FORUMula1.com - F1 Forum

[Jensonb]

They shouldn't use the Lotus name and I can't believe someone actually sold the rights! Crazy!

Their rights are highly suspect. It would a little odd, insane I would say, to have sold rights to a Copyrighted name of a trading business to someone else to use in a different, but very closely related, industry without placing some kind of veto or at least a time or other restriction on the deal.

[uk08462]

The rights were not sold, they were aquired by David Hunt when Peter Collins' Team Lotus went under in 1994 - he bought the name, Walkinshaw bought Johnny Herbert's contract... Mr Hunt has been sitting on it ever since.

[Jensonb]

The rights were not sold, they were aquired by David Hunt when Peter Collins' Team Lotus went under in 1994 - he bought the name, Walkinshaw bought Johnny Herbert's contract... Mr Hunt has been sitting on it ever since.

Well, that is them being sold, but I think you're referring to the fact that the rights were in another business's hands to begin with. Which begs the question, why on earth were there no restrictions on that?

[7UpJordan]

Didn't the remains of Lotus' F1 team merge with the Pacific team? I remember the 1995 Pacific cars carried a Lotus stripe on the front end of the car.

EDIT: Of course it did, I missed the post stating that earlier in the thread.

[uk08462]

ACADEMIC NOW, THEY DIDN'T GET AN ENTRY.

[Gaz]

well thats rubbish.

[McLaren Fan]

From autosport.com:

Malaysians pushing for Lotus F1 entry

By Jonathan Noble Thursday, September 3rd 2009, 14:58 GMT

A consortium backed by the Malaysian government is pushing hard for Lotus to beat BMW Sauber to the final slot in next year's Formula 1 world championship, AUTOSPORT has learned.

BMW Sauber chiefs have been looking for a buyer to secure the team's future, and there has been speculation that the outfit's Malaysian backers could support a buyout bid.

However, AUTOSPORT understands that the sponsors are instead close to throwing their support behind the totally new team that will use the Lotus name.

AUTOSPORT understands that the Malaysian government is keen to continue the promotion of its oil company Petronas in F1, but also start delivering a higher profile for the Lotus company name - which is owned by Malaysia's national car maker Proton.

The push for the Lotus name in F1 could also be boosted by the arrival of former Ferrari brand guru Dany Bahar as the company's new CEO, although it is believed his appointment at the current time is coincidental and not linked to the F1 plans.

Lotus's ambitions are being spearheaded by respected technical chief Mike Gascoyne, whose original Lotus team linked with the Litespeed operation were widely talked about earlier this year.

Malaysia's Sports Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek refused to deny talk that the government is looking at its involvement in the team when speaking to local media yesterday.

"Nothing has been finalised and there's nothing to comment," he told the Malay Mail. "I'm not confirming, neither am I saying otherwise."

Shabery also did not rule out that an announcement about the team's plans was scheduled to be made after the Singapore Grand Prix later this month by Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

He said: "Let's wait for the PM to make the announcement. Who knows what will happen after the Singapore GP."

The FIA is currently evaluating the entries for the 13th team in F1, with an announcement expected in the next few weeks.

Not for me, thanks; I've no interest in seeing a counterfeit Lotus team on the grid.

[Gaz]

fake lotus is not good

[cap-dude]

But if its the Malaysian's who are backing the push, and Proton are involved (who of course own Lotus)

Then isn't this actually Lotus. Not to mention ex-lotus engineers are involved. Its a strange one,

[Gilles 27]

Autosport are reporting that a Malaysian government-backed consortium are moving to enter an entirely new F1 team for next year's world championship. It suggests that the consortium, at one ppint linked with a buyout of the BMW Suber outfit, now plans to take the place of BMW-Sauber by entering a new team and reviving the Lotus team name. Proton, owners of Lotus are backed by the Malaysian government and the move is beleived to be aimed at raising the profiles of the Malaysian oil company Petronas as well as Lotus and Proton

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/78284

[scotty]

The 'true' Lotus died in 1982. imo.

[Rivelution]

The 'true' Lotus died in 1982. imo.

With champman? Yeah I kinda agree, but they still made some good loking cars afterwords!

[EwanM]

The 'true' Lotus died in 1982. imo.

Ahh I wouldn't say that. Lotus passed away in 1993.

Although Chapman was gone, the team was still fundamentally there. Besides if he had lived he wouldn't have been out of jail for the Senna years.

[Gilles 27]

I'd love to see the name back. It's crazy that we don't have Tyrell, Lotus or Brabham anymore

[Jabberwocky]

The 'true' Lotus died in 1982. imo.

With champman? Yeah I kinda agree, but they still made some good loking cars afterwords!

you could also say that Ferrari and McLaren no longer exist