Caterham (formerly Lotus)

Team Lotus

FIA Entry: Team Lotus
Car 20: Heikki Kovaleinen
Car 21: Jarno Trulli
Engine: Renault V8
Team Principal: Tony Fernandes
Technical Director: Mike Gascoyne
Race Engineer Car 20: Juan Pablo Ramirez
Race Engineer Car 21: Gianluca Pisanello

Stats as of end 2010

First Entered 2010
Races Entered 20
Race Wins 0
Pole Positions 0
Fastest Laps 0
Driver World Championships 0
Constructor World Championships 0

Team Lotus

Tony Fernandes' 1Malaysia F1 team lay claim to one of the most iconic names in F1, Team Lotus. Team Lotus, under the guidance of one of the greatest innovators in F1 Colin Chapman, was in F1 from 1958 to 1994. They took part in 491 Grands Prix, winning 73 races, 7 Constructors Titles, 6 Drivers Championships, 102 poles and 65 fastest laps. During this time some of the greatest F1 drivers drove for Team Lotus including Jim Clark, Stirling Moss, Ayrton Senna, Graham Hill, Emerson Fittipaldi, Jochen Rindt and Nigel Mansell.

2010 Team Lotus

With the support of the Malaysian government via Proton cars and two Malaysian Companies, Tune and Naza Groups, Tony Fernandes entered F1 under the Team Lotus name. Using Cosworth engines and Xtrac gearboxes Lotus signed up experienced drivers for their first season in F1 with Heikki Kovaleinen and Jarno Trulli.

The cars proved reasonably reliable although not quick enough to threaten the mid-field teams. Kovaleinen managed Lotus’ best finish with a 12th place in Japan and the team, based on count back of non-points scoring finishes, were placed 10th in the Constructors Championship – the best of the new teams for 2010.

2011

Lotus announced during 2010 that they would switch to Renault engines for 2011 along with Red Bull gearbox and hydraulic technology. The same driver line up is retained and they will use the T128 chassis.

Whether the team continue to use the Lotus name will be decided in the British High Court. Proton, owners of the Group Lotus name, have moved their allegiance to the former Renault team although ownership of the Team Lotus name is in dispute as this was owned by David Hunt, brother of 1976 World Champion James and sold to Fernandes.

 

[teabagyokel]

downforce - I've often wondered this. Why don't these companies go and sponsor someone who'll get them a bit of exposure?

If I were an employee of a moneyed company told to spend some money on sponsoring a driver to raise headlines, I would give the money to someone who would employ Kamui Kobayashi, who would give us a chance to flog some stuff in Japan as well as being an interesting enough racer that our company name would appear on screen as he barged past someone at the hairpin at Suzuka.

I would not do what CapriSun do, and pointlessly sponsor Adrian Sutil. He might be able to get on the screens in Germany if he could just nick some airtime off a race winner taking on Lewis Hamilton and matching him, the most promising young driver in the sport and the current four-time bloody World Champion. He is utterly anonymous, week in, week out, and the only time in his career the world noticed the sod is when he was arrested for glassing a suit at an opposing team.

Who is sponsoring a half-promising Dutch bloke to drive at the back of the grid? Who is making money out of Charles Pic? I just don't understand it...

 

[Mephistopheles]

Who is sponsoring a half-promising Dutch bloke to drive at the back of the grid?

You can if you want...

http://www.charlespic.com/en/season-2012/sponsors/

 

[teabagyokel]

Mephistopheles - I was going to but my IQ is in at least double figures.

 

[FB]

Sponsorize, it says SPONSORIZE for fucks sake!

 

[Mephistopheles]

So it does...

 

[McZiderRed]

Was it written by George W Bush..?

 

[Incubus]

His IQ was into double figures?!!....

 

[RasputinLives]

I'm currently in Lille, France and have asked as many French people as will talk to me if they know who Charles Pic is and not one of them does.

