Litespeed - Can Team Lotus return to F1?
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Litespeed F3 - the return of Team Lotus
Litespeed were a small racing team competing in Formula 3 until early 2009. Then it was announced that, working with Mike Gascoigne of MGM Marketing, they would be making a bid to race in Formula One Grand Prix.
The real surprise was the name. After agreement with David Hunt, it seems that Litespeed would be entering under the famous Team Lotus name. The Green and Gold may be returning to Grand Prix.
Update: Drivers to be announced soon - Jarno Trulli's name linked to the team.
The real surprise was the name. After agreement with David Hunt, it seems that Litespeed would be entering under the famous Team Lotus name. The Green and Gold may be returning to Grand Prix.
Update: Drivers to be announced soon - Jarno Trulli's name linked to the team.
Contents
Important!
Are they In?
About Team Lotus
A Great Racing Pedigree
The Team Lotus name carries a lot to live up to. Despite it being over ten years since it last raced, the team remains one of the most successful of all time. Competing in IndyCar, Formula One, rallying and more, it won a number of constructors championships, and several World Championships.
A small team founded by Colin Chapman, who was an excellent driver and engineer, Lotus dominated the sport through the sixties, lead by the legendary driver Jim Clark. In the seventies it remained a leading light, and in the eighties names like Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell and other greats drove Lotus cars.
The team ran into trouble in the nineties with a change of sponsor and failed collaboration with Honda. The last race for Team Lotus is considered by most to have been 1994.
A small team founded by Colin Chapman, who was an excellent driver and engineer, Lotus dominated the sport through the sixties, lead by the legendary driver Jim Clark. In the seventies it remained a leading light, and in the eighties names like Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell and other greats drove Lotus cars.
The team ran into trouble in the nineties with a change of sponsor and failed collaboration with Honda. The last race for Team Lotus is considered by most to have been 1994.
A tribute to Lotus
The end of Team Lotus
Eurosport presents a tribute to Team Lotus on its last drive in 1994.
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The Team Lotus / Litespeed Team
The Team for the 2010 bid.
The bid itself is interesting, as there are a number of connections to the past team Lotus. Many of the people concerned have a background in Formula One, or with that team in particular. Rumours and facts are flying, but what has been confirmed is that several names are linked with the bid:
Nino Judge and Steve Kenchington - founders of Litespeed and former Lotus engineers with over twenty five years of experience in racing
Mike Gascoyne - Technical Director for a number of racing teams (Renault, Toyota, and Force India among them) has come onboard as a partner with his company MGi Ltd.
Johnny Herbert - former Lotus racing driver is onboard as driver manager, and commercial ambassador
Tony Fernandes - Lotus F1 Racing Team principal.
The project is based at RTN facility in Norfolk (reported by Autosport)
Details on the cars are sketchy although some sources have suggested the Cosworth engine might be used.
Nino Judge and Steve Kenchington - founders of Litespeed and former Lotus engineers with over twenty five years of experience in racing
Mike Gascoyne - Technical Director for a number of racing teams (Renault, Toyota, and Force India among them) has come onboard as a partner with his company MGi Ltd.
Johnny Herbert - former Lotus racing driver is onboard as driver manager, and commercial ambassador
Tony Fernandes - Lotus F1 Racing Team principal.
The project is based at RTN facility in Norfolk (reported by Autosport)
Details on the cars are sketchy although some sources have suggested the Cosworth engine might be used.
A timeline of the Litespeed Application
News and Press articles about Litespeed / Team Lotus
The history of the Litespeed Application in news articles. Rather than cover every event, these are simply the highlights and relevant articles for each change as it occurred.
- May 14th 2009 autosport.com - F1 News: F3 squad Litespeed to lodge F1 entry
- Litespeed lodge their initial entry, taking advantage of the budget cap.
- 7th Jun 2009 Eurosport - Litespeed to resurrect iconic Team Lotus in F1
- On 7th June to story broke that David Hunt had given Litespeed permission to use the Team Lotus Name.
- 11th June 2009 Forumula1.net - Lotus Group Unhappy at Litespeed's Team Lotus F1 Entry
- Lotus Cars Limited and Group Lotus Plc have announced they are distancing themselves from Litespeed, a British Formula 3 squad formed by ex-Lotus employees.
