F1 2011 Car Launches

Seeing this car lapping the circuits this year is just an awful reminder of clinical commercially-oriented side of F1; the whoring out of this classic livery. Really dislike the spirit of this, and the livery itself :(
 
Tbh, both teams only have a slight link to the original Team Lotus.

Lotus Racing have the rights to the name, and nothing more.

Lotus Renault are a team sponsored by a car company setup by the same guy who setup the original Team Lotus F1 team.

But, in terms of mentality and attitude, Lotus Racing (Team Lotus) get my vote. They have gone into F1 for the joy of racing and to have fun, and take on the big boys. Lotus Renault is a PR stunt by the new Lotus cars owner and is making them look a bit silly, and the black/gold livery is childish.

Team Lotus gets my support.
 
Skeeter said:
But, in terms of mentality and attitude, Lotus Racing (Team Lotus) get my vote. They have gone into F1 for the joy of racing and to have fun, and take on the big boys. Lotus Renault is a PR stunt by the new Lotus cars owner and is making them look a bit silly, and the black/gold livery is childish.

Team Lotus gets my support.
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This sums up my feelings on the issue also.
 
Masterdog said:
Lovely, thanks Flibster. The only thing that's confusing me now is why Colin Chapman's family no longer support Team Lotus using the brand, but don't seem to have problem with Lotus Renault using it.
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From the comments section in that link:

The Chapman’s Classic Lotus business was put in fear for its continued use of naming rights (Group has some very recent form at that sort of stunt), and at the same time an inducement was in the form of a small museum sited at Group Lotus to house some of Classic Lotus cars was made to the family.

If you read the press release, it read more like a hostage statement than any glowing endorsement of the Bahar’s operation.

They got nobbled.
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Unfortunately, I can see LOLtus winning the naming battle. Money talks, and between Genii and Proton they've got more of it. And besides, if Team Lotus (or whatever they end up being called when Bahar is done bribing a judge to give him a verdict to his liking ;)) suddenly end up being a damned sight quicker than LOLtus in the opening rounds then watch out for the Renault engines that they're running to suddenly become a lot worse in performance....they might wish that they'd retained Cosworth power for this season in retrospect.
 
JRS said:
And besides, if Team Lotus suddenly end up being a damned sight quicker than LOLtus in the opening rounds then watch out for the Renault engines that they're running to suddenly become a lot worse in performance.
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Good point :(

You'd hope that wouldn't happen in the modern era though.
 
The statement from the Chapman family does not sound like Clive at all. It reads more like a Press Release written by Group Lotus. Clive is a lovely chap and when I visited to pick up some stuff before Christmas *great place to buy presents - Want to have a look around? Yes please. :D* he was really impressed with Tony Fernandes and how the team was run and what they had managed. Was very impressed with them at the Lotus Festival at Snetterton. Thats all changed in 3 weeks? I seriously doubt it.

Strangely, the Team Lotus expansion was/is to include a museum on site as well as the wind tunnel and GP2 team. Would have been great to see the 25, 49, 72, 78, 87, 88, 92, 96, 98, 102 and the T127 all alongside each other.
 
utajoker said:
how long are mclaren and mercedes still together?
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2015. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McLaren_Mercedes#Ownership_and_management

So in 2016 we'll see McLaren either buying Mercedes engines (Really can't see that happening) or, more likely I think, McLaren doing a Ferrari and making their own engines.

utajoker said:
will we ever see an red and white mclaren again?
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As Lopéz says, McLaren ran a red and white livery because of the Marlboro sponsorship. I just had a look at the McLaren e-shop and the 2011 gear is black. Last year it was silver/grey, like the car. McLaren's Twitter account was used a week or so ago to confirm that the silver/red livery is staying for 2011 and not changing to black. Now that I've seen the 2011 gear I'm not totally convinced we won't be seeing black McLaren's in 2011. :p
 
Hmm, looking at the early McLaren livery, I like the white/green of the M2B, though that was a movie tie-in, the orange that they used for much of the 60s/70s, was wishywashy and naff, so I would guess that staying with the chrome look would be the best way forward.

I really cannot see them going with black cars this year.. especially with the whole lotus/renault thing
 
Got my hope sup to be dashed, it's not reallya launch, justa colour scheme.

Still not long

28 January Ferrari Maranello
31 January Renault, Sauber Valencia
1 February Toro Rosso, Mercedes Valencia
4 February McLaren Berlin

McLaren in orange would be sweet, but I can't see it happening, not yet at least, will be silver while they still use merc I would imagine.
 
I don't think a McLaren in Orange will happen while sponsored by Vodafone :D (and then it will remind me too much of a Spyker, can't see black+red working either due to Virgin)
 
I think Mclaren looks fine as it is. After seeing the Renault, I'd rather not see the old colour schemes again.. leave them in the past.
 
Duke said:
I think Mclaren looks fine as it is. After seeing the Renault, I'd rather not see the old colour schemes again.. leave them in the past.
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I dunno, the Lotus Racing (Team Lotus) livery is great, a revival of the old style with a new twist, and no random red blobs on it.

Vodafone have gone silver/red on all there motorsport sponsorship cars. Orange McLarens aren't coming any time soon.
 
AcidHell2 said:
Got my hope sup to be dashed, it's not reallya launch, justa colour scheme.

Still not long

28 January Ferrari Maranello
31 January Renault, Sauber Valencia
1 February Toro Rosso, Mercedes Valencia
4 February McLaren Berlin

McLaren in orange would be sweet, but I can't see it happening, not yet at least, will be silver while they still use merc I would imagine.
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The McLaren Berlin launch is rather interesting.
Joe Saward is speculating that a new sponsor is going to be unveiled:
http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2011/01/17/the-real-question-about-the-mclaren-launch/

Plus theres the new McLaren team kit that has more black in it - all makes me really curious about the launch!
 
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