The HRT team has admitted it is looking around for a Spanish driver.

Despite Thesan Capital taking over recently and dropping the Hispania moniker and flag logo, the back-of-the-grid team said it is still committed to upping its Spanish identity.

Recently, young Spaniard Javier Villa was linked with a potential 2012 seat.

“The possibility of incorporating a Spanish driver for next season is something that the team would like,” HRT said on its website. “But there is a big step from that to actually having a deal with a driver.”

The team defended its decision to drop the Hispania name and Spanish flag logo.

“Hispania was the name of the business group belonging to the previous owners, so the change in direction meant that the team name had to change too,” it said.

“HRT was chosen because it is the name of the chassis. The flag was part of the logo so when we changed the logo the flag went too. But don’t worry, it will be back on the car at some stage.”

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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.

F1 team Lotus Racing is taking a naming dispute with Malaysian carmaker Proton to London’s High Court.

After terminating the team’s license of the Lotus Racing moniker, Proton on Monday vowed to challenge boss Tony Fernandes’ intention to call itself Team Lotus in 2011.

Team Lotus, separate from the Proton-owned British sports car maker Group Lotus, was sold to Fernandes by David Hunt, who acquired the name when the original team folded in the 90s.

But Proton said: “We are the owners of this brand, and will take all necessary steps to protect it.”

Lotus Racing has now responded to Proton’s statement.

“We have today issued proceedings in the English High Court for a declaration that Team Lotus Ventures has the rights to use the Team Lotus name and everything associated with that brand in relation to formula one,” announced team chief executive Riad Asmat.

He said he was confident the court will permit the use of the Team Lotus name because Group Lotus “recently tried to revoke the Team Lotus trademarks at a hearing … but they were unsuccessful”.

And “When we signed our licence to compete as Lotus Racing, (Group Lotus) were very clear that we could not make any reference to Team Lotus as they had no rights at all to the Team Lotus name”, added Asmat.

Asmat also confirmed that a small team sponsorship by Proton, worth about 1.5 per cent of the team’s 2010 budget, is ending.

“Personally I think it’s odd that our colleagues at Group Lotus have not embraced what we are giving them — a global platform for creating huge awareness and great value for their operations, all at no cost to them,” he added.

On Twitter, team boss Fernandes commented: “Funny how after we deliver a formula one team that’s professional and has promise, everyone wants a piece.

“But this is great because all the facts will come out and the shareholders and government will see the real story.”

Tony Fernandes on Friday admitted he would like Group Lotus, the Proton-owned maker of British sports cars, to be involved with his formula one team.

But in reality, Lotus Racing – Fernandes’ entirely separate Malaysian-owned outfit – and Norfolk based Group Lotus, seem to be moving even further apart.

Group Lotus is reportedly retracting the license for the Lotus Racing moniker, meaning Fernandes has had to buy the separate and historic Team Lotus name in order to continue to be called Lotus in formula one.

At the same time, the Malaysian airline millionaire admitted he was surprised when he learned that Group Lotus is getting involved in GP2 next year with the top team ART.

Asked pointedly in Singapore if there is a link between Lotus Racing and Group Lotus’ new motor racing plans, he answered: “No.”

Fernandes admitted that, when originally founded by Colin Chapman in the 50s, Group Lotus and Team Lotus were entirely cooperative.

“Of course they cooperated and of course we would like to cooperate but if Group Lotus doesn’t want to then there’s not much we can do about it,” he said.

“The door is always open,” continued Fernandes. “It makes sense if they did.

“If I was sitting there and there was a formula one team going around the world with 20 races, promoting a brand, if I was the CEO, I would definitely want to get involved, especially if I’m not putting any money in it,” he added.

Jarno Trulli has reportedly signed a contract to remain with Lotus for the team’s second season in 2011.

On Friday afternoon in Singapore, just before a heavy rain downpour, the Malaysian owned team confirmed reports that it will be known as the historic Team Lotus next year, rather than Lotus Racing.

The move follows team boss Tony Fernandes’ purchase of the name from David Hunt, with the separate Group Lotus believed to have signalled its intention to no longer allow the team to use the Lotus Racing moniker under license.

Lotus did not also confirm reports that it will be powered by Renault engines next year, but it is expected that an announcement about the team’s drivers for 2011 is imminent.

Finland’s Turun Sanomat claims that while Heikki Kovalainen signed a contract at Monza two weeks ago, his Italian teammate Trulli may only have inked a deal this week in Singapore.

Lotus has informed the media that it will be making “a number of very exciting announcements” in Singapore next weekend.

It is widely expected that the new team’s current drivers will be retained for another season, and that Lotus Racing will take on the historic Team Lotus moniker for 2011 and beyond.

And according to the rumour mill, with the team’s 2011 contract with Cosworth now dissolved, Lotus will be confirming an engine and gearbox deal with Renault.

But the Italian language Autosprint reports that Malaysian-owned Lotus could actually be set to announce a technical cooperation with Toyota Motorsport, the Cologne based outfit that raced in formula one between 2002 and last year.

Toyota is currently supplying Pirelli with a 2009-spec test car, and has been linked with a technical collaboration for 2011 with HRT, the struggling Spanish team.

But Autosprint reports that Lotus and Toyota are in fact set to collaborate, with Mike Gascoyne proving the crucial link between the two outfits.

Several former members of Toyota’s F1 team are now working with Lotus, such as sporting director Dieter Gass.

“We have to do something different and it will be done soon,” team boss and owner Tony Fernandes told the BBC at Monza last weekend.

“Lots of negotiations have gone on over the last couple of weeks and we’re very happy with the outcome,” he added.