Team Lotus

Team Lotus was a Malaysian-licensed Formula One racing team and constructor that competed in the 2010 and 2011 FIA Formula One World Championships. Although it used the historically important Lotus name, it was a distinct organization from the original Team Lotus founded by Colin Chapman and from the Lotus Cars road-car business. The team was created after BMW withdrew from Formula One at the end of 2009, opening a place for a new entrant on the 2010 grid. The project originated with Litespeed F3, which had explored entering Formula One under the Lotus name, and was developed with Malaysian entrepreneur Tony Fernandes. The resulting operation, 1Malaysia F1 Team Sdn. Bhd., was privately backed by Fernandes's Tune Group, Naza Group and other Malaysian business interests, with support from the Malaysian government and Proton in the form of permission to use the Lotus identity. The project was associated with the 1Malaysia national initiative and was intended to provide a visible Malaysian presence in the international sport. Proton owned Lotus Cars at the time, but the racing operation was not the works Formula One team of Lotus Cars. The team was based at the former RTN facility in Hingham, Norfolk, close to the Lotus Cars factory. Mike Gascoyne led the technical program, while Fernandes initially served as team principal. Riad Asmat became chief executive of the operating company, and Keith Saunt was appointed chief operating officer. Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen were signed as race drivers, with Fairuz Fauzy serving as test and reserve driver. The team used Cosworth engines and Xtrac transmissions in its debut season. Because the entry was approved relatively late, the 2010 car was designed and built under severe time pressure. The Lotus T127 was shaken down at Silverstone in February 2010 and launched in London shortly afterward. Team Lotus made its competitive debut at the Bahrain Grand Prix. It scored no championship points, but generally established itself as the strongest of the three new teams that entered in 2010, regularly outperforming Virgin Racing and Hispania Racing. Its best race result of the season was Kovalainen's twelfth place at the Japanese Grand Prix, while the team secured tenth position in the constructors' championship. The team's relationship with the Lotus name became increasingly contentious. Proton and Lotus Cars had initially granted permission for the new operation to use the name, but that arrangement was not continued for later seasons. In 2011, Fernandes's group acquired the historic Team Lotus name from David Hunt, allowing the Formula One operation to race as Team Lotus. This produced a public and legal dispute with the Lotus Cars-backed Renault operation, which also adopted Lotus branding. The dispute was ultimately resolved in favor of allowing both organizations to use Lotus-related names during 2011, although the overlapping identities created substantial confusion for fans and the media. For 2011, Team Lotus replaced Cosworth power with Renault engines and continued with Kovalainen and Trulli. The car, the T128, represented a technical step forward but still did not score points. Fernandes also purchased Caterham Cars and organized his automotive and motorsport interests under the Caterham Group. At the end of the 2011 season, the Formula One team changed its name to Caterham F1 Team. The Lotus racing identity therefore lasted only two seasons in this incarnation, while the underlying organization continued under the Caterham brand until its later withdrawal from Formula One.

