Lotus to return to F1 in 2010

I'm not at all excited about this poor incarnation of Lotus, it's not Lotus at all.

Also, I do wonder as well if all the circuits will be able to support a 28 car gird?
 
Some how I don't hold out much hope for this being a world championship contending team any time soon.. still the Malaysians can hope...

Speaking of Malaysian Pride:
lolrep.png


I hope the Malaysians who end up working for Lotus understand more about the sport than these two... if only they'd actually had any Rep power.
 
I don't like the fact they this team will use the Lotus name. Sounds good, but... :/
 
Lotus back in F1? This news will be overshadowed by the arrival of USF1.




Ok, sorry. That is a lie.
 
Sadly, their motive to join F1 to "promote unity among Malaysians" just sounds so political. What about the F1?!
 
They shouldn't, because it's not Lotus.. :b

They should just drop the Lotus name all together.. :p Just call it what it is, Malaysia F1.
 
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/78691

Lotus boss plans to step down soon

By Jonathan Noble Friday, September 18th 2009, 08:26 GMT

Lotus team principal Tony Fernandes has no intention of remaining in his role for the long term, after revealing that he will stand down shortly after the 2010 season begins.

The Malaysian aviation entrepreneur has been named the boss of the new Lotus outfit, but wants to hand over responsibility to someone else within a matter of months.

"The team principal [position] is not something that is going to be permanent," he told news agency Reuters. "I am going to get it [the team] to a stage and then someone can do it full time, properly.

"My job is AirAsia and I just want to make sure that we [Lotus] have the right direction, the right imaging and the right future, the right strategic plan and marketing."

When asked for a time frame for him stepping down, he said: "I think up to about Melbourne, maybe. Maybe I'll enjoy being the team principal for a couple of races and I think then we'd move it on to someone else."

Lotus is expected to announce its two drivers at the end of October, and Fernandes has insisted that, despite the Malaysian support for the team, there was no need for it to run home grown talent.

Instead, he thinks the team's efforts would be best served by bringing on board an experienced F1 driver.

"My personal preference would be to try to get someone with lots of experience, even though he may be ending his career, who can add a lot of experience and develop the car," he added.

"Having the right personality that can transfer knowledge and enjoy working with people, I think is critical... there's no point throwing someone in at the deep end if he's not ready either."

OK, what?! This should ensure they get off to a great start to the season... mind you if the guy is non-technical maybe he'll be replaced by someone who has more F1 experience?

I really want Lotus & Cosworth to do well but I really can't see it happening!
 
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I'm really not too thrilled about this to be honest. This new effort doesn't sound like it'll do the Lotus name any justice.
 
Toyota, Honda and BMW three companies one would expect to do well have over the years seriously under performed - perhaps these guys can make a fist of it - may be F1 does need a small focussed effort and the new Lotus can do it - I, at least, wish them all the luck in the world - it will be very difficult to get somewhere quickly, I hope that the realise that.
 
There have been rumours/discussions on other forums that the Malaysian-backed Lotus team may want a Malaysian driver. Return of Alex Yoong anyone :p?

Though there is a Malaysian driver in WSR right now, Fairuz Fauzy. He's 5th is the championship currently so not too bad, don't know if he's F1 material though, at this point anyway.

Anyway, I hope the 'Lotus' team don't go for the All-Stars approach, it never exactly worked out for Super Aguri...
 
Though there is a Malaysian driver in WSR right now, Fairuz Fauzy. He's 5th is the championship currently so not too bad, don't know if he's F1 material though, at this point anyway.

He's 27 years old, already had his chance in GP2, he's good in WSR but I don't think he's close to being F1 material...

I generally don't like the idea of these "national" teams - I'm sure USF1 will have at least one US driver, Campos is almost certain to have a Spaniard, this new Lotus team with their Malaysian driver... I don't think this is good for the sport, if there are better drivers available, they shouldn't take their nationality into consideration.
 
He's 27 years old, already had his chance in GP2, he's good in WSR but I don't think he's close to being F1 material...

I generally don't like the idea of these "national" teams - I'm sure USF1 will have at least one US driver, Campos is almost certain to have a Spaniard, this new Lotus team with their Malaysian driver... I don't think this is good for the sport, if there are better drivers available, they shouldn't take their nationality into consideration.

Oh right, thanks for the info, I didn't really know anything about him, just that he had been mentioned as a possibility.

Yeah I think its been proved that the national teams idea doesn't really work. I don't know if USF1 will have anymore success than that Red Bull Driver Search programme, but that turned out a bit of a mess in their quest to get an American driver into F1. Well, they did get one in, but he didn't last long. Are there any more young American open wheelers who look more promising than Scott Speed did? I've heard names, but they all seem to be racing in the States currently rather than Europe, and I don't know if thats the best training ground or not (though I admit I'm a little ignorant on American series).
 
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This makes me a saaad panda. Not even that whole Jordan/Midland F1Spyker thing can match the cynicalness of this marketing.
If an F1 team is called Lotus then it should be based in Norfolk and the car should be made by British blokes called Dave, Brian and Colin.
Malaysia is more than welcome to an F1 team, but call it Proton or Force Malaysia or something, anything else.
 
Says alot about the team if the newly named team principal says basically "I can't be bothered with this. My priorities lie somewhere else." Then why did you take the job? Was it forced to you at gunpoint? ^_^

Hire Villeneuve as your driver and you're set. :D
 
I would love Lotus forever if we saw the return of the 'ollocks' sponsorship that the cars inexplicably had only for the 1991 Monaco Grand Prix.


+1 for whoever can find a picture of said car because I sure can't.

Although to be honest in it's current guise the car really should be sponsored by GTA IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony
 
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I would love Lotus forever if we saw the return of the 'ollocks' sponsorship that the cars inexplicably had only for the 1991 Monaco Grand Prix.
I might take a look on the 1991 season review this evening and see if it's shown. But as I only have it on VHS, screencaps will be a tad tricky...
 
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