Q50 Eau Rouge

[darwin dali]

The legendary Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium is set to contest an application from car maker Infiniti as it tries to trademark the Eau Rouge name for its new car, the Q50 Eau Rouge designed by Sebastian Vettel.

Owned by Nissan, Infiniti enjoys a very close relationship with Red Bull Racing, and is set to host a special show-run in downtown Austin later this month ahead of the United States Grand Prix featuring the new car.

However, according to a report by Alex Duff of Bloomberg, it may face opposition from Spa over the use of the ‘Eau Rouge’ name, which is the circuit’s most famous corner. It is widely regarded as one of the most fearsome in F1 due to its fast change of direction whilst heading up hill.

Infiniti is still yet to decide whether to put the prototype car on public sale, but if it does opt to, it will face a challenge to the registration of the trademark by the Belgian circuit.

“It’s like they want to steal the brand from the circuit,” Spa director Pierre-Alain Thibaut told Bloomberg. “We consider it exactly the opposite of fair play.”

[What's Burning?]

Infinity customers in the "know" will want to buy the one designed by Ricciardo.

[stonemonkey]

If they trademark it, will the circuit have to change the name of the corner? Or if they dont have to, could they out of spite?