Renault to supply ‘1Malaysia Racing’ in 2011 – but what about Lotus name?

Renault has confirmed that it will supply the team we now as Lotus Racing in 2011 – but the company says the team will be called 1Malaysia Racing Team (UK) Ltd.

In addition the simultaneous press release from Lotus Racing makes no mention at all of Lotus, and avoids any references to the historical partnership with the French manufacturer in the Mansell/Senna era. Instead it calls itself the ‘Anglo-Malaysian team,’ a reflection of the current legal limbo.

Clearly the debate over the use of the Lotus name, which is believed to have delayed any announcement, is still very much ongoing. The 1Malaysia name would seem to be the most likely substitute, if Tony Fernandes loses the battle to Group Lotus.

Renault’s statement said: “The new arrival to the Renault fold will be 1Malaysia Racing Team (UK) Ltd, operating during the 2010 season as Lotus Racing and the season’s most successful start-up entrant, with whom an engine supply agreement has been reached for the next two years.”

Meanwhile Fernandes commented: “I am absolutely delighted that we can now officially talk about the partnership with Renault. There has obviously been a great deal of speculation about which engine will be powering our cars from 2011 and now the announcement has been made I think everyone can see just how ambitious we really are.

“The combination of the Renault engine and the Red Bull Technology gearbox and hydraulics gives our design and aero teams a successful, tried and tested platform to work with for next year’s car. 2010 has been all about building up our team from scratch and in just one year we have laid the foundations for many exciting seasons to come and the partnership with Renault will dramatically accelerate our development plans, both on and off track.

“That is an important point – we have started a partnership with Renault and, much like taking on experienced drivers in our first year, we will be working with people who know how to win and who will help push us even further forward towards the front of the grid. We are realistic – we know what needs to be done to be challenging for ultimate honours in Formula One and this partnership will play a very important role in helping us push ahead.”

“Today’s announcement is the latest confirmation of how far this team wants to go in Formula One,” said Mike Gascoyne. “Having worked with Renault before I know exactly what they will bring to our team and I am delighted that they will be playing an integral role in the next chapter of our story. The engine itself gives our designers, engineers and drivers an excellent platform to work with – it is very drivable, has good reliability and comes with a track support team who have a wealth of experience and knowledge. We are all looking forward to working with Renault and are very excited about the future for our partnership and our team.”