To F1 and Beyond: Lotus reportedly considering Le Mans, GT and Indy teams
Lotus Evora Type 124 racer – Click above for high-res image gallery
Arguably more than any other automaker in the world, Lotus is ripe for a return to racing. Its products are uniquely track focused. Its history is rife with motorsport heritage. And its new chief executive comes to the company after stints at Red Bull and Ferrari, two outfits deeply involved in top-tier racing.
Unfortunately, as Dany Bahar points out, the formative Lotus F1 Racing team set to join the grand prix circus next season has little to do with the sportscar manufacturer and engineering concern which he now heads. Instead, the name is being furnished by parent company Proton to a consortium of investors in its native Malaysia. Bahar wants a slice of the action, and Proton would be wise to give it to him. But the executive who earned his reputation as a branding guru has more plans to get Lotus back into racing beyond the F1 team.
Speaking to a group of Lotus employees, Bahar reportedly disclosed that the company is looking at getting into a variety of racing series, including Indy, Le Mans and GT racing. That's some ambition for a company that hasn't seriously competed in decades, but if any team can pull it off, it's Bahar and Lotus.
[Source: Autocar]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
naturalyshocked 6:32PM (10/20/2009)
i like the curves of that car
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zamafir 6:38PM (10/20/2009)
I cannot wait to see lotus in lemans!
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JET240Z 9:34PM (10/20/2009)
Lotus in Le Mans and the American Le Mans Series would rock!
Clavius 6:50PM (10/20/2009)
Do it but do it slowly.
I'd like to see them support a team in the ALMS in GT2 and have it out with the 'vettes.
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audi_arena 7:06PM (10/20/2009)
Settle down, Lotus. Rather than over-extending yourself, please make a solid effort in the races that matter: Lemans and F1.
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Lucas 7:49PM (10/20/2009)
Exactly. Indy? WTF.
RX-8 8:37PM (10/20/2009)
Lucas do you need a history lesson?
Lotus did possibly did more to change Indy than any manufacturer changed any other series. Prior to 1965, every Indy 500 winner had a front engine roadster. Then Colin Chapman and Jim Clark showed up with some goofy looking car with the engine in the back. Everyone laughed. Jim led 190/200 laps and won the race. Nobody has won an Indy 500 with a front engine car since.
XGM 8:05PM (10/20/2009)
Hey Autoblog, please ban this guy.
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Jakub 5:32PM (10/21/2009)
Umm, 7 guys commented before you, and I don't see any reasons to ban anyone. We're just voicing our opinions.
XGM 9:22PM (10/20/2009)
My post was a comment to a spammer which has now been banned, and with the system they run my reply has been turned into a normal comment (weird way to do things imo). You guys can delete this too...
eiscura 9:28PM (10/20/2009)
Except that the Lotus F1 team apparently is seperate from Group Lotus even though both are Malaysian owned. So if this is the case, it means we won't soon be seeing an Evora Le Mans racer.
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