Litespeed to use Lotus name for F1 bid

from autosport and other sources this morning:


Litespeed has announced that it will use the historic Lotus name for its attempt to enter Formula 1 next season.

The Norfolk-based Formula 3 squad's founders Nino Judge and Steve Kenchington are both former Lotus engineers, and have received permission from Lotus name rights-holder David Hunt to use the evocative title for their F1 bid.

"Team Lotus is synonymous with great British engineering and F1 innovation, such as the Lotus 25 being the first monocoque chassis in F1 and the introduction of groundbreaking sponsorship, both of which easily demonstrate why ex-Lotus personnel would want to bring this championship-winning name back to the formula," said Judge.

"Litespeed was born from a similar British background - a factor that was at the core of Colin Chapman's beliefs and subsequent success.

"David Hunt has been the custodian of the name for so many years and we thank him for entrusting us not just with its safeguard but, more importantly, its development in the racing world of tomorrow."

The team had already revealed that former Tyrrell, Jordan, Renault, Toyota and Force India technical boss Mike Gascoyne had begun design work via his MGI organisation. Gascoyne also welcomed the news that the project would use the Lotus title.

"I am Norfolk born and bred," said Gascoyne. "For me to continue my F1 career under the banner of the Team Lotus name and help to bring it back to its deserving place in the world championship is a fantastic feeling and something that I am extremely proud to be doing."

Litespeed will base the Lotus F1 project in the RTN facility in Norfolk previously used by TOM'S and which later housed Audi and Bentley's Le Mans projects.

The team has also recruited Johnny Herbert, who raced for Lotus in F1 from 1990 to 1994, as a commercial ambassador and driver manager.

Founded by legendary designer and innovator Colin Chapman, the original Lotus team moved into F1 in 1958 after success in sportscars and Formula 2. It would go on to earn seven constructors' titles and take Jim Clark, Graham Hill, Jochen Rindt, Emerson Fittipaldi and Mario Andretti to drivers' championships.

Its last race wins came with Ayrton Senna in 1987, after which its fortunes went into sharp decline - the famous team eventually closing its doors at the end of an uncompetitive and cash-strapped 1994 season.

Lotus is the third famous name to be associated with a prospective new F1 entrant for 2010, with other start-up projects having already announced plans to use the March and Brabham titles.

 

read this person's comment and thought I'd share it - he's right!!!

" It's not a rebirth there is no such thing as a rebirth. The proper word/meaning is modern faceless commercial exploitation and that according to my standards is a disrespect to the iconic names such as LOTUS BRABHAM LOLA MARCH JAGUAR ASTON MARTIN and others."


Carol


Wonder how long before there's legal action on this one too??

 

They were given permission to use the name by David Hunt

 

Normally I would agree 100% with that sentiment, but Lotus has been going through this for 15 years or more. Their F1 team bowed out of the sport rather gracelessly, once enjoying a well-earned spot among the legendary marques of the sport but gradually diminishing the brand season after season. Once Colin Chapman passed away, the team lost its direction forever. As for the road cars, much the same could be said. While the current Exige-style coupes make fun track cars, they lack the elan of past Lotus productions. And let's be realistic--they're essentially the street equivalent of what Litespeed is trying to accomplish. The brand of Lotus is up for grabs--I feel like an established racing team has as much right to use it and hopefully restore glory to the once great name.

 

formtech bought the Brabham name and look what is occuring there!

I'd rather see Litespeed stay as the name - perhaps bringing back the "old names" is a ploy on the part of the applicants to gain better leverage with their entries. . . anything is possible

Carol

 

I have to agree. I feel the same about Bugatti, the new Mini, the new Beetle, the new GT40, all the Porsches since the 996... And I hate to say it, but the same goes for some Ferraris. It seems that nobody has the guts to try something new.

Anyway, this is not a good thing: now Max has the big names he needed for his own championship.

 

I don't know if I'd call Lola, Lotus, March, Aston and Brabham big names to recent fans of the sport, although I have to admit I appreciate their inclusion due to purely nostalgic reasons. I believe the fan base of F1 would overwhelmingly support a FOTA series over that of a Max contrived one called F1, no matter what names new teams attach to themselves. The question remains what fans would do without a FOTA series option.

