Actually I think your story is correct. Formula1.com is reporting the same story. My bad. Posters refuting the OP should do some research before opening my big mouth.
Not as yet if he has one, The company will be represented in the team by a Swiss person called Lionel Fischer..not that that tells us much.
Not sure as yet Dave, also the BMW Sauber staff at Hinwil in Switzerland do they still have some form of job..
For about 25 years Lotus was the team to beat in F-1 so I would hardly call them light weight. Chapman did not really design the cars, but like Enzo was the font of the idea. true he was an aeronautics engineer, so he was intimately assocated with the concepts, but after the mid 60's he did not do the cars him self, which is why they were so much better. .. he focused on light weight, agility, smooth aero shapes... ground effects and active suspension was his last contribution to F-1... but he did a lot more, so to me to have Lotus back is GREAT!!! even if its not the same old team... its part of the F-1 history back. I wish them sincere luck! As a former Lotus Owner... I know first hand about the cars... Ferrari's are better and sturdier built, but Lotus in the 70's 80's was light years ahead... Ferrari now are ahead, but only because Lotus is building cheaper cars.
I can't see the new crew starting from scratch. Besides what else did they buy? No engines nor even a guaranteed entry.
The new Lotus F1 might in fact have some links to Lotus Road Cars due to the Malaysian side of the deal. Malaysian car company Proton have had a majority share in Lotus Road Cars since 1996. It will be interesting to find out if any off these Malay investors in Lotus F1, also have ties to Proton..
I am sure you are onto something here. PS; As a Classic Lotus and Ferrari owner; both companies were/are great. In the day Lotus was an innovator and Ferrari a perfector.
Colin's greatest/worst contribution to F1 was sponsorship. Other than that I liked the guy. There is no room for guys like Colin and Bruce McLaren anymore ... Pete
I'm with you, for the most part. Saying they were THE team to beat for 25 years is a bit of a reach. They swapped their share of the lead with the other top teams of the times--Ferrari, Cooper, Brabham, McLaren, Tyrrell. It was interesting to see how their average finish in the Constructor's Championship worsened each decade. 60's--2.2, 70's--3.0, 80's--4.8, 90's--8.0. I used to be a big fan of Team Lotus--three of my all-time favorite cars were Jimmy Clark's 49, Emmo's 72 and Mario's 78. But to me it's hard to generate enthusiasm for the name today since it has little or no true connection to its past. It seems a lot of folks share that sentiment--it has become just a commodity.
Er, excuse me but while both great racing team owners they never contributed to the design of any car. Bruce and Colin on the other hand were the thinkers and ideas men of F1. Pete
Ken and Ron were owners of small but competitive teams the likes of which no longer exist. I didn't realize your parameters were limited
Agree. Bruce and Colin made huge contributions to car and particular race car design, probably more than Enzo's team did. Thus yes I consider these 2 gentlemen way above Ken and Ron, as I'm sure they would too. Pete
I think untill the 90's or very late 80's Lotus was the team to really beat... technologically... wings, suspension, aero, ground effects, dual chassis, active suspension, DFV, and then Chapman had a great eye for future champions... Clark, Hill,Rint, Fittipaldi, Andretti, Mansell, and then the guys who did not become WDC, but are legend..Peterson, Nillson, De Angelis,Wisel... they all were spotted or raced for Chapman and some came close to winning... I see how its difficult to get behind Team Lotus, but I love the name, it's still a viable car mfg, (even though they may not have anything to do with the current proposed F-1 team ) so I'm hopefull that something good may come out of it... I could see a Lotus - Toyota team ... being popular!
It has to be a Cosworth . . . . remember Maxie's criteria! "It's my way .... or it's the highway" Carol