Team Lotus was created during the expansion of the Formula One grid planned for the 2010 season. After BMW announced its withdrawal, the FIA invited applications for replacement teams. Litespeed F3 had explored an entry using the Team Lotus identity, but its initial proposal was not selected. The project subsequently joined forces with Malaysian entrepreneur Tony Fernandes, whose Tune Group controlled AirAsia and whose business activities already included Formula One sponsorship. The resulting entity, 1Malaysia F1 Team Sdn. Bhd., was a privately financed Malaysian project involving Tune Group, Naza Group and a consortium of Malaysian entrepreneurs. Proton, then the owner of Lotus Cars, authorized use of the Lotus brand, while the Malaysian government associated the project with its 1Malaysia initiative but did not directly fund the racing team. The operation was based in Norfolk at the RTN facility and recruited Mike Gascoyne to lead the technical program. Riad Asmat handled the operating company's executive management, and Keith Saunt oversaw day-to-day technical operations. The first car, the Lotus T127, was produced in a compressed development period. It used a Cosworth engine and Xtrac transmission and was developed with aerodynamic support from Fondtech. Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen drove the car, with Fairuz Fauzy serving as reserve driver. The team began racing as Lotus Racing at the 2010 Bahrain Grand Prix. Reliability problems were frequent, especially in hydraulic systems, but the team usually qualified and finished ahead of Virgin Racing and Hispania Racing, the other two new entrants. The season's strongest result came at Japan, where Kovalainen finished twelfth. Lotus ended the year tenth in the constructors' championship without scoring points. The team also sought to build a distinct Malaysian identity. Its facilities and hospitality operations incorporated Malaysian cuisine and halal food, and the team presented itself as a national business and engineering project rather than merely a private racing venture. At the 2010 European Grand Prix, the organization celebrated the 500th Formula One race associated with the Lotus marque, although the exact historical relationship between the new entrant and the original Team Lotus remained contested. The branding issue became central to the team's second season. The original Team Lotus name had been acquired by David Hunt after the collapse of the earlier Team Lotus organization. Fernandes's company bought rights to that historic name in 2011 after the licensing arrangement involving Proton and Lotus Cars was not extended. The team therefore competed as Team Lotus, while the Renault team was rebranded Lotus Renault GP through its own relationship with Lotus Cars. The two parties contested the right to use Lotus-related names, generating litigation and extensive public controversy. A legal resolution allowed both names to be used during 2011, but the overlap remained commercially confusing. For 2011, Team Lotus introduced the T128 and switched from Cosworth engines to Renault power. Kovalainen and Trulli remained the race drivers. The team continued to finish outside the points but retained its position as the leading new constructor from the 2010 intake. Fernandes's acquisition of Caterham Cars led to the creation of the Caterham Group, bringing the Formula One team and the British sports-car manufacturer into the same wider business structure. At the end of 2011, the Formula One operation was renamed Caterham F1 Team. Team Lotus consequently ceased to exist as a Formula One competition name after two seasons, although its personnel, entry and infrastructure continued under the Caterham identity.

• 2011

  Historic Team Lotus identity acquired

  [1]Team Lotus (2010–2011)en.wikipedia.org

  Fernandes's organization acquired the historic Team Lotus name and used it for the 2011 Formula One season.

• 2011

  Caterham Group established

  [1]Team Lotus (2010–2011)en.wikipedia.org

  The purchase of Caterham Cars by Tony Fernandes created the Caterham Group, which included the Formula One organization.

• 2011

  Team becomes Caterham F1 Team

  [1]Team Lotus (2010–2011)en.wikipedia.org

  The organization changed its Formula One name to Caterham F1 Team after the 2011 season.

• 2010

  Lotus T127 launched

  [1]Team Lotus (2010–2011)en.wikipedia.org

  The first car of the new Lotus racing operation was shaken down at Silverstone and launched in London before its Formula One debut.

• 2010

  Formula One return under the Lotus name

  [1]Team Lotus (2010–2011)en.wikipedia.org

  Lotus Racing returned the Lotus name to the Formula One grid at the Bahrain Grand Prix for the first time since the original Team Lotus stopped competing in 1994.

• 2010

  Team establishes itself as strongest new entrant

  [1]Team Lotus (2010–2011)en.wikipedia.org

  Despite scoring no points, the team generally outperformed Virgin Racing and Hispania Racing and finished tenth in the constructors' championship.

• 2009

  Malaysian-backed entry selected for Formula One

  [1]Team Lotus (2010–2011)en.wikipedia.org

  The FIA selected the project associated with Tony Fernandes and 1Malaysia F1 Team Sdn. Bhd. for the 2010 Formula One championship after BMW's withdrawal.

• 2009

  Technical organization established in Norfolk

  [1]Team Lotus (2010–2011)en.wikipedia.org

  The new operation began building its technical and manufacturing base at the RTN facility in Hingham, Norfolk, under Mike Gascoyne.

A new Malaysian-backed Formula One entrant positioned around the revival of the Lotus racing name, competitive credibility against other new teams, and the international promotion of Malaysian business and national identity.

