Group Lotus, headed by Dany Bahar and backed by Malaysian carmaker Proton, announced that has become a title sponsor and a major shareholder of RenaultF1, with the team to be re-branded Lotus Renault GP.
Yet, the announcement has led to the bizarre prospect of two Malaysian-backed Lotus teams on the grid, fielding four similar cars all carrying the name "Lotus", powered by Renault engines and painted in near-identical black and gold livery that was made famous by the JPS-sponsored cars driven by the likes of Ayrton Senna in the '80s..
David Hunt, who held the rights to the 'Team Lotus' name before recently selling it to Tony Fernandes' team, critised heavily the latest announcement at the Norwich Evening News:
"Have the sponsors on Renault's car all been warned what they are in for and the damage that might occur to their brand through association of what is effectively a declaration of war by Proton? And given Renault still have a suspended sentence tied to them after bringing the sport into disrepute [for crashgate] in 2008, are they doing so again by deliberately and wilfully confusing the public over the Lotus brand? I think it's silly, whatever angle you look at it. Talk about confusing the public."
Reports about the agreement suggested the deal might include a complete takeover within time and in an interview with London's Telegraph, Bahar was coy:
"Yes, it is interesting to talk about control and shares and all that, but for us as a car manufacturer the bigger picture is far, far more relevant than just F1."
But Bahar indicated that taking control of the team now is not the plan.
"We are busy delivering ... targets rather than taking another hassle on," he said, referring to controlling an F1 team. We are very, very aware that F1 is an evolving adventure. It can change in the future. Let's concentrate on today and tomorrow let's see what happens."
And Genii's Gerard Lopez is also not disclosing much.
"It's funny because the same question was asked of us a year ago when we bought the majority shareholding in Renault F1. It's not the kind of thing that we will be disclosing."
Tony Fernandes wrote on Twitter that his decision to push ahead with the Team Lotus name will mean "many battles ahead." and explained that as Lotus' iconic green and yellow has been deployed by Group Lotus in other racing series including IndyCar, Team Lotus decided to go a different route for 2011, painting its cars with the legendary black and gold livery.
Chief executive of Team Lotus, Riad Asmat commented:
"I know the return to the track of the legendary black and gold will be met with universal support as it strikes such an emotional chord with fans around the world."
But when Group Lotus' 'Lotus Renault GP' plans were unveiled, the Enstone based team — also releasing photos of a re-livered R30 car — it was obvious that Lotus Renault GP outfit cars will also be painted in the black and gold livery.
As the news broke, fans of Fernandes' Team Lotus urged the Malaysian outfit to simply stick with green and yellow.
Mike Gascoyne's secretary duly took a poll, showing 77 percent support for retaining the current colors, while only 15 percent want the next car to be black.
Fernandes accused Group Lotus CEO Dany Bahar of "hijacking" Team Lotus' livery plans, but Renault team owner Gerard Lopez insisted that the opposite is in fact true.
"We always had the idea and then it leaked out through the press. Three days later they (Team Lotus) were announcing they were doing black and gold.
Renault team owner Gerard Lopez added ironically:
At the end of the day, I don't think there will be any confusion as to which cars will be which in terms of position on the track."
Bahar doubts if there will be four "Lotus" cars carrying the "Lotus" name and painted in the same black and gold livery by the start of the season and continued by saying that if it does happen, he would be "fine with it as it would increase the visibility" of the brand. He added that Proton, the Malaysian carmaker that owns Group Lotus, will be handling the legal side of the affair and would resolve the "Lotus" issue and explained that Group Lotus decided to enter F1 with an established team rather than link up with Fernandes' new foray because the former is "much, much more" affordable.
On the other hand, a frustrated Mike Gascoyne has admitted at the Norfolk newspaper Eastern Daily Press that he is not sure whether Team Lotus will race to the 2011 grid with that name and livery, although Fernandes' application to be called Team Lotus in 2011 has for now been accepted by the FIA and Bernie Ecclestone.
"We are here, and whatever we may be called, there will be a Formula One team based in Norfolk again, making racing and engineering racing cars, which I think is great for Norfolk and is a sense of pride for me as a Norfolk lad.
Gascoyne insisted that he cannot understand Group Lotus' alternative plan to pay millions for title sponsorship of Renault F1.
"I think when (Lotus founder) Colin Chapman brought sponsorship into F1, he thought he'd be on the receiving end — he wouldn't be paying it out. For me, Colin Chapman was about engineering, about making and engineering racing cars. That's what Team Lotus did; that's what we do here. It’s not about going and sponsoring a French manufacturer to put a badge on it. I find that very difficult to understand."
More news about the "Lotus War" soon !!!
