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
And still they delude themselves.
http://www.caterhamf1.com/news/2012/australian-grand-prix Riad Asmat, Caterham Group Chief Executive: "We have a great deal of very good news to take out of today. Obviously we did not want to finish like that, but after both Heikki and Vitaly negotiated their way around the first corner clash we were quickly up to speed with the likes of Force India, Williams and even Ferrari, and that's very encouraging for next week in our first home race of the season in Malaysia and the season ahead. We have work to do to make sure we cure the problems we encountered today, but we will do just that and come back even more strong in Sepang."
Click to expand
 
To be fair, last year they were much better in Sepang than they were in Melbourne. Equally, they were in exactly the same position in Melbourne!
 
Anybody notice that Alexander Rossi was named the Caterham test driver? According to AUTOSPORT he'll be driving in several Friday practices throughout the year. Not sure if this has any effect on van der Garde.
 
Both of them will get to do drive some practice sessions, but with the amount of sponsorship money van der Garde reportedly has, I won't be surprised if he's in one of the Caterham race seats before the end of the season.
 
Think they may start to need that money, there are reports about currently that the case against Team Lotus (now Caterham) brought by Force India for the use of their IP in last years car has been decided against Caterham. This is the civil case brought between the teams in the UK. There is an ongoing criminal case in Italy against the owners, designers and the wind tunnel facilities they use over the same matter. The whole thing has now been referred to the FIA for a ruling as it has been found that Team Lotus ran a car last year which used Force India IP on it due to the details being found at the wind tunnel facilities which both teams use.

This could go badly for Caterham...
 
KekeTheKing said:
Anybody notice that Alexander Rossi was named the Caterham test driver? According to AUTOSPORT he'll be driving in several Friday practices throughout the year. Not sure if this has any effect on van der Garde.
Click to expand

While I welcome this I'm surprised as Rossi was not named in their GP2 team! From what Josh has said earlier it looked like Van Der Garde was set for the race seat until Petrov scraped the money in and beat him too it. Seems to me that Rossi was always surpose to be thier reserve driver but now they have this Van Der Garde situation so their sharing it.

canis said:
Think they may start to need that money, there are reports about currently that the case against Team Lotus (now Caterham) brought by Force India for the use of their IP in last years car has been decided against Caterham. This is the civil case brought between the teams in the UK. There is an ongoing criminal case in Italy against the owners, designers and the wind tunnel facilities they use over the same matter. The whole thing has now been referred to the FIA for a ruling as it has been found that Team Lotus ran a car last year which used Force India IP on it due to the details being found at the wind tunnel facilities which both teams use.

This could go badly for Caterham...
Click to expand

That'll explain why Trulli had to go and Petrov is in!
 
canis said:
Think they may start to need that money, there are reports about currently that the case against Team Lotus (now Caterham) brought by Force India for the use of their IP in last years car has been decided against Caterham. This is the civil case brought between the teams in the UK. There is an ongoing criminal case in Italy against the owners, designers and the wind tunnel facilities they use over the same matter. The whole thing has now been referred to the FIA for a ruling as it has been found that Team Lotus ran a car last year which used Force India IP on it due to the details being found at the wind tunnel facilities which both teams use.

This could go badly for Caterham...
Click to expand

Be interesting to see if they're fined $50,000,000 and chucked out of the Constructors' Championship, no?
 
teabagyokel said:
Be interesting to see if they're fined $50,000,000 and chucked out of the Constructors' Championship, no?
Click to expand

You have to remember, that was not for the original offense, but the continued use of the data after it was found and the supposed "cover up" of how widely distributed it was. But it will be interesting with a new hand stearing the FIA finding out exactly what punishment will be applied for this. Think Caterham are going to be at the very least putting their hands in the relatively deep pockets of Fernandes to hand over some sort of fine.
 
It may well be dependent on how they acquired the IP. If it came from teh company running the common wind tunnel Caterham might not even have realised that it was illegal. If, however, it is shown that the knew it was illegal they should be treated like McLaren and Renault.
 
Viscount said:
I'm guessing van der Garde since he was in Malaysia for the GP2 race.
Click to expand

I'd have thought that but wondered if Rossi was as he was listed as their reserve in Australia and doesn't have the 3.5 Series to worry about until May. I have the feeling they prefer him over Van Der Garde but he just doesn't have the cash.
 
So this is odd.

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

Gonzalez has an extremly poor record in GP2 and over on the GP2 thread there has been questions as to why he's in the GP2 team at all and the conclusion was money, but why put him in the car at a test session? A big chance to make rapid improvements to the car and to finally drag themselves on to the back of the Toro Rosso's. Surely this isn't the time to make a few bucks and throw in a pay driver.

Maybe he's great at feedback and I've got it wrong. Seems very odd especially when you think they have Raiz, Van Der Garde, Rossi and even Trulli on their books still!
 
So far 5 different drivers have driven a Caterham this year & Rossi is set to be number 6 when he drives on the Friday in Barcelona. Must be some kind of record having that many people drive their car in one season, I wonder if anyone else will pay to have a go in the Caterham.
 
Can someone explain to me what is going on with Catherham vs Force India? As I recall, FI won a patent infringement case against Catherham, yet now the BBC says that FI is being hit with a fine of 650k pounds for the same case!
 
the improvements from Caterham are not there yet and with Fernandes financially backing QPR..it might get more difficult for them to move up

I read the Autosport article and did not realise they were nowhere nearer the teams in Q2 and getting points.

It is a surprise with Red Bull technology and Renault engine with Mike Gascoyne they have not made more ground. I can only put it down to not interpreting the rules as well and a lack of backing
 

Similar threads

S
Netflix fans and Mick Schumacher
Replies
3
Views
322
shouxana
S
F1Brits_90
  • Article Article
Grand Prix 2023 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion
    • Like
2
Replies
25
Views
1K
Brogan
Brogan
FB
  • Article Article
Grand Prix 2024 Spanish, Austrian, and British Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion
    • Like
8 9
Replies
164
Views
4K
Bleu
Bleu
FB
  • Article Article
Grand Prix 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion
    • Like
2
Replies
27
Views
2K
Bleu
Bleu
F1Brits_90
  • Article Article
Grand Prix 2024 Chinese Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion
    • Like
2
Replies
33
Views
2K
F1Brits_90
F1Brits_90
Back
Top Bottom