06/11/2011
NEWS STORY
Lotus Renault GP has confirmed that in 2012 it will adopt Lotus as its chassis name.
The team which started life as Toleman in 1981, subsequently being bought by Benetton and then Renault, gets its fifth name change following last week's meeting of the F1 Commission in Geneva.
The move follows a protracted and embarrassing battle over naming rights between Group Lotus and Tony Fernandes which effectively saw two Lotus-Renault teams on the grid this season. From 2012, Fernandes team will run as Caterham, the British sports car manufacturer purchased by the Malaysian and his partners earlier this year.
Confirming the name change, Team Principal Eric Boullier said: "We are very pleased that our chassis name change has been approved. We have said all along that, in the interests of the sport, it is important that we remove any ambiguity on this matter. It is also important that there are clearly identifiable teams on the grid, and today's announcement goes some way towards ensuring that. It is the start of another chapter for Enstone, but not a whole new beginning. The team's history and experience will allow us to take up this challenge with a controlled and swift process. We're very much looking forward to 2012."