Lotus are back!

Excellent news.

However, I thought grids were limited to 26 cars (13 teams) due to Monaco?

It would be great if it did happen though, like a return to the old days.
 
Brogan said:
Excellent news.

However, I thought grids were limited to 26 cars (13 teams) due to Monaco?

Dunno, I only quoted the BBC, who I guess quoted the FIA LOL

Still, good to see them back, will be interesting to see their team colours. Will we get the black and gold of the JPS days or will it be British Racing Green?
 
Wait 'til c_a_t hears about this, he's going to be ecstatic LOL

Just for good measure, here's the official FIA press release.

Following an intensive selection and due diligence process, the FIA has awarded the 13th entry in the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship to the Lotus F1 Team.

The FIA also received an impressive application from the BMW Sauber Team. However, given that BMW has announced it will withdraw its support in 2010, there are still uncertainties regarding the future ownership of the team.

Nevertheless, the FIA considers that BMW Sauber’s application is of high quality and would constitute a competitive participant in the Championship. As such, it has awarded BMW Sauber the '14th place' in the Championship meaning that it will be entitled to fill any vacancy that arises on the 2010 grid.

In addition, the FIA believes that a good case can be made for expanding the grid to 14 teams. The FIA will be consulting urgently with the existing teams regarding the introduction of an appropriate rule change to expand the grid to 28 cars in time for the first Grand Prix in 2010.

Detailed below is information about the new team that has been confirmed to compete in the Championship from next year.

Company Name: 1Malaysia F1 Team Sdn Bhd
Team Name: Lotus F1 Team
Country: Malaysia
Team Principal: Tony Fernandes

A partnership between the Malaysian Government and a consortium of Malaysian entrepreneurs, 1Malaysia F1 Team returns the Lotus name as a constructor to Formula One for the first time since 1994. The team will initially be based at the RTN facility in Norfolk, UK, some 10 miles from the Lotus Cars factory. A 50,000 square foot fully equipped facility, RTN was built by Toyota for its initial Formula One programme and then used by Bentley for its successful Le Mans programme.

The team’s future design, R&D, manufacturing and technical centre will be purpose built at Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit.

Team Principal Tony Fernandes is the founder and CEO of the Malaysian-based Tune Group, owner of the Air Asia airline. The team’s Technical Director Mike Gascoyne has over 20 years of experience in Formula One having previously performed the same role for the Force India, Toyota, Renault and Jordan Formula One teams.

As part of its application to compete in the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship, the team has agreed an engine supply deal with Cosworth and a wide variety of technical partnerships including Xtrac and FondTech.
 
To come 14th in a field of 10 is worse than even BMW Sauber could contemplate! It'd be great to see a blue/green Sauber racing alongside a BRG Lotus next year, eh?
 
Is a Lotus a Lotus if it is made in Malaysia? The heart of the team has always been in Norfolk. Will Lotus fans look upon a Lotus made in Malaysia as a truley of the same lineage as Chapman's cars? Will Malaysians feel any connection with a Lotus car?

To draw a comparison with Ferrari, the Tifosi love their cars as the soul of the team is Italian, regardless of who drives or deisgns the cars, or manages the team. I can't imagine the Malay people will suddenly become Lotus fans just because the cars are being built in Sepang. I don't see too many Toyota flags at the German Grand Prix for example - plenty of Mercedes flags (cars made in the UK) and BMW (cars made in Switzerland).

Apart from Ferrari, most peolpe seem drawn to F1 if there is driver from their country doing well. Schumie drew bigs crowds in Germany, Alonso in Spain. If "Lotus" place a Malaysian driver in their team, or FI an Indian driver, would some no hoper trailing round at the back of the field really generate that much more interest? Some how I don't think so.
 
If they win a race (which surely they won't) it'll be the Malaysian national anthem that is played.

I must admit to being a bit disappointed with this. Rather like the Brabham team coming back under new ownership, the best I can see happening is the good name of Lotus besmirched.

I can't really understand the logic in putting this lot 13th and the Qadbak/Sauber team 14th? I assumed it was because BMW hadn't finalised the sale, but since it was announced today the FIA must have known that it would go through?

Ah well, with Renault's travails we'll doubtless see both these "new" teams on the grid next year. Bet the Sauber is much closer to the front!
 
