[Calum]

This thread is for all the little random F1 related questions we can think of that don’t deserve a new thread of their own.

Trivial questions can be shared and answered here, by all the knowledgable users on the F1 Fanatic Forum!

Note: This isn’t a rolling trivia game, this is for anyone to just ask little questions and hopefully get a quick answer. :)

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Team Lotus were sponsored by Essex, what industry was this sponsor in, or is it just the county giving money to Lotus?

[Dougy_D]

I understand it was by Essex Petroleum…

I have two questions actually relating to finances.

1) where does lotus get the cash to sponsor renault? I heard they were making losses last year…

2) What happens to all the money that is made by the F1 Mangement? Does it get fed back into motorsport at any level?

[Calum]

Thank you!

1) Lotus cars sponsor Renault. Lotus cars are owned by the Proton group, a Malaysian car manufacturer, and this company has received various gift loans from the Malaysian government I beleive. The gift loans are high sums of money that get paid back with extremely low interest. Proton are trusting Bahar with the rebuilding of Lotus cars, and this $100m sponsorship deal is getting him all the publicity they need. Quite interesting that both Lotus on the grid are Malaysian financed.

2) Sorry, but I don’t know about 2!

[Icthyes]

Regarding #2, a lot of the money made by FOM goes into servicing the debt they incurred by buying F1.

[Victorface]

I have a question. Why do Mark Webber’s shift lights only go to the red whereas the other drivers’ lights are blue? Also, is the design of the Red Bull steering wheel an Adrian Newey detail? That shape of steering wheel and fixed shift lights I’ve seen only elsewhere on Newey’s Mclarens.

[Anonymous]

Wow how did you notice?

Webber: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19uPax5MzmI

Vettel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69NrcT9e-tI

I don’t know why.

Regardin the steering wheel’s shape it’s a driver’s choice, because McLaren had it the same with the gears on the cars, but Lewis prefered them on the wheel and McLaren changed it.

[Katy]

Hmm I think I remember a feature either on the TV coverage, or a DVD, or something, where they talked about those lights on the Ferraris, I seem to recall they were saying it was driver preference how many lights they had so I’d assume colour was a personal preference as well. I could be, and probably am, wrong.

[Anonymous]

Regarding the position, I think it’s driver’s preferences. Regarding colours i’m dubious even because I think everyone uses green, red and blue. But Webber is missing the last four lights…

[Tom L.]

I vaguely remember reading somewhere that Webber preferred not to use the blue ’cause he found it more distracting than green and red. But I’m afraid I can’t remember the source…

[Author]

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