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.
 
Click to expand
The value of the rinngit is unimportant.It how many you pay thats important.
Kuala Lumpur to Gtwick return regular fare is
Regular (LGW - KUL)
1,130.00 MYR1 Guest @ 1,130.00 MYR
567.00 MYRAirport Tax and Fees
90.00 MYRFuel Surcharge
40.00 MYRCarbon Offset Surcharge
3,119.00 MYRTotal
 
In 2010 the profit was just over 1 billion rinngits, so he will borrow money on the strength of that and of other factors in his business plan and results.

However, he will not borrow it all in one go, it will be over several years as he brings in batches of planes. The bank that Air Asia works with is Credit Suisse, so it is quite likely that they will do the arrangements. Just to be on the safe side Credit Suisse will take out a bet that Air Asia will not be able to afford to repay this amount of money and so will get their money back one way or another.
 
Interesting that Heiki reckons that just having the KERS system attached to 'the beast' this year will give them 4 tenths a lap. I had a quick look and that would have put them just about on Williams tale in quali last year but still not getting out of Q1. Now Williams only got 5 points last year and lucked into a couple of those so I'm guessing Caternham are hoping their new ermmm....beautifuly designed car is going to give them a bit more as well as the KERS.

You can't fault their optimism but does anyone else feel that the gap between them and the back of the midfield is still a massive leap away and that they won't make it all this season? We won't know until testing I guess - and lets face it Williams or someone could have built a stinker - but I don't see 2012 being the season Caternham get into the midfield battle. Maybe on a weird race day they may bring a point home but again I think they'll be looking to lady luck to bring it them.
 
Think you need to add in a gain for aerodynamics aswell, which might jut give them a couple of tenths or more.

I wonder if Marissia will have KERS :thinking:
 
I really like this team, second favourite to McLaren. I hope to see them battling regularly with the middle teams and always getting into Q2. And I like Mike Gascoyne. They have lots of things in place and seem serious about Success. The two things that really let them down last year, no KERS and no blown diffuser are no longer a problem (they have red bull KERS) I like Heikki but wish they'd swap Trulli for another driver. Got a bit pee'd off with Renault for nicking the name Lotus but Caterham's good. That episode put me off Renault and more onto Caterham . So..........Caterham, one to watch I think!
 
The 'real' Lotus would be in different colours to the Caterham or Proton cars that are going around. Lotus were the first to take on the colours of its main sponsor, and did that through all the ages whether driven by Hill, Andretti or Senna. Therefore, were Caterham the 'real' Lotus they would wear the Red and White of Air Asia, if Proton were they'd find a main sponsor and paint the car accordingly.

Certainly, Lotus would not promote JPS if it wasn't sponsored by JPS. Chapman moved forward, and did not look back.
 
KERS won't just give them 4 tenths a lap, it will give them the oppurtunity to take places off the line and be able to defend them on the straights.

KERS is of course more use at some tracks than others and I believe Kovi got 13th at Monza last year - imagine if he had had KERS as well.

And of course the EBD will help them gain relative pace as well.

They may be on track for a point!!
 
teabagyokel said:
The 'real' Lotus would be in different colours to the Caterham or Proton cars that are going around. Lotus were the first to take on the colours of its main sponsor, and did that through all the ages whether driven by Hill, Andretti or Senna. Therefore, were Caterham the 'real' Lotus they would wear the Red and White of Air Asia, if Proton were they'd find a main sponsor and paint the car accordingly.

Certainly, Lotus would not promote JPS if it wasn't sponsored by JPS. Chapman moved forward, and did not look back.
Click to expand

Proton have sold their shares in Group Lotus. The Lotus F1 fully owned by Genii Capital.
Name & Registered Office:
LOTUS F1 TEAM LIMITED
16 OLD BAILEY
LONDON
EC4M 7EG
Company No. 01806337
 
sportsman said:
Proton have sold their shares in Group Lotus. The Lotus F1 fully owned by Genii Capital.
Click to expand

Are you sure? The only thing I could find was that the Malaysian government sold its stake in Proton and that there were rumours about Proton selling Lotus but this was later denied by Bahar.
 

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