F1 formula one chat/stuff

[Monty]

Bloody hell bunch of Numpties


How to Tarnishing the Lotus name

[tigerdog]

Neither. Tired of the childish bickering about names. Unhappy that neither team is keeping green/gold colours. Detest the ridiculously early hours (GMT-8) for race day. I'm staying in bed.

[theelanman]

Looks like Lotus Renault GP will be needing a new driver for the start of the season....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsp ... 388940.stm

[rip]

Looks like Lotus Renault GP will be needing a new driver for the start of the season....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsp ... 388940.stm

Sounds nasty. I hope he makes a full recovery. Gonna take some time though...

[tigerdog]

I thought Team Lotus (Tony F's group) was strictly high-class in their response. A couple of well-wishing shout outs on their Facebook page.

[GeoffSmith]

Testing seems to be going well and only a 1.35s off the pace compared to nearly 4s on day one!

Code: Select all

Second pre-season test, day three, Jerez de la Frontera, fastest times:

1  Nick Heidfeld (Ger)         Renault              1:20.361
2  Fernando Alonso (Spa)       Ferrari              1:20.493
3  Michael Schumacher (Ger)    Mercedes             1:21.054
4  Lewis Hamilton (GB)         McLaren-Mercedes     1:21.099
5  Kamui Kobayashi (Jpn)       Sauber-Ferrari       1:21.242
6  Sebastian Vettel (Ger)      Red Bull-Renault     1:21.574
7  Sebastien Buemi (Swi)       Toro Rosso-Ferrari   1:21.681
8  Heikki Kovalainen (Fin)     Lotus-Renault        1:21.711
9  Rubens Barrichello (Brz)    Williams-Cosworth    1:22.227
10 Paul di Resta (GB) Force    India-Mercedes       1:22.945
11 Jerome D'Ambrosio (Bel)     Virgin-Cosworth      1:25.471

[theelanman]

Testing seems to be going well and only a 1.35s off the pace compared to nearly 4s on day one!

Code: Select all

Second pre-season test, day three, Jerez de la Frontera, fastest times:

1  Nick Heidfeld (Ger)         Renault              1:20.361
2  Fernando Alonso (Spa)       Ferrari              1:20.493
3  Michael Schumacher (Ger)    Mercedes             1:21.054
4  Lewis Hamilton (GB)         McLaren-Mercedes     1:21.099
5  Kamui Kobayashi (Jpn)       Sauber-Ferrari       1:21.242
6  Sebastian Vettel (Ger)      Red Bull-Renault     1:21.574
7  Sebastien Buemi (Swi)       Toro Rosso-Ferrari   1:21.681
8  Heikki Kovalainen (Fin)     Lotus-Renault        1:21.711
9  Rubens Barrichello (Brz)    Williams-Cosworth    1:22.227
10 Paul di Resta (GB) Force    India-Mercedes       1:22.945
11 Jerome D'Ambrosio (Bel)     Virgin-Cosworth      1:25.471

erm thats wrong isnt it??...
I thought Nick Heidfeld was at Lotus Renault GP (what was just the Renault team) and Heikki Kovalainen was at Lotus Racing (Tony Fernandez' lot...having the argument with the factory)......
I can see this is gonna get confusing

[GeoffSmith]

Yeah but to simplify things:
Lotus Renault GP use their own engine so should be called Lotus Renault.
Lotus Racing are now Team Lotus and use a Renault engine so should be called Lotus-Renault in the same way as Red Bull-Renault.
Simples!

[theelanman]

mmmm
even more simpulz.......

lotus renault gp.....http://www.lotusrenaultgp.com/

team lotus....http://www.teamlotus.co.uk/new-site.aspx

wish the meedya would keep up......

cumon at the back

[Specky]

The Lotus name is back on the podium, well done Renault...

JPS colours, Colin would be proud....

http://www.lotusrenaultgp.com/

TTFN

[GeoffSmith]

Feels a bit hollow though - a bit like being a life long Chelsea supporter then along comes Abramovich maybe.

[Specky]

It's just the start Group Lotus needed, Give it a couple of years I reckon Proton/Lotus will buy the team out right.

I'm at sixes and sevens about "Team Lotus", hopefully it's the kick up the arse they needed.

Time to sit back and see how the season developes...

TTFN

[DeeAitch]

I'm still puzzled why no one is referring to them as Lotus Renault - only Lotus? Only heard it once during the whole programme and only then 'cos someone was standing in front of the camera with a LOTUS RENAULT jacket on to remind them
Even the official results showed them as Renault.
And lets not forget Team Lotus. They still deserve our support, even if they were called Lotus Renault after practice WTF

[MPx]

I'm still puzzled why no one is referring to them as Lotus Renault

Its cos Lotus (ie Group Lotus) are only title sponsor and not manufacturer. They dont call it Vodaphone McLaren or Kingfisher Force India either. Manufacturer first (nominally Renault) engine supplier second (also Renault in this case) so just call it Renault. For the Team Lotus Car its manufacturer "[Team] Lotus" first then engine supplier "Renault" = Lotus Renault or Lotus for short. Seemples.

[Specky]

I thought the same, especially As Renault do have Lotus engineers working for them. I think they're playing it safe until there is a resolution to the court case in 6 weeks.

TTFN

[DeeAitch]

Thanks MPx sounds plausible - and strangely familiar I think that was the case even in the good old Gold leaf/ JPS days when it was Lotus - Ford

Strange how Team Lotus were Lotus Renault - at least they were on Beeb - after Saturday's practice and Renault are Lotus Renault in Geoffs post above

[Monty]

And lets not forget Team Lotus. They still deserve our support

I don`t see Renault as Lotus and only an extra badge to stick on there car, would imagine lotus would not much impact on the workings of the Renault car

What do you guys think of the new rear wing? I know it`s going to help overtaking but then it`s not down to driver skill . IMHO i would like to see them with a basic front and rear wing, flat undertray, no buttons on the steering wheel and back to sequential box

[Nickydee]

And lets not forget Team Lotus. They still deserve our support

I don`t see Renault as Lotus and only an extra badge to stick on there car, would imagine lotus would not much impact on the workings of the Renault car

This race team is not owned by Renault anymore. This has always been a UK based team that started life as Toleman in the early eighties, then sold to Benetton in the late eighties, brought by Renault in 2002 and sold during 2009/10 to a private equity co who have done the sponsorship deal with Lotus.

The team uses a Renault engine admittedly made in France but so have many teams in the past for example Williams. Don't forget that from 1983 to 1986, Renault was engine supplier to Team Lotus who at time where still using the JPS livery and to the Europa road car in 1970s.

I don't see these guys as less worthy as users of Lotus name than "Team Fernandez" who are backed by a maylasian airline magnet who freely admits that his uk operation is a front for a team really based in Asia and who have simply brought the rights to the name of a racing Team which had been dormant for many years. The Renault team on the other hand is sponsored i.e paid for at least in part by Group Lotus.

Having said all that having two teams named Lotus is a bit ridiculous
http://sniffpetrol.com/2011/03/16/exclu ... -analysis/

[clemo]

black and gold on podium again....

[Monty]

Renault black and gold on podium again....