• Formula One racing car · 2010

  Lotus T127

  The T127 was the team's debut Formula One car for the 2010 season. It was developed rapidly after the entry was accepted late in the 2009 selection process. The car used a Cosworth engine, an Xtrac transmission and aerodynamics developed with Fondtech. Although it was not competitive with established midfield teams, it was generally faster and more reliable in overall championship terms than the other two new entrants.

• Formula One racing car · 2011

  Lotus T128

  The T128 was Team Lotus's 2011 Formula One car. It represented a development step from the debut machine and used Renault engines after the team moved away from Cosworth power. Driven by Heikki Kovalainen and Jarno Trulli, it improved the team's technical platform but did not deliver championship points before the organization changed its name to Caterham.

• 2011

  Dispute over the Lotus Formula One name

  Team Lotus and the Lotus Cars-backed Renault operation both used Lotus-related identities during the 2011 season. Their competing claims over branding rights led to legal proceedings and prolonged public controversy. The dispute was eventually resolved so that both names could be used during the season, but the organizations remained separate.

  Source

Read more

• 2011Team Lotus heritage revival

  United Kingdom · Malaysia · International Formula One audience

  After acquiring rights to the historic Team Lotus name, the organization raced under that identity in 2011 while attempting to connect the new constructor with the earlier Lotus Formula One heritage.

  Outcome. The name was used for one season before the team adopted the Caterham identity.

  Source
• 2010Return of the Lotus name to Formula One

  Malaysia · United Kingdom · International Formula One audience

  The team used its Formula One entry to reintroduce the Lotus name to the championship and promote a Malaysian-backed sporting and business project. Its presentation emphasized Malaysian ownership, national identity and a return to the marque's historic racing associations.

  Outcome. The team completed its debut season, became the strongest of the three new entrants and finished tenth in the constructors' championship without points.

  Source
• 2010Malaysian hospitality and cultural identity program

  Malaysia · International race events

  The organization incorporated Malaysian customs into its race operations, including halal food and Malaysian cuisine prepared by dedicated chefs. The initiative supported the team's effort to present itself as a Malaysian national project with an international sporting platform.

  Outcome. The team maintained a visible Malaysian identity throughout its first Formula One season.

  Source

• 2011

  Switch from Cosworth to Renault enginesStrategy

  Background

  The team experienced transmission and reliability concerns with its initial powertrain package and sought a stronger technical platform for its second season.

  Action taken

  Team Lotus adopted Renault engines for the 2011 season.

  Aftermath

  The team continued to outperform the other new entrants in general competitiveness but still scored no championship points.

  Source

• 2011

  Acquire Caterham CarsM&A

  Background

  Tony Fernandes sought to connect the Formula One project with an established British sports-car marque.

  Action taken

  Fernandes purchased Caterham Cars and established the Caterham Group.

  Aftermath

  The Formula One team was eventually renamed Caterham F1 Team, while Caterham became its competition and automotive identity.

  Source

• 2011

  Replace Team Lotus branding with CaterhamStrategy

  Background

  The overlapping Lotus identities created legal and commercial uncertainty, while the organization had become part of the Caterham Group.

  Action taken

  The team changed its Formula One name to Caterham F1 Team after the 2011 season.

  Aftermath

  Team Lotus ceased to be the team's competition name, although the underlying operation continued under Caterham.

  Source

• 2009

  Build a Malaysian-backed Formula One constructorStrategy

  Background

  The FIA was expanding the grid after BMW's withdrawal, creating an opportunity for a new entrant. Tony Fernandes and Malaysian business partners pursued a project linked to the Lotus name.

  Action taken

  The partners established 1Malaysia F1 Team Sdn. Bhd., secured permission to use the Lotus identity and based technical operations in Norfolk.

  Aftermath

  The project entered Formula One in 2010 as Lotus Racing.

  Source

1. 1Team Lotus (2010–2011)en.wikipedia.org