I said Max Chilton's name though and at least half of them instantly said 'Merde'

 

[teabagyokel]

RL: Ou est Charles Pic?
RFP: Qui est ce connard anglais, demandant des informations sur les participants à l'année prochaine de <<Je suis une célébrité, sortez-moi de là!>>

Thanks Google Translate.

 

[McZiderRed]

Qué?

 

[Mephistopheles]

I believe that is Spanish..

 

[teabagyokel]

Il est trés difficile...

 

[McZiderRed]

I believe that is Spanish..

No, Fawlty Towers.

 

[Bill Boddy]

C'est trés difficile... je crois.

 

[Il_leone]

I almost forgot this team did not complete its line up until today so both Pic and VDG out and welcome back Kamui

 

[Il_leone]

Interestingly Fernandes is making noises he will leave F1 if the team is still at the back ... maybe if you concentrate on F1 rather than chasing the dream with QPR it might help

 

[Fenderman]

Fernandez puts up the money and calls on his team to perform. He doesn't build or drive the car. He has the right give his squad a shot in the buttocks, although doing that bit in the presence of the press is guaranteed to get a negative read. He also has a point about the realities for minnow teams in F1 compared to those in football. History* tells us that if a team hasn't broken into the midfield within five years it has little hope of making it into the top five on anything like a consistent basis, let alone taking a championship.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/25833881

*Note: By history I am of course referring to the matured F1 and not its growing years into the 1970's.

 

[Il_leone]

Rome was not built overnight - someone should point out that to Fernandes . Red Bull took 5 years to get to the front . To me it seems like Caterham have lost their enthusiasm that came with the team when it was under Lotus.

He also pointed out he enjoys the rollercoaster excitement of premier league to F1 and he tried to make fast buck with what has been a disastrous adventure as QPR owner and so far has had his fingers burned

has he just started to realise how expensive F1 is and is not willing to delve into his pockets like Genii Capital do with Lotus

 

[Fenderman]

In my earlier post I said: "History* tells us that if a team hasn't broken into the midfield within five years it has little hope of making it into the top five on anything like a consistent basis, let alone taking a championship." I would suggest that Red Bull Racing is probably not the best example to propose that Caterham's performance has been good enough. Let's look at how both teams fared since their entry to F1:

Red Bull Racing's - remembering their origins:

Stewart Grand Prix:
3 seasons, 49 races. 27 top 10 finishes including: 1 win, 1 2nd place, 3 x 3rd places.
Championship standings 9th, 8th, 4th.
Ford/Jaguar Racing:
5 seasons, 85 races. 60 top 10 finishes including: 2 x 3rd places.
Championship standings 9th, 8th, 7th, 7th, 7th.
Red Bull Racing:
Year 1: 19 races, 20 top 10 finishes. Championship standing - 7th.
Year 2: 18 races, 10 top 10 finishes including 1 x 3rd place. Championship standing - 7th.
Year 3: 17 races, 14 top 10 finishes including 1 x 3rd place. Championship standing - 5th.
Year 4: 18 races, 18 top 10 finishes including 1 x 3rd place. Championship standing - 7th.
Year 5: 17 races, 24 top 10 finishes including 6 wins, 6 x 2nd place, 4 x 3rd place. Championship standing - 2nd.

Caterham/Team Lotus

Team Lotus: 2 seasons, 38 races. 0 top 10 finishes. Championship standings 10th both seasons
Caterham: 2 seasons, 39 races. 0 top 10 finishes. Championship standings 10th, 11th.

So, if the midfield is 6th through 8th - which is what I, personally, regard it to be - then as Stewart Grand Prix they were into the midfield in year two and three. They took a dip as Ford but as Jaguar recovered and stayed there for another four years . Red Bull was then an equally consistent mid-field team for four years - making it into the top five in year three and then breaking into the hallowed top two. The rest is even more remarkable history.

 

[F1Yorkshire]

Getting a win within 3 years is impressive for a brand new team starting from scratch. Caterham and Marussia can't be compared.