Heikki Kovalainen has revealed he has been closely involved in the development of next year’s Caterham car.

Despite his continuing contract, the Finn has been linked with a shock switch to Lotus, but he scotched those rumours by revealing the extent of his input into the green and yellow car he will be driving in 2012.

“I want to create the best possible conditions so that I can make something of it,” said Kovalainen, referring to his so far multiple year commitment to the Caterham team having previously driven for McLaren and Renault.

“I am very involved in the design of the car for next year,” he told the Dutch magazine Formule 1. “I come often to the factory, I know all the department heads, from aerodynamics to electronics.

“They ask for my opinion and listen to what I have to say, and I listen to their ideas. The team knows what kind of car I want in 2012, and together we will try to build exactly that.”

Much more uncertain is the future of Caterham’s other driver Jarno Trulli.

Referring to the input the Italian veteran has had into the 2012 car, Kovalainen replied: “I don’t know, we’ve never talked about it.”

Team Lotus will retain its green and yellow identity in formula one next year despite being reborn as Caterham.
Group Lotus and the Tony Fernandes-led team jointly announced on Wednesday that the bitter naming dispute and legal battles have been called off.

The deal, ending amicably according to a media statement, results in Renault becoming Lotus in 2012 and Team Lotus adopting the name of Fernandes’ recent acquisition Caterham, a niche British lightweight sports car maker.

It means full control of the historic Lotus name finally falls into the control of Dany Bahar, the Group Lotus chief.

“We understand that this has been a very difficult and confusing time for the fans of the sport and the Lotus brand,” he said.

In 2010 and 2011, under the Lotus Racing and Team Lotus names, Fernandes’ team has run in the historic green and yellow colours of the fabled brand.

“We are proud of what we have achieved by bringing the Team Lotus name back to formula one when many tried,” said the team’s chief executive Riad Asmat.

“Although we are sad to say goodbye to Team Lotus we are excited about owning our own future and being in control of our own destiny. Now we have no one to be compared to.

“We make our own history and we will remain green and yellow,” he announced.

This year’s Team Lotus car is called T128, not TL11 as was previously announced.
“Why the change of name?” wrote team boss Tony Fernandes on Twitter. “Because we are continuing with history. We are a new dynasty but tradition contiunes.”

Last year, the team – then called Lotus Racing under official license from the Proton-owned carmaker Group Lotus – raced its 2010 car with the T127 designation.

T127 was the continuation of the original Lotus team’s traditional vehicle designation system, and it was thought that the reversion to TL11 for this year was to avoid yet another clash with Group Lotus amid the naming dispute.

Indicating that the designation of the 2011 car was an issue right until the T128′s reveal very early on Monday morning, the launch magazine made no mention of the two variations.

A specialist lawyer has played down hopes the Lotus naming dispute might be settled this week.

A short time ago on Monday afternoon, the initial hearings kicked off inside London’s High Court.

A lawyer for Group Lotus will summarise the Proton-owned marque’s application for a summary judgement against Team Lotus’ right to use the ‘Lotus’ name for its team.

“Many (people are) confused about (the) case today,” Team Lotus boss Tony Fernandes wrote on Twitter. “It’s not about (the) Team Lotus name (and) who owns it, which is in November.”

He explained that Monday’s events centre only on Group Lotus’ argument that it had the power to revoke the Lotus Racing naming license, with Fernandes and his lawyers insisting that termination was “unlawful”.

Intellectual property lawyer Mark Daniels, of Browne Jacobson, said the judge at Monday’s hearing will be “reluctant” to grant Group Lotus’ push to end the case now, “especially when so much is at stake commercially”.

“This is an opportunity for the judge to make some comments to try to provoke a settlement,” Daniels told the BBC.

Tony Fernandes’ F1 outfit is pushing ahead with the Team Lotus moniker, despite lingering expectations he might drop the name before the start of the 2011 season.

The Malaysian, whose official license for his team’s 2010 identity Lotus Racing was terminated because Group Lotus wanted to enter F1 separately, has said several times recently that he favours a “pragmatic” solution to the dispute.

But the latest news is that green and gold ‘Team Lotus’ signage, including the famous CABC logo, has been erected outside the outfit’s Hingham (UK) factory.

The signage also features at the team’s new official website, which is located at teamlotus.co.uk because teamlotus.com is controlled by Group Lotus.

“The migration to (the) Team Lotus brand has started,” Fernandes wrote on Twitter. “It’s a shame. I liked Lotus Racing and always thought Team Lotus should be returned to (the) Chapman family.

“But that’s the deck of hand (cards) we got handed,” he added.

Renault F1′s new website, located at lotusrenaultgp.com, will be launched on January 31.

As the Lotus dispute rages on, Tony Fernandes has hit back at Dany Bahar’s claim that the parties did not unite in F1 due to his “ridiculous and absurd” demands.

Bahar, Group Lotus’ CEO, had responded to journalists’ claim this week that the logical solution was a deal with Fernandes rather than the confusing prospect of two warring teams both called Lotus in 2011.