GordonMurray said:
If they win a race (which surely they won't) it'll be the Malaysian national anthem that is played.
Another first in F1 :D

GordonMurray said:
I can't really understand the logic in putting this lot 13th and the Qadbak/Sauber team 14th? I assumed it was because BMW hadn't finalised the sale, but since it was announced today the FIA must have known that it would go through?
Yes, I posted about that in the BMW thread.

I said:
<dons conspiracy hat>
If BMW had managed to do this deal a few weeks ago then it's highly likely that Lotus wouldn't have got a place.
Was this all part of some big plan to get 28 cars on the grid?
Seems a bit fishy that they announce the deal on the same day
<removes conspiracy hat>

The timing and decisions all seem a bit odd to me.
 
Ah, sorry Bro, hadn't got that far yet.

So...are Lotus classed as a manufacturer team (Proton) or not? They're manufacturer-owned but using a customer engine. :dunno:
 
GordonMurray said:
So...are Lotus classed as a manufacturer team (Proton) or not? They're manufacturer-owned but using a customer engine. :dunno:
Good point.

It's going to be interesting updating the database for next season with all the new teams and drivers and trying to work out which teams are new and which are connected to old teams
 
Brogan said:
The timing and decisions all seem a bit odd to me.

GordonMurray said:
Ah well, with Renault's travails we'll doubtless see both these "new" teams on the grid next year. Bet the Sauber is much closer to the front!

Unless the FIA already know what's going to happen next Monday, meaning they can appoint a 14th team and not worry about the yellow(/white/orange) peril on the grid.

Is it just me or are all the threads on this forum in danger of merging?


GordonMurray said:
So...are Lotus classed as a manufacturer team (Proton) or not? They're manufacturer-owned but using a customer engine

Depends when its convenient!
 
My first thoughts after I saw the news on Sky TV were "Yes, Yes :censored: ing Yes, Get in there, wahoo, :censored: ing superb"

But now I've had a chance to calm down a little I've had a chance to look at some of the statements and bits of news from around the web I have a few reservations.

The rights to the original Team Lotus are held by David Hunt. At least litespeed were making the effort to re-aquire these rights to give their claim to the team name some legitamacy. Will this new team Lotus do the same? Mike Gascgoynes statement in his Autosport interview made me shudder when he stated "We are not pretending to be the old team Lotus - we are the new Lotus F1 team".

Will the original Lotus race wins, WDC's and WCC's be listed and continued alongside the new team?

I was expecting to see British know how alongside Malay money however it would seem that it's going to be Malay know how and money. I think housing the team in Sepang would a massive mistake. The F1 talent pool is small and mainly British based. The chances of attracting the best engineers and designers to be based in the Far East dosn't seem great.

The team has the backing of the Malaysian government which is good to start up with but an extremely unreliable source of income in the long run. Previous links with countries (Jordan with the Irish government and Minardi with Malaysia) only lasted a single season and didn't really benefit the teams.

Of course the cars should have the famous green and yellow ACCB Lotus badge on the nose and that should form the cornerstone of the merchandise. If, and it's not entirely clear, one of the major backers behind the re-launch of Lotus is Proton then I wonder how much involvement from the actual Lotus car company there will be?

I am sure a lot of this will come out in the next few weeks and months but let's face it the team face a massive challenge just to get two cars on the grid ready for March 2010.
 
cider_and_toast said:
Will the original Lotus race wins, WDC's and WCC's be listed and continued alongside the new team?
Hopefully that will be something that's all worked out before the new season as it will affect a lot of stat's, records and databases, including ours.

I am sure a lot of this will come out in the next few weeks and months but let's face it the team face a massive challenge just to get two cars on the grid ready for March 2010.
Well with the no testing rule I fail to see how any new team which isn't ready within the next month or 2 is going to be in a position to compete next year.
Are we going to see cars which are double digits off the pace?
 
This limited testing rule is starting to get very silly and is clearly having more of an impact than trying to save money. It's had an impact with new drivers coming in half way through this season and is clearly going to have a major impact on teams starting from scratch for next season. I think it's time the FIA thought this one through a bit better!
 
right...

time for action! lotus lovers of the world unite! our memories are trampled upon, torn and twisted they are. we think we get our beloved lotus back but its just a name. embarrassing!

i think i will stage a sit in to start with..
 
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