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Giuseppe F1
13th March 2010, 18:40
!!!

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/82097

http://cdn.images.autosport.com/editorial/1268499520.jpg

KV seals Lotus alliance for Sato

By Matt Beer Saturday, March 13th 2010, 16:58 GMT

KV Lotus mock-upKV Racing Technology has announced a technical and commercial tie-up with the Lotus brand that will see Takuma Sato's Indycar run in the famous green and yellow Lotus colours from the second round of the championship in St Petersburg.

Sato's Dallara-Honda will carry Lotus-Cosworth decals as part of the new alliance with Group Lotus, which has also allowed Tony Fernandes' new Formula 1 team to use the Lotus title this year. KV co-founder Kevin Kalkhoven is also a co-owner of engine firm Cosworth.

Lotus was last seen in American single seater racing in the 1960s, with Jim Clark winning the 1965 Indianapolis 500 for the marque.

"Racing has always defined Lotus and on many occasions in motorsports history Lotus' numerous innovations have re-defined racing," said Group Lotus CEO Dany Bahar.

"It's only fitting that as the Lotus Racing name re-enters Formula 1, we will also race and innovate again in IndyCar. The Lotus name will, once again compete in the top two open-wheel racing series for the passion and enthusiasm of car fans around the globe."

Sato added: "This is fantastic news for everyone. It is exiting for me to be a Lotus driver and I'm really looking forward to great success with this new project."
Giuseppe F1
13th March 2010, 18:41
Badging the spec IRL Honda engine as a Cosworth???? :O
Giuseppe F1
13th March 2010, 18:43
So with this alliance, expect Sato to replace Trulli or Kovaleinen in the Lotus Racing F1 Team in 2011!! :)
EuroTroll
13th March 2010, 18:48
That car really needs a nose job! :p : Would be beautiful with a nice round one. Now it looks like it's been punched in the nose by a competitor. :)
UltimateDanGTR
13th March 2010, 19:39
irony. Lotus are competing against a Dallara chassis in F1 yet in IndyCar they are using one (or in association of one as it were)

nice to see the british racing green being spread to america and everything, but branding a honda as cosworth is a just silly IMO, its like branding a Tesco's own brand chocolate bar as a Cadbury Dairy Milk bar.
garyshell
13th March 2010, 20:27
I don't think they are badging the engine. I think they are showing Cosworth as an affiliate sponsor. After all Kevin owns Cosworth.

Gary
Phoenixent
13th March 2010, 20:34
but branding a honda as cosworth is a just silly IMO, its like branding a Tesco's own brand chocolate bar as a Cadbury Dairy Milk bar.

It worse than that Ilmor builds the Honda now badged Cosworth on the Dallara Lotus.. :D
Malbec
13th March 2010, 20:43
About as silly as having a BMW Sauber Ferrari....
F1boat
13th March 2010, 20:54
About as silly as having a BMW Sauber Ferrari....

ahaha good one!
UltimateDanGTR
14th March 2010, 09:01
It worse than that Ilmor builds the Honda now badged Cosworth on the Dallara Lotus.. :D

ah, that makes perfect sense :D
trinksuk
15th March 2010, 23:27
where did you make the connection that the Honda engine would now be badged a Cosworth....that is a bit of a stretch! Considering that Cosworth was a competitor of Honda's in both F1 and IRL in past years I would hardly thing that they would allow the Cosworth name on their engines.

I think that when the car is shown in the new livery the Cosworth name will be missing, I bet Honda will have had something to say about....

However how about the idea of a Lotus Honda; brings back memories of Senna in a Camel yellow car from the late eighties...
Chev_350
15th March 2010, 23:35
Cosworth is on there because they will be working over the engines in Lotus road cars.
CNR
16th March 2010, 00:13
honda logo still at top of the car
the car is lotus-cosworth
http://www.insideline.com/lotus/2010-indycar-lotus-and-cosworth.html
garyshell
16th March 2010, 01:01
Looks to me like Lotus-Cosworth is a B2B relationship that KK is using to add some $$ to his sponsorship funds. I see nothing about Cosworth badging the engine.

Gary
neophyte
16th March 2010, 03:42
it is good to see old names come back to AOWR even if it is just as (what seems to be) a B2B sponsorship.

It is ALSO good to see that Kalkhoven is sticking around. At one point, I truly thought he was a mercenary looking to make a quick buck, but if that was the case he would have been gone by now. Maybe it is the JV influence. :)
Jag_Warrior
16th March 2010, 10:14
About as silly as having a BMW Sauber Ferrari....

There's actually a good reason for that though. If Sauber had changed the name of the team this year, he'd miss out on the Bernie Bucks that are due the team for last year's season.

In this case, I guess the team name/branding will be "Lotus-Cosworth? :confused: And the "Lotus-Cosworth" team will be running the Dallara-Honda package. I'm guessing this is a rehash of Kalkhoven's (make believe) Minardi deal?

