Lotus Racing... a.k.a. Team Lotus?

With the FIA's Press Release on November 30th, we have come to witness that Lotus team boss Tony Fernandes, is planning on going ahead with the name change. With or without the permission of Group Lotus.

Group Lotus initially signed a deal with team owner Tony Fernandes allowing him to race under the Lotus Racing name, however, he has since agreed a deal with David Hunt, who required the rights to Team Lotus in 1994 when the team went under, to use Team Lotus as of next season.  Group Lotus are disputing Hunt's right to sell Fernandes those rights.

The dispute over the Team Lotus name is due to go before the High Court in London some time next year, but presumably there will be no decision until after the F1 season kicks off in Bahrain in March. All of which means Fernandes’ team will at least start the season as Team Lotus.

Fernandes' team has already announced that it will stop using Lotus' iconic green and yellow colours next year - but will switch to black and gold instead, another Lotus-associated livery.

Also, posting on the social networking site Twitter, Fernandes revealed that the team had gone with the new name thanks to ‘tremendous public support’ although he admitted that there is still work to do to resolve the arguments.

 
“Well we made the call after tremendous support from public,” he wrote. “Team Lotus it is. Sure there will be many battles ahead but Higham is pumped.”

So, as a Facebook addict, the moment that I saw the link to support Fernandes with his fight to bring back Team Lotus, I had managed to sign my name to the list.  If not for support to the team, but support to the sport.  We all want to see Lotus back stay in the paddock.  Specially now that the black and gold is back.