This article is about the Formula One team that will compete as Lotus during the
2012 Formula One season. For the original 1954–1994 motorsport team, see
Team Lotus. For the team that competed in 1995 as Pacific Team Lotus, see
Pacific Racing. For the team that competed in 2010 as Lotus Racing and 2011 as Team Lotus, see
Team Lotus (2010–11).
Coordinates: 51°55′12″N 1°23′25″W / 51.92°N 1.39028°W / 51.92; -1.39028
Lotus F1 Team is a British Formula One racing team. The team will compete under the Lotus name for the first time in the 2012 Formula One season, following the renaming of the former Renault team based at Enstone in Oxfordshire. Lotus F1 Team is owned by Luxembourg-based venture capital group Genii Capital[5] and named after its title sponsor, Group Lotus, which has an option to become a shareholder.
[edit] Background
[edit] Origins
The team's Formula One history started in 1981 as the Toleman Motorsport team, based in Witney, Oxfordshire, England. In 1986 the team was renamed to Benetton Formula, following its purchase in 1985 by the Benetton family. In 1992/3 the team moved a few miles to a new base in Enstone. Michael Schumacher won the drivers' championship with the team in both 1994 and 1995. In 1995 the team also won the constructors' championship, with Johnny Herbert driving alongside Schumacher. Renault purchased the team in 2000, and in 2002 they renamed it to Renault F1. In both 2005 and 2006 Fernando Alonso won the drivers' championship with the team, and the team won the constructors' championship (with Giancarlo Fisichella as their other driver). At the end of 2009, Renault sold a majority stake in the team to Genii. For 2011, Lotus Cars became involved with the team and it was renamed, first to Lotus Renault GP, then for 2012 to "Lotus F1 Team".
[edit] Lotus in Formula One
Team Lotus, a sister company of Lotus Cars, competed in Formula One between 1958 and 1994, winning seven constructors' titles and six drivers' titles between 1963 and 1978. The Lotus name returned to Formula One in 2010 through Tony Fernandes's Lotus Racing team, which used the name on licence from Group Lotus. Group Lotus later terminated the licence, but Fernandes acquired the privately-owned Team Lotus name and used it in the 2011 season. For 2012, Team Lotus changed their name to Caterham F1 Team, clearing the way for the Lotus Renault GP team to be renamed as "Lotus F1 Team".
[edit] History
On 29 November 2011, the team announced that Kimi Räikkönen would race for them in 2012 as he returned from a two-year stint away from Formula One which he spent competing in the World Rally Championship he signed for two years (and a third year option) . On 9 December 2011 the team announced that GP2 Series champion Romain Grosjean would race alongside Räikkönen.
[edit] Sponsorship and livery
The Lotus F1 Team competes in a black-and-gold livery inspired by that of Team Lotus – the motosport sister company of title sponsor Group Lotus – when it was sponsored by tobacco brand John Player Special during the 1970s and '80s. Its other sponsors include French car brand Renault, oil company Total, Unilever hygiene products Rexona and Clear, Dutch watch-maker TW Steel, Chinese solar energy company Trina Solar and French fashion brand Japan Rags.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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Although World Championship races held in 1952 and 1953 were run to Formula Two regulations, constructors who only participated during this period are included herein to maintain Championship continuity. Constructors whose only participation in the World Championship was in the Indianapolis 500 races between 1950 and 1960 are not listed.
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