THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
VALENCIA, Spain — Lotus Renault is using a vintage look to signal it’s ready to make the jump from podiums to victories in 2011 and that the Formula One team has recovered from its previous turmoil.
The team unveiled the iconic black and gold livery that will adorn its car for the upcoming season at Valencia’s Cheste Circuit on Monday. The same colours were sported by Lotus cars during the 1980s, when Ayrton Senna and Nigel Mansell drove for the British team.
A rights battle over the use of the Lotus name will go to a British court in March, with the rival Team Lotus claiming the same right to carry on the brand founded by the late car designer Colin Chapman in the 1950s.
Lotus Renault team chairman Gerard Lopez said that won’t make any difference as the Lotus name would not disappear from its logo, win or lose in court, as the team sent out a clear message: "Black to the future."
"We took risks. This car this year is quite revolutionary in a couple of areas," said Lopez of the R30 that has been in the works since February 2010. "Hopefully the risks we took will pay off this year in terms of wins over just podiums."
Lopez acquired Renault before the start of last season when the French team was struggling to recover from 2008’s "Crashgate" scandal. Piquet Jr. was ordered to crash at the Singapore Grand Prix to help teammate Fernando Alonso secure victory.
As in 2010, Robert Kubica of Poland and Vitaly Petrov of Russia lead the team again, with former HRT driver Bruno Senna named as a third driver. Romain Grosjean, who drove for Renault in 2009, was also named third driver alongside Senna.
The team has a number of reserve drivers — including Fairuz Fauzy — as part of its academy. But the intent is to get Grosjean behind the wheel at some point in the future.
"F1 doesn’t have any French drivers who perform so we want to produce many. France needs a wake up," team principal Eric Boullier said. "With Romain, there is a clear strategy."
Grosjean — who replaced disgraced driver Nelson Piquet Jr. during the 2009 season — will spend this year racing in GP2.
While the team believes Petrov improved towards the end of last season, Kubica holds the bulk of its championship aspirations.
"It’s still to hard to say what we are able to achieve this year. I think definitely we are more prepared this year because of the more stable situation," Kubica said before warning about overconfidence.
"When you blow a lot of air into the balloon, the balloon can explode very easily. Gerard has his views and maybe he knows something more. In January you can expect everything — positive or negative."
Kubica said a smooth start at testing was important as cars adapt to the return of the hybrid KERS power boost system and new regulations.
"Expectations are being raised very quickly but what is important is to have stability. And in the last 12 months, the team has that," said the 26-year-old Kubica, who has one career win and three of his career 12 podiums with Renault last season.
Lopez said his Luxembourg-based Genii Capital bought the final 25 per cent of Renault’s stake in the team to hold full ownership. Renault supplies only the engine and the team is based in Britain.
While the team is using vintage colours to help turn the page, Lopez was curt over the naming rights saga that will see F1 start the season-opening Bahrain GP with both Lotus Renault and Team Lotus’ on the grid.
"Money is the centrepiece of this, it’s not passion, it’s not taking over Colin Chapman’s legacy. It’s all about money and they stand to loose money if they change their name and they should just say that," Lopez said. "What I believe is quite damaging is to act like the small team that has been beaten up, David vs. Goliath. I mean, hello, we’re privately owned, we just happen to be bigger. That makes me laugh sometimes."
Team Lotus, run by Air Asia entrepreneur Tony Fernandes, used the name in F1 last season, claiming it had legally acquired the rights from the remnants of the old F1 team.
"The personal attacks on me have started again from renault," Fernandes responded on his Twitter account. "Must be doing something right hahahaha. The good do always win."
Lopez said governing body FIA has "a future obligation" to clear up the issue.