 

I have to agree with you. I still do not understand this criticism of these new teams. If there was no political issue in F1 today, and all was settled, and a new team announced they would enter F1 as Lotus, or Aston Martin, I do not think there would be such a reaction. In fact some of the very same critics here would be saying how wonderful it would be to see this name in F1 racing again.

If Ross brawn had carried through his original name choice for his team, there would be a Tyrrell once again potentially winning the WCC.

 

While I do understand the value of these historic names it does smack of trying to buy unearned history.

 

Nobody is knocking these team's, but they have to realize they are being played like pawns in game of chess IMO.

 

F1 Fans will stick to the see best, and the best are the FOTA for now.

 

I'm not knocking them, just saying that its too bad to see venerated names tied to what is almost certain to be a failing effort.

 

Yeh I know that Dave, sorry mate it was a general statement not directed at you, I agree.

 

Sounds like someone needs to get away

 

LOL and your coming with..

 

what a farce... How many phone calls did Bernie/MaXXX make to encourage use of naming rights... this doesn't pass the smell test

 

My wife and parole officer forbid

 

Absolutely. But it's also the world we now live in. To today's generation, Lotus is the spidery track day car with the Japanese engine. Ford bought Stewart and branded the team as Jaguar, and all of a sudden everyone talked about the rich racing heritage of Jaguar, blah blah blah. History is only good as a marketing tool these days.

Looooosely related, have you ever noticed that during any of the historical montages played during the Indy 500 over the past decade, they never include any highlights from the early 90s? We wouldn't want anyone to accidentally remember anything good that may have happened during this contentious time in our lives, would we?

 

Very different.. ford owned jaguar...

Current scenario isn't far removed from me starting an F1 team and naming it Scuderia Alfa Romeo (with permission of course)

 

+1-------- and the cars Lotus makes put to shame plenty of others that are frankly insanely over priced with less performance in many ways. The fact that the cars are good for the track is a testament to the engineering involved. Who cares if the cars have Toyota engines.

Toyota is an F1 team and Red Bull has what engine in it(Renault)- Toro Rosso has what installed, Brawn? Some of the smaller new teams may posses the talent to create fantastic chassis themselves and coupled with a good engine(think Brawn here, you know the worlds a-s kicking chassis with a MERCEDES motor) who knows what history would be made. Im not a great fan of 10 new teams, but 2 or 3 well sorted teams(if that can even be achieved in todays austere $ climate) could be invigorating!!

 

Exactly. I think Max will drop them as soon as he's got the FOTA teams on board.

 

So we can assume Lotus-Lite will be Toyota powered?

 

Just today, I have sent my entry in to the FIA to enter Formula 1 in 2010. It is unconditional and I have entered under the name of "Scuderia Ferrari". I have been welcomed with open arms and upturned backside by Max et al. I fully intend to spend less than 40 million Euros for next season. There will soon be a press release about how wonderful it is to have a company such as mine, with such an illustrious racing heritage in Formula 1. Currently, I only have three unmatched wheels and a empty gas can in my garage, but we are full speed ahead on developing our "F1" car for next season. Sponsorship and drivers are TBA once I can find Casey's phone #. We will be using the latest in technology as we intend to duct tape an Iphone to the steering wheel. Chassis structure is likely to be oak, as testing has found mahogany to be too brittle to pass crash testing. Plywood will be used for the wing structures, high strength re-bar for the suspension. Green technology will be utilized for our powerplant--hot air and gas coming from the FIA will be ducted under a kettle of water which will produce steam. This inturn will drove a single counterbalanced piston. More to be announced later.....

 

Guess the heat is getting to me today.....when I read this the first thing that came to my mind was the "Toybota" on Top Gear!!! Actually Lotus-Lite sounds like it should be a British light beer that's Toyota powered - ala Red Bull gives you wings, Toyota gives you power.......the advertising ideas are unlimited. Time to go back outside for me and get my chores done.

Carol

 

Lotus-Lite........
Tastes Great!......Less Filling!