But as long as it puts another car on the track, I guess it's net/net good.
V12
16th March 2010, 11:29
This would be great news if it was a Lotus car, but a "Lotus" Dallara is just wrong. Imagine if Ferrari resurrected their IndyCar interest and slapped their logos all over a Dallara-Honda too? :s

But yeah, if it funds an extra car then that's all good I guess. Glad I can rant about it here though since I'm giving the IndyCar forum a wide berth until I'm able to watch the Sao Paulo race I recorded.
Mark in Oshawa
16th March 2010, 22:08
it is good to see old names come back to AOWR even if it is just as (what seems to be) a B2B sponsorship.

It is ALSO good to see that Kalkhoven is sticking around. At one point, I truly thought he was a mercenary looking to make a quick buck, but if that was the case he would have been gone by now. Maybe it is the JV influence. :)

He likes the sport. He started off a car owner. Unlike Tony, who left, Kevin is still there. Ironic really....

As for the Lotus name, I will be much more excited if they are allowed to have their own chassis in Indy Car...
Scotty G.
16th March 2010, 22:43
He likes the sport. He started off a car owner. Unlike Tony, who left, Kevin is still there. Ironic really....




If KK wasn't taking ride buyer money, he'd be gone too. ;)
Mark in Oshawa
16th March 2010, 22:45
If KK wasn't taking ride buyer money, he'd be gone too. ;)

Well there you go...that is the reality of it. However, I would say the ride buyers HE has are a little more talented than some of them....ahem Milka!
Jag_Warrior
17th March 2010, 19:11
As for the Lotus name, I will be much more excited if they are allowed to have their own chassis in Indy Car...

Is it a question of Lotus being allowed to build an Indy car chassis, or the fact that Lotus' involvement in F1 and IRL revolves around branding? It's would be as if Ford, feeling sorry for USF1, lent the Ford nameplate to that outfit to give it some legitimacy. If Lotus F1 happens to switch to Mercedes or Ferrari powerplants in the future, and away from Cosworth, this IRL deal will go away faster than a bowl of chips in the middle of a pothead party.
neophyte
22nd March 2010, 12:38
I think you are into something.

This looks to me more as a B2B deal than a way to explore possibilities for lotus to be a constructor in IndyCar. Either way, I see it as a positive. It got us talking about it.....right?


Is it a question of Lotus being allowed to build an Indy car chassis, or the fact that Lotus' involvement in F1 and IRL revolves around branding? It's would be as if Ford, feeling sorry for USF1, lent the Ford nameplate to that outfit to give it some legitimacy. If Lotus F1 happens to switch to Mercedes or Ferrari powerplants in the future, and away from Cosworth, this IRL deal will go away faster than a bowl of chips in the middle of a pothead party.
Mark in Oshawa
22nd March 2010, 14:45
Is it a question of Lotus being allowed to build an Indy car chassis, or the fact that Lotus' involvement in F1 and IRL revolves around branding? It's would be as if Ford, feeling sorry for USF1, lent the Ford nameplate to that outfit to give it some legitimacy. If Lotus F1 happens to switch to Mercedes or Ferrari powerplants in the future, and away from Cosworth, this IRL deal will go away faster than a bowl of chips in the middle of a pothead party.

Oh so true Jag....
Andy Harrison
22nd March 2010, 19:08
First Takuma Sato interview on Mobil 1 The Grid!
Go KV Racing!!

http://www.grid1.tv/videos/indycar/takuma-sato
Chamoo
23rd March 2010, 00:36
Is it a question of Lotus being allowed to build an Indy car chassis, or the fact that Lotus' involvement in F1 and IRL revolves around branding? It's would be as if Ford, feeling sorry for USF1, lent the Ford nameplate to that outfit to give it some legitimacy. If Lotus F1 happens to switch to Mercedes or Ferrari powerplants in the future, and away from Cosworth, this IRL deal will go away faster than a bowl of chips in the middle of a pothead party.

However, the Cosworth ties to Lotus Group to produce engines for their cars will give Cosworth and Lotus a connection for a long time.
Jag_Warrior
23rd March 2010, 06:57
However, the Cosworth ties to Lotus Group to produce engines for their cars will give Cosworth and Lotus a connection for a long time.

I just saw that Cossie is supplying tuned Toyotas to Lotus for its road cars. So you make a good point.
Sulland
24th March 2010, 10:05
Like the yellow air intake - the F1 team should adopt that one !
BrentJackson
24th March 2010, 20:41
it is good to see old names come back to AOWR even if it is just as (what seems to be) a B2B sponsorship.

It is ALSO good to see that Kalkhoven is sticking around. At one point, I truly thought he was a mercenary looking to make a quick buck, but if that was the case he would have been gone by now. Maybe it is the JV influence. :)

I think Kalkhoven is still a backstabbing *beeeeeep*. But nonetheless, it seems like JV is making an Indycar fan out of him. Nicely done, Jimmy.

Now get back in the cockpit, ya shmuck!