The Swiss had gone so far as to reveal that Fernandes demanded “three times” the money that has ultimately been invested in the Renault deal.

“Interesting to read Dany Behar’s comments about wanting to work with us, don’t think anyone here noticed that!” said Team Lotus technical boss Mike Gascoyne on Twitter.

The Briton’s boss also slammed Bahar’s claims.

“The thing that has annoyed me most is Dany Bahar implying we wanted too much money and that Renault was a third of the cost of what it would have been to do a deal with Lotus Racing,” Fernandes told the BBC.

“They have been quoted saying they are spending in the region of 15-20m (pounds) a year on Renault, which implies we asked for 45-60 million. That’s more than our entire budget,” said the Malaysian.

“We were never close to an offer and it’s completely untrue to say we requested three times what they’re paying Renault.”

The worsening war-of-words between the two Lotuses has highlighted the need for a resolution, and Bahar said this week he is confident the two Malaysian sides – Group Lotus owner Proton and Fernandes – want to avoid a deeper battle.

“We are pragmatic,” said Fernandes. “There should be a solution, but we should also do what is right for the brand.

“Our licensing agreement was unceremoniously terminated unlawfully and at any stage we would welcome a way to sort this out. But it’s got to be equitable and respect what we have done,” he insisted.

“If they (Group Lotus/Proton) come off their high horses, who knows?

“I’d say it’s highly unlikely but three months ago if you’d said Group Lotus would be sponsoring Renault, I’d have laughed at you. It’s a branding disaster,” added Fernandes.

Jarno Trulli’s place on the 2011 grid is secure, but the same is reportedly not true for Italian countryman Vitantonio Liuzzi.

Reporting on Italy’s dwindling presence in formula one, Autosprint magazine recalled 1989, when no fewer than 12 Italians lined up on the grid.

Now, there are just two, and the veteran Trulli is expected to re-sign with Lotus Racing for 2011.

But F1′s other Italian driver, Vitantonio Liuzzi – while possessing a contract for 2011 – must reportedly tremble as Force India considers its next lineup.

His 2010 teammate Adrian Sutil says he has agreed to stay next year, while two drivers – Paul di Resta and Nico Hulkenberg – are strongly linked with the other seat.

Hulkenberg’s manager Willi Weber has revealed talks with the Vijay Mallya-headed team, and reserve driver di Resta upped his credentials at the weekend by wrapping up his first title in the German touring car series DTM.

“I’m certainly hoping I can get a seat there next year because I’d love to continue a long relationship with them,” di Resta is quoted as saying on Monday.

“My dream is to become formula one world champion, and that’s the next box in my book I’ve got to tick off. I’ll keep praying it happens,” he added.

Di Resta’s Scottish countryman and former Toyota racer Allan McNish also hopes the 24-year-old makes his F1 debut next March.

“If you look at the mistakes Sutil and Liuzzi have made in the past few races, you would have to say Paul has a good case to be out there,” he said recently.

“Unfortunately, there is a lot of politics in motor sport and F1 is at the very height of that so it is not just about a driver’s performance,” added McNish.

Heikki Kovalainen has given the strongest sign yet that he is staying at Lotus for 2011.

The Malaysian team is yet to confirm its driver lineup for next year, but it is expected that Finn Kovalainen and fellow grand prix winner Jarno Trulli are staying put.

Kovalainen told Finland’s Turun Sanomat that he is expecting the new outfit to take a major step forward in 2011: “That’s why I chose this team,” said the former Renault and McLaren driver.

“It was a risk at the time to go with an entirely new team, but I’m happy with the choice that I made and what we achieved this season,” added the 29-year-old.

Lotus Racing, likely to field an entirely new name for 2011, will be powered by a Renault engine fitted to a Red Bull gearbox next season.

“Expectations are high,” admitted Kovalainen. “It would be a disappointment if we did not make a step forward.”

The team’s technical boss Mike Gascoyne confirmed that Lotus is happy with Kovalainen.

“We always had confidence in Heikki and he delivered for us what we expected from him,” he said.

“He performed well and he’s also a nice guy, making it very enjoyable for the team to work with him,” added Gascoyne.

Jarno Trulli on Wednesday hinted he expects to remain with the Lotus Racing team in 2011.

The 36-year-old Italian has denied he is considering a switch to American NASCAR racing next year, but speculation linking other drivers with Trulli’s cockpit have persisted.

He had a troubled campaign with the new team this season, whilst insiders say Trulli’s teammate Heikki Kovalainen is happier at Lotus and definitely staying in 2011.

But Trulli told BBC Radio Norfolk: “I’ll go to the factory in a few days to get ready and prepare the 2011 season chassis, cockpit and seat.”

He admitted it was a “tough season” but said he is still motivated to be in formula one, despite his career moving from stints at Renault and Toyota to the back of the grid now.

“Some performances have been pretty bad compared to what I was used to,” admitted Trulli.

“But nevertheless I have always tried to get the best out of myself and the car, I’ve still enjoyed a lot of good fights.”

‘Proton 1Malaysia’ has been touted as a possible new name for Tony Fernandes’ formula one team in 2011.

