Lotus v Lotus The Formula for Success

By Ben Rees. At the recent 2011 Malaysian Grand Prix, the local F1 fans in attendance might have been forgiven for being torn, or at the very least confused, as to which team to cheer on. On the starting grid were two Malaysian owned teams, both with Renault engines… and both racing under the Lotus brand – Team Lotus and Lotus Renault GP.

The Lotus name returned to Formula 1 in 2010 - following a 16 year sabbatical - with Malaysian entrepreneur Tony Fernandes’ newly formed ‘1 Malaysia Racing Team’ (1MRT) racing as ‘Lotus-Cosworth’. A year on, and Fernandes’ team, now driving under the ‘Team Lotus’ moniker, are locked in a bitter dispute with Proton, owners of ‘Group Lotus’, over use of the famous racing name.