Team Lotus (Fernandes) Keep Green & Yellow

[cosworth151]

Since Lotus Renault (Proton) will be using the JPS black and gold next season, Team Lotus (Fernandes) will stay with the British Racing Green and yellow.

http://www.racer.com/team-lotus-to-keep-green-livery/article/192597/?DCMP=EMC-RACER_DAILY

[John S]

I'm begining to think that some time last year Proton saw a better chance open up with the Enstone based team, who are proven winners, and picked a fight so they could dump Tony's team like a hot brick. Renault will no longer be part of the new Group lotus team and will only supply engines, it will be Genii and Lotus/Proton calling the shots with the ownership now split roughly half each. The Renault name will stay as part of the team entry for 2011 to ensure the money from FOM is paid, it will probably be dropped for the 2012 season. 

Providing the Enstone team stays well up the grid Proton will presumably buy the rest at some future date, this sort of deal was probably the rationale for Renault getting involved with Genii in the first place. 

Interesting point about the black colour scheme being closely associated with cigarettes, will the people behind the removal of the barcode from Ferrari try to have a pop at the livery of Group Lotus/Genii? 

[lkjohnson1950]

While the color scheme is that of JPS tobacco, and there was JPS branding on the car, the most prominant sponsor on the original Lotuses was Olympus Cameras. One of the reasons I still own an Olympus OM-2 today. There are any number of paint schemes he could choose, red, white and gold, green and gold. blue, silver and red, or yellow. Chapman would paint his cars any color a sponsor would pay for. He even painted them white and blue for the movie Grand Prix. Fernandes talks the talk, I just hope he sticks with it long enough to get good results.

Lonny