F1's Involvement Expanding

I am not really into F1 but it is interesting to know the involvement of our country in F1 is expanding. Sometimes I watch the race too.

War of the Lotuses begins with Proton making its move

PETALING JAYA: Proton Holdings Bhd owned Group Lotus plc has officially entered F1 racing next year in a major sponsorship and equity deal with the Renault F1 team.

Group Lotus announced yesterday that it would acquire from Genii Capital a substantial stake in the French team which finished fourth this year.

The F1 team will be renamed Lotus Renault GP for the start of the 2011 partnership.

This is the third team that Malaysia will have an interest in, the other being aviation entrepreneur Tony Fernandes’ team and Mercedes, which has Petronas as its main sponsor.

The latest development, however, pits Lotus Renault GP against the existing Team Lotus helmed by Fernandes that is also negotiating to buy the Renault engines after being powered by Cosworth this season.

Fernandes has claimed the rights to the Team Lotus name, which has been kept separate from the car company bearing that name.

The dispute is due to be heard in the High Court in London but both teams plan to race in new black and gold liveries harking back to the Lotus glory days in the late 1970s. 

The Star Online