Gascoyne perplexed by Lotus naming issue
Credit: PlanetF1.com (www.planetf1.com)
Lotus tech director Mike Gascoyne says he's confused by the Group Lotus' unwillingness to allow his F1 team to use the Lotus Racing name.
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.
However, Group Lotus are disputing Hunt's right to sell Fernandes those rights.
"We don't really understand why Group Lotus doesn't want to support us in doing that job for them," said Gascoyne told BBC Radio Norfolk.
"We've brought great value to the brand and the shareholders invested something like £80 million into the brand and the development of the team, and we're a little bit failing to understand why Group Lotus seems to want to try to kick us out.
"That's not in my hands - my job doesn't change with the name and it's the same for all the engineering staff, but I think it's a great shame that there is this thing for everyone in Norfolk, because we're a Norfolk-based team, we brought the Lotus name back into Formula 1 and did it proud and we don't quite understand why we don't have the support of Group Lotus in that."
Gascoyne added that his team's recent technical deals, such as the one they have signed to use Renault engines next season, is proof that Lotus are aiming for bigger and better next season.
"We'll be firing the car up on 25 January in readiness for the first test in February," said Gascoyne, whose team finished 10th in this year's Constructors' Championship.
"We've had lots of exciting announcements with Renault supplying us with engines, Red Bull Technologies supplying us with gearboxes and our own wind tunnel developing, so it wasn't just about 10th in the championship this year, it was about building the team up so that we move solidly into the midfield next year.
"Those announcements are all very much part of that and we're bang on schedule."
Credit: PlanetF1.com (www.planetf1.com)
No comments:
Post a Comment