Currently, the team currently known as Lotus Racing is locked in a dispute with Group Lotus, who intend to separately enter F1 next year in collaboration with Enstone based Renault.

That raises the messy possibility of two teams being called ‘Lotus’; a situation that now involves the courts and also the Malaysian government, part-owner of the Group Lotus parent and carmaker Proton.

The proposed new name for Lotus Racing was published by The Advertiser, a regional UK newspaper close to the Norwich headquarters of both Fernandes’ team as well as Group Lotus.

It would be a tidy solution to the current dilemma, probably involving sponsorship for Fernandes’ small team to compensate for the lost FOM revenue due to a name change, and clearing the way for Renault F1 to be renamed Lotus-Renault in 2011.

And Fernandes’ team “will become a flagship Malaysian constructor hoping to build on tenth place in its first season”, said the report.

The identity of the F1 team currently known as Lotus Racing moved further under a cloud on Thursday.

The team’s official naming license has been withdrawn by the Proton-owned Group Lotus, and Tony Fernandes’ alternative plan to be called Team Lotus by buying that separate name is now subject to court proceedings.

Meanwhile, Group Lotus is expected to enter F1 in collaboration with the Enstone based Renault team in 2011, and the sports car marque has now announced a project to supply engines and bodywork in the Indycar series from 2012.

“We want to compete with the big buys,” said CEO Dany Bahar.

A GP2 project for 2011 has already been put in place by Group Lotus, all of which leaves Fernandes with little option than to adopt an alternative identity for his privately-owned UK based Malaysian team.

“I do not want to comment on Proton’s move to enter F1 but their action certainly will have some bearing on the team name,” admitted Lotus Racing chief executive Riad Asmat.

“For now, we are preparing our team and we want to be ready for any eventualities.  We are definitely going to be there when the (2011) season starts,” he is quoted by the Malaysian newspaper The Star.

Tony Fernandes on Monday admitted he is not ruling out a name change for his formula one team in 2011.

The Malaysian is locked in a bitter naming dispute with Group Lotus and its carmaker owner Proton.

He has bought the ‘Team Lotus’ name from David Hunt, but Group Lotus has retracted the official ‘Lotus Racing’ naming license because it reportedly wants to enter F1 next year with a separate project.

Fernandes admitted in Abu Dhabi that he wants to keep using the Lotus name but sounded reluctant to let the dispute spill into court.

“So we are going into final stretch of name change,” he wrote on his @tonyfernandes Twitter account on Monday. “Do we keep or do we start brand new identity(?). Please let me know.”

Fernandes also ‘re-tweeted’ a reply from a follower who said “I hate Dany Bahar”, a reference to Group Lotus’ chief executive.

French commentator Jean-Louis Moncet wrote in his Auto Plus column at the weekend that Fernandes is open to dropping the Lotus name if he is paid out by Group Lotus or the Malaysian government.

The team’s technical boss Mike Gascoyne said in Brazil a week ago: “For me, the job I do doesn’t alter if the name changes.”

A contract formalising the sale of French carmaker Renault SA’s minority shareholding in the Enstone based formula one team will be signed on Wednesday.

That is the claim of the Paris daily Le Figaro, revealing that the buyer of the 25 per cent share is Proton, the Malaysian carmaker.

Without naming its sources close to the transaction, the newspaper said Proton’s Group Lotus brand will then become the title sponsor, in a EUR 30 million per season deal over five years.

Renault SA president and CEO Carlos Ghosn would not comment on the report except to say: “We’ll be there next year and in future seasons.”

But Le Figaro said the carmaker will actually only be an engine supplier to the renamed Lotus-Renault, Red Bull and the Malaysian team currently known as Lotus Racing in 2011.

Heikki Kovalainen has admitted he is not sure what his F1 team for the 2011 season will be called.

That’s not because the Finn is set to leave his current Malaysian employer, but because ‘Lotus Racing’ is locked in a bitter naming dispute with Group Lotus.

The Turun Sanomat newspaper insists that Kovalainen’s new contract for the 2011 season is secure.

But as for what ‘Lotus’ will be called next year, he answered: “I can’t really say.

“I can’t worry about it. Let’s see what will happen,” added the 29-year-old.

No matter the name of the team, Kovalainen said he is feeling upbeat about 2011.

“The Renault engines and Red Bull gearboxes will certainly increase our reliability and give more ability for the designers to build better aerodynamics around them,” he said.

Lotus Racing will switch from its current green and yellow livery to an equally-iconic black and gold for the 2011 season.

The move is almost certainly because the entirely separate Group Lotus intends to enter F1 next year and use the traditional green and yellow colours.

“When we first unveiled our 2010 car there was unanimous praise for our decision to bring the historic green and yellow livery back to the modern F1 grid,” said chief executive Riad Asmat.

“I know the return to the track of the legendary black and gold will be met with even more universal support as it strikes such an emotional chord with fans around the world,” he added.

The black and gold livery was made famous by the original Team Lotus in the 70s and 80s, when sponsor Imperial Tobacco advertised its John Player Special brand.