21/11/2010
NEWS STORY
Lotus Racing's chief technical officer Mike Gascoyne admits he is confused by the ongoing row over the naming rights of his team, saying that the matter is a "great shame".
Group Lotus, which is owned by Malaysian car manufacturer Proton, is involved in a legal row with Tony Fernandes and his partners who own the 1Malaysia Racing organisation currently racing as Lotus Racing but who hoped to use the Team Lotus name next season. Indeed, Group Lotus now looks set to enter F1 in its own right next season, buying a share in the Renault F1 team.
"We don't understand why Group Lotus don't want to support us," Gascoyne told BBC Radio Norfolk today. "We think we brought the brand great value.
"The shareholders have invested something like £80m into the brand and development of the team," he continued. "But that's not in my hands, my job doesn't change with the name, and the same with all the engineering staff.
"I think it's a great shame for everyone in Norfolk because we're a Norfolk-based team," he added, "we brought the Lotus name back to Formula One and did it proud. We don't quite understand why we don't have the support of Group Lotus in that."
Referring to the news that Group Lotus is to become a sanctioned engine supplier to Indy Car from 2012, he said: "They seem to want to do every racing series that there is. For a loss-making car company that seems to be slightly perplexing, but good luck to them."