Two cheers for Lotus F1?
Discussion
After the litigation and all the hoo-ha, and the embarrassing spectacle of up to four cars calling themselves Lotus stranded at the back of the Grand Prix Grid, am I alone in welcoming the return of two blokes driving black and gold Lotus-Renault GP cars to the podium?
I wish that the podium had not been in Bahrain, but that's another matter.
Two of my old cars have Lotus World Championship badges on them (one goes up to 1972, another to 1970). I gave them a polish. Maybe I will get my black and gold 1978 pitlane jacket out of the cupboard if I go Elan-driving this weekend.
I wish that the podium had not been in Bahrain, but that's another matter.
Two of my old cars have Lotus World Championship badges on them (one goes up to 1972, another to 1970). I gave them a polish. Maybe I will get my black and gold 1978 pitlane jacket out of the cupboard if I go Elan-driving this weekend.
Breadvan72 said:
After the litigation and all the hoo-ha, and the embarrassing spectacle of up to four cars calling themselves Lotus stranded at the back of the Grand Prix Grid, am I alone in welcoming the return of two blokes driving black and gold Lotus-Renault GP cars to the podium?
Two of my old cars have Lotus World Championship badges on them (one goes up to 1972, another to 1970). I gave them a polish. Maybe I will get my black and gold 1978 pitlane jacket out of the cupboard if I go Elan-driving this weekend.
I think its a major achivement that the Lotus F1 team got a couple of podium places and congratulate them for it, but I still cant see any real connection to the Team Lotus of the 70's, nor can I bring myself to get remotely excited about it, sorry.Two of my old cars have Lotus World Championship badges on them (one goes up to 1972, another to 1970). I gave them a polish. Maybe I will get my black and gold 1978 pitlane jacket out of the cupboard if I go Elan-driving this weekend.
Its only a latter day imitation, sure the cars wear a Lotus badge , and are painted in a JPS like colour scheme , but there is no tangable bloodline or DNA back to the real Team Lotus.
Enstone Renault are about as "Lotus" to me as the Old Stewart Ford GP were "Jaguar".
Colin Chapmans Lotus name seems sadly destined just to become nothing more than a traded lable, slapped on all sorts of items, possibly ironically excepting sports cars made in Norfolk.
I both agree and disagree with your observation. The history of the relationship between the Lotus road car companies, and the Lotus F1 team or teams, is somewhat convoluted. It is set out well by Mr Justice Smith in the decision made last year:-
http://www.bailii.org/cgi-bin/markup.cgi?doc=/ew/c...
What used to be Team Lotus was always run separately from Group Lotus, but both are descended from Chapman. What we now have is a competitive F1 racing team which is entitled to display yellow roundels and gold and black livery , and which is under the umbrella of Group Lotus. The Renault connection adds another historic element. Brand identity is of course very important in all of this, and brands can of course be traded, but I think that there's a bit more than just badging here.
http://www.bailii.org/cgi-bin/markup.cgi?doc=/ew/c...
What used to be Team Lotus was always run separately from Group Lotus, but both are descended from Chapman. What we now have is a competitive F1 racing team which is entitled to display yellow roundels and gold and black livery , and which is under the umbrella of Group Lotus. The Renault connection adds another historic element. Brand identity is of course very important in all of this, and brands can of course be traded, but I think that there's a bit more than just badging here.
Can only be good for Lotus, regardless of who the F1 team really are. It makes me feel proud to own a Lotus seeing them doing well in F1, or at least cars in Lotus livery doing well. It's comparable to football and the local team doing well. You could say the Liverpool FC of today bears no lineage and shares no DNA with the teams of old, different players, foreign owners etc but it doesn't stop fans going on about 19 league titles, 3 European cups etc even though the current team bears no relation whatsoever.
Too many Lotus fans do hang on to the past though, particularly the F1 past. I for one am sick of seeing JPS F1 liveried cars from the 70s and 80s on Lotus club magazines and sick of seeing them wheeled out like grandma at Lotus shows. It almost gives a crusty old tobacco stinking, medallion wearing 70s man image to Lotus that should be more akin to Jaaaaaaagggg.. Good on the current F1 guys for giving Lotus an image boost and possibly much needed sales boost though.
Too many Lotus fans do hang on to the past though, particularly the F1 past. I for one am sick of seeing JPS F1 liveried cars from the 70s and 80s on Lotus club magazines and sick of seeing them wheeled out like grandma at Lotus shows. It almost gives a crusty old tobacco stinking, medallion wearing 70s man image to Lotus that should be more akin to Jaaaaaaagggg.. Good on the current F1 guys for giving Lotus an image boost and possibly much needed sales boost though.
WayneB said:
I think its a major achivement that the Lotus F1 team got a couple of podium places and congratulate them for it, but I still cant see any real connection to the Team Lotus of the 70's, nor can I bring myself to get remotely excited about it, sorry.
Its only a latter day imitation, sure the cars wear a Lotus badge , and are painted in a JPS like colour scheme , but there is no tangable bloodline or DNA back to the real Team Lotus.
Enstone Renault are about as "Lotus" to me as the Old Stewart Ford GP were "Jaguar".
Colin Chapmans Lotus name seems sadly destined just to become nothing more than a traded lable, slapped on all sorts of items, possibly ironically excepting sports cars made in Norfolk.
I think I'm with you on this one....Its only a latter day imitation, sure the cars wear a Lotus badge , and are painted in a JPS like colour scheme , but there is no tangable bloodline or DNA back to the real Team Lotus.
Enstone Renault are about as "Lotus" to me as the Old Stewart Ford GP were "Jaguar".
Colin Chapmans Lotus name seems sadly destined just to become nothing more than a traded lable, slapped on all sorts of items, possibly ironically excepting sports cars made in Norfolk.
If the F1 team had *any* lotus input at all,then maybe, but currently nada.
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