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[LewEngBridewell]

Source: ESPN & Autosport Magazine

Team Lotus boss Tony Fernandes has admitted it is not healthy to have two teams carrying the Lotus name in Formula One amid rumours that his outfit will be rebranded in 2012.

Team Lotus fought and won a long battle with car company Group Lotus over the use of the historic name in Formula One, but it now appears as though Fernandes is willing to surrender it. There has been speculation in recent weeks that Team Lotus could rename itself Caterham - a car company which Fernandes bought earlier this year - but there has been no official word from the team.

However, over the Italian Grand Prix weekend Fernandes dropped the biggest hint yet that things could change.

"I always had a problem with 'Am I really Team Lotus?' because there's a big question mark on that," he was quoted by Reuters. "You can't have a name and not monetise it. So we will have to wait and see ... I don't think this is healthy for anyone, having Lotus Renault and Team Lotus."

On Sunday he told BBC Sport that over the next two months he would work towards a solution that satisfied both Team Lotus and Group Lotus.

"We had a pretty weird situation here and hopefully pragmatism will work out," Fernandes added. "When I came into this I said the most important thing was not to destroy the Team Lotus brand and we worked very hard to keep it. Certain things have conspired not to really go our way, but I think doors are open to make things workable and hopefully over the next two months we'll have a situation where everyone wins. So let's keep our fingers crossed."

Fernandes also said that Team Lotus is considering moving base after the opening flyaway races next season, with Silverstone or the former TWR base in Leafield being considered.

"The perfect scenario would be for the cars to leave for Australia and come back to a new home," he said. "There's no two ways about it. But Hingham will always be there because we've got composites, we will be developing a technology and engineering division."

[andrew]

The Caterham name change is virtually a certainty.

[LewEngBridewell]

And a fine name in my opinion

[andrew]

Aye, it is that.

[acosmichippo]

How is Caterham pronounced? Short 'a' like "cat"? Or long 'a' like "Kate"?

[andrew]

Kayteram.

[scotty]

Kate-er-rum.

[Bye_Ya]

Will be sad to see the Lotus name go. Renault should just keep it at Renault, imo.

[LewEngBridewell]

Will be sad to see the Lotus name go. Renault should just keep it at Renault, imo.

Everyone still calls them Renault anyway.

But I suppose if this name change DEFINITELY goes ahead, Renault will still retain the Lotus name and black-and-gold livery?

[australia99]

Will be sad to see the Lotus name go. Renault should just keep it at Renault, imo.

Everyone still calls them Renault anyway.

But I suppose if this name change DEFINITELY goes ahead, Renault will still retain the Lotus name and black-and-gold livery?

i would say they might even go to the green and yellow one, as most other teams associated with this management are green and yellow.

i was excited to see the Lotus name back in F1 a few years ago, now all this name drama has left a bitter taste in my mouth. Colin Chapman would be spinning in his grave over this!

[LewEngBridewell]

Will be sad to see the Lotus name go. Renault should just keep it at Renault, imo.

Everyone still calls them Renault anyway.

But I suppose if this name change DEFINITELY goes ahead, Renault will still retain the Lotus name and black-and-gold livery?

i would say they might even go to the green and yellow one, as most other teams associated with this management are green and yellow.

i was excited to see the Lotus name back in F1 a few years ago, now all this name drama has left a bitter taste in my mouth. Colin Chapman would be spinning in his grave over this!

I was overjoyed when the Lotus name returned. I wish Fernandes' team could've kept it, because they were in there with it first, but Caterham is a great alternative.

I also prefer the green and yellow livery... adds a bit more colour to the field.

[LewEngBridewell]

Quick update on this topic:

Source:Autosport

Team Lotus' plan to be renamed as Caterham next year has moved a step closer, after the outfit was told ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix that its efforts would not be blocked by rival outfits.

With team principal Tony Fernandes openly looking at renaming the outfit for 2012 to move away from its Team Lotus moniker, sources have revealed that a request was lodged with members of the Formula One Teams' Association (FOTA) to sound out their support for the move ahead of it going to the Formula One Commission.

For the name change to happen, Fernandes will need support from 18 members of the 26-strong F1 Commission - which is made up of teams, Bernie Ecclestone, Jean Todt and representatives of race promoters, engine manufacturers and sponsors.

With high-level sources confirming that FOTA's members, which are all the F1 teams other than HRT, indicated they would support the move, the path is now clear for Fernandes to lodge an official request with the F1 Commission.

This could happen in the next few weeks, so that the name change to Caterham is formally ratified prior to the issuing of the 2012 entry list, which normally happens at the end of November.

[LewEngBridewell]

The agreement has been made! Both teams have now changed names.

The long-running row over the use of the Lotus name in Formula 1 has ended with an agreement for both teams involved to change their cars' names.

A meeting of F1 bosses has approved a request for Renault - sponsored by the Lotus car company - to change the name of their F1 cars to Lotus in 2012.

And Team Lotus will from next year run cars called Caterhams, and change their team name accordingly.

Renault may also alter their official name, currently Lotus Renault GP, although they have yet to decide whether to do so.

So now for next season, we'll just have the ONE Lotus team...


Quotes taken from an article by the BBC

[acosmichippo]

thank god.

[LewEngBridewell]

Yeah absolutely, one Lotus team is quite enough! I think the Caterham tie-up was a great move by Fernandes. Looking forward to having that name on the grid