- 12th June 2009 autosport.com - F1 News: Team Lotus still hopeful on F1 plans
- Despite not appearing on the initial roster, Team Lotus are holding out hope that they may drive in the 2010 season.
- 11th August 2009- Formula One Entertaining Offers for the 2010 Starting Grid
- With one final place remaining on the grid, F1 are entertaining offers.
- 24th August 2009 - Two more teams to join F1
- A possibility that two teams would join F1 next season has come up. Neither one mentioned is Litespeed. Have they pulled out?
- 15th September 2009 - Lotus back in Formula 1
- From Sky Sports
The historic name of Lotus will return to Formula One for the first time since 1994 after being named as the 13th team on the grid for 2010.The FIA have handed the Malaysian-backed team the final place on the grid ahead of BMW Sauber, despite an 'impressive application' from the latt - 12th December 2009
- From Lotus Central
Lotus F1 to announce drivers on Monday.
The Litespeed Car
Litespeed in Formula One
Not much has been publicly released about the car that Litespeed are entering. What there is are vague rumours and hearsay, dutifully reported below.
When the entry bid was made on 14th March, Litespeed announced they would have a fully schemed F1 chassis by June 12th Formula1.com, 14th May 2009.
However details of whether this was achieved and the car itself are vague at best. Many sources report they have bought the Ford Cosworth engine, which was an excellent V8. With the limit on Formula One engine sizes, this engine may be very competitive.
As for the chassis there are a number of rumours most unsubstantiated. A selection are below:
When the entry bid was made on 14th March, Litespeed announced they would have a fully schemed F1 chassis by June 12th Formula1.com, 14th May 2009.
However details of whether this was achieved and the car itself are vague at best. Many sources report they have bought the Ford Cosworth engine, which was an excellent V8. With the limit on Formula One engine sizes, this engine may be very competitive.
As for the chassis there are a number of rumours most unsubstantiated. A selection are below:
- The Older model Several forums suggest they have bought an older chassis, possibly the Lotus 72, and will rebuild that to modern standards. It's surprising how many people are nostalgic for a "John Player Special" on the starting grid.
- Scaling up the R1 car One thing to consider is Litespeed's entry to Formula 3. Their entry, the R1 car, was created from the ground up instead of using existing solutions. From their website it appears to be a modular solution, with changeable engines, suspension and more.
Litespeed website: R1 Car
Is it possible that they can convert this? As they say on the site
"the F3 racer is in essence a mini-F1 car"
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Should Litespeed use the Team Lotus Name?
The use of the Team Lotus name has sparked a fierce debate among fans. Some feel that Litespeed, a team untried in F1, should not use the name which has such an illustrious history. Others feel that it is nice to see the Lotus return, although often with the unspoken caveat that they hope the team can live up to the name.
Share your views here:
Do you think Litespeed should use the Team Lotus name?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byYes - It's great to see the team return
No - they should stand on their own merits
JMM says:
NO!!!
The Team Lotus name is owned by the family of Colin Chapman, the Founder of Lotus.
The previous Team Lotus that ended in 1994 was allowed to use the name under license from the Chapman family.
Since the new Formula One cars will NOT be designed by Lotus Engineers or built at the Lotus Factory they should NOT carry the name of Lotus on them !!!
Posted January 04, 2010
andy says:
who are litespeed? what lotus parts are in the car? No they should not use the name.
Posted September 16, 2009
Jim Clark - Lotus driver
Possibly the best racing driver ever
No Briton Had Won the Indianapolis 500 Until Jim Clark in His Lotus Ford
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Jim Clark was the famous FI and Indycar driver who drove for Lotus in the sixties.
Tragically killed in a Formula One accident in 1968, he is widely considered to have been one of the best racing drivers ever.
Famous Lotus Drivers
Some of the best known racing
Some of the best known racing drivers drove Lotus cars during their heyday. Notoriously unreliable, when they worked, they usually swept the board. This did not stop one observer dubbing them "Lots of Trouble, Usually Serious"
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Mar 25, 2010 @ 10:22 am | delete
- Jim Clark actually died in an F2 race at Hockenheim in April 1968, not an F1 race
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