Who are the real ‘Lotus’ in F1? (Poll)
Debates and polls
Two different teams are locked in a dispute over who has the right to use the Lotus name.
Both intend to use cars in classic black-and-gold John Player Special Lotus colours in 2011.
Who do you think are the real Lotus? Cast your vote and have your say below.
Jarno Trulli, Lotus, Valencia, 2010
Lotus Racing
The team entered into F1 by Tony Fernandes in 2010. Fernandes bought the licence to use the name ‘Lotus’ from Proton, owners of Group Lotus, in 2009.
Lotus Racing has always considered itself a continuation of the classic Team Lotus and marked its 500th Grand Prix start at Valencia this year.
Fernandes acquired the rights to use the name Team Lotus from David Hunt in September. Hunt has owned them since the original team collapsed at the end of 1994.
2011 Lotus-Renault livery
Lotus Cars
The company which builds Lotus road cars was historically separate from the racing team.
They have now agreed a title sponsorship deal with Renault and have become an equity partner in their F1 team.
They plan to call the team Lotus Renault GP.
Over to you
Which team do you consider the rightful user of the name ‘Lotus’? Cast your vote and have you say below.
Who are the real 'Lotus' in F1?
- Lotus Racing (65%)
- Lotus Cars (17%)
- Neither (18%)
Total Voters: 4,056
Loading ...Lotus naming rights row
- Lotus to keep name until 2017 despite losing title sponsorship
- Lotus confirms 2012 name change to Caterham
- Renault, Lotus and Virgin to change names in 2012
- Bahar ‘determined’ to win right to call team ‘Lotus’
- Court rules Lotus have right to use name “Team Lotus”
- Fernandes: Group Lotus did their best to destroy us
- Lotus vs Lotus: Time to stop the nonsense
- Team Lotus revert to green and yellow livery for 2011
- Renault reveal R30 with new 2011 Lotus livery
- Who are the real ‘Lotus’ in F1? (Poll)
verstappen said on 8th December 2010, 18:46
I voted neither. I think it’s too far away from the brand Lotus as it was.
Bring on Red Bull Racing. Bring on Virgin! Let us watch as new F1 history unfolds.
Lustigson said on 8th December 2010, 18:47
With the options in this poll, the answer is ‘neither’, since Tony Fernandes’ ‘Team Lotus’ isn’t on there. Remember: that’s their official entry name. That team is the closest to anything that may be considered the real Lotus.
Icthyes (@icthyes) said on 8th December 2010, 19:55
Neither. Lotus was Colin Chapman’s team and no matter how many old personnel, name rights, logos etc. will make your team it. They were away for too long, the break too severe for this to be them “coming back”.
Fernandes’ team may have the Chapman family’s blessing but that doesn’t mean much either. If I had a famous father in business, I too would like the name resurrected, but it wouldn’t be my father’s business if 16 years had gone since its dissolution, even if they got the odd old manager back in.
That’s why you won’t see any bluster from me about Proton’s latest move. The posturing may be childish, but they weren’t the first to try and run off someone else’s good name.
plushpile said on 8th December 2010, 21:21
I like Will Buxton’s take on the matter: (paraphrased)
“I don’t call McLaren ‘Vodafone’ so why would I call Renault ‘Lotus’”
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine) said on 8th December 2010, 22:07
Because Vodafone aren’t part-owners of McLaren.
spezza said on 8th December 2010, 21:25
That’s a farce!
That’s not my team any more.
I’m so f…
David B said on 8th December 2010, 21:34
Why still debating? One could find another name…say…Brabham!
Stig Richards said on 8th December 2010, 21:40
I’m hoping to race a Lotus Exige in Australian GT Championship next year, with a Toyota engine.
I like the idea of the road cars linked to the F1 team.
But in truth i don’t feel either F1 team have enough Chapman DNA to qualify as the ‘real’ Lotus.
And as a marketing professional I would suggest that the projection of brand is being done terribly in both cases. Name does not equal brand.
Stig
ConfusedLotusFan said on 8th December 2010, 21:49
Lotus Racing, as next year they will (hopefully) be Team Lotus
Dominik Wilde said on 8th December 2010, 22:09
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_172627616092881 JOIN THE GROUP :D
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys) said on 8th December 2010, 23:05
Dany Bahar has now come out and said that four Lotus cars on the grid “suits him”. Of course it suits him! He’s getting free publicity from Fernandes!
manatcna (@manatcna) said on 9th December 2010, 0:02
Of course it’s neither, but last year I supported “Team Lotus” and I will continue to do so in 2011
manatcna (@manatcna) said on 9th December 2010, 0:03
Uh, that should read This Year
Siv said on 9th December 2010, 0:15
I read an article somewhere when the arguments about Tony buying “Team Lotus” started which states that what Tony bought may not actually give him the right to run a Lotus team but does give him the right to prevent anyone else from using the Lotus name in F1. So could Tony actually prevent Bahar from using the name Lotus next year?
US_Peter (@us_peter) said on 9th December 2010, 3:54
If the courts uphold the law…
Stephen Jones (@aus_steve) said on 9th December 2010, 2:21
Lotus Cars looks like they are in F1 for the money.
Lotus Racing on the other hand, has Fernandes and a Team focused on winning in F1.
So basically Lotus Cars has no Heart..
Cube said on 9th December 2010, 5:09
If the team has the backing of the widdow and son of Colin, it has the right to use the name & therefore is the Lotus. I feel on balance the backing of his family & his mechanics from Classic Team Lotus weigh heavily in Lotus Racing/Team Lotus favour.
I have no respect for Group Lotus, I will no longer support them or Kubica, who I admire, but will not support as long as he is a part of that team.
Chris said on 9th December 2010, 5:31
Unfortunately, my prediction is that in a couple of years time the Lotus brand will be completely ridiculed by these clowns!
Moral lesson from this story: never sell your brand name (and especially to people who have no respect about it)