukrd2VQ

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by bella

i thought we'd already decided it was the two ronnies

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cz2-ukrd2VQ

How appropriate, .

[Marbot]

However. Just to keep us on our toes, the Caterham F1 Team are to continue to use the green and yellow livery. Whereas it's quite possible that the Lotus F1 Team will remain in its black livery.

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

How appropriate, .

Let's celebrate with a song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBDyd23xzKk

[JeremySmith]

Originally Posted by bella

i thought we'd already decided it was the two ronnies

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cz2-ukrd2VQ

Thank you so much bella...

[SJA]

Originally Posted by Marbot

However. Just to keep us on our toes, the Caterham F1 Team are to continue to use the green and yellow livery. Whereas it's quite possible that the Lotus F1 Team will remain in its black livery.

Some consistency wouldn't go astray. Incredibly annoying that Group Lotus owned or backed cars in other categories are green and yellow. Fernandez owned/backed cars in other categories are white and red (Air Asia).

Caterham corporate colours appear to be black, silver, grey and red. Blends quite well with Air Asia colours. Why doesn't Fernandez create a scheme for all his cars across all categories based on that? If he is so bent on creating his own identity know and all?

Then we can let Group Lotus choose between their corporate colours of green and yellow or keep the nostalgic black and gold for motorsport purposes. But once again, they should choose ONE, and apply it across all their cars in all categories.

Or is that too much logic for F1?

[Teretonga]

Originally Posted by SJA

Some consistency wouldn't go astray. Incredibly annoying that Group Lotus owned or backed cars in other categories are green and yellow. Fernandez owned/backed cars in other categories are white and red (Air Asia).

Caterham corporate colours appear to be black, silver, grey and red. Blends quite well with Air Asia colours. Why doesn't Fernandez create a scheme for all his cars across all categories based on that? If he is so bent on creating his own identity know and all?

Then we can let Group Lotus choose between their corporate colours of green and yellow or keep the nostalgic black and gold for motorsport purposes. But once again, they should choose ONE, and apply it across all their cars in all categories.

Or is that too much logic for F1?

Too much logic for F1, besides the Caterham is a Lotus 7....
perhaps Tony has decided the new Caterham colours should be green and yellow.... like the old Caterham colours...

[Born Racer]

Originally Posted by Marbot

No more 'Team Lotus'.

Never mind that Marbot - what about no more 'Webber to Renault'?

[Bononi]

Oh we always can say 'Webber to somewhere else' and 'Massa out of Ferrari'. That's fun !

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by Born Racer

Never mind that Marbot - what about no more 'Webber to Renault'?

Yeah, forgot about that. Webber to Lotus? ....... Nah! It's just not the same, is it?

[GTRMagic]

Is Snoras Bank still a Group Lotus sponsor?

Doesnt seem to be travelling to well... Here

[wolfhound]

At the recent first drive around COTA Mario Andretti drove a Lotus 79 and Jerome dAmbrosio drove a Renault R30 in black and gold livery. Is the the team that now calls itself Lotus trying to hijack the heritage of Team Lotus? Mat Coch thinks so.

http://www.pitpass.com/47672-By-Any-Other-Name

[bella]

i think the people who think that sort of thing is hijacking the lotus tradition need to get over themselves.

the connection is surely the driver and the car, not the team and the car. world series by renault had alain prost running demo laps at paul ricard in the car he won in *at* paul ricard, as the author of that points out in passing. so is that renault trying to hijack history? no, they're doing something appealing for the fans and for alain. i thought it was great to see. just like it was great to see damon hill driving a red bull at the weekend too, and to see jean ragnotti horse about in his renault 5 there as well.

bruno senna keeps driving his uncle's cars at various demonstrations. is he trying to hijack his uncles memory? no. so why is it a problem that lotus are running old lotuses? at least we get to see them out on track again, which is surely the point in old racing cars...

[Paradise City]

I'm not overly concerned or put out. Lotus is going to go anywhere where there's a bit of marketing windfall they can reap. F1 is expensive and they aren't going to starve the coffers just to satisfy the strict demands of tradition.

It is sad though that the Lotus brand has diminished so.