Lotus Renault GP could lose its engine in 2012
The French team is reportedly facing financial difficulties according to some media.
According to the German magazine Auto Motor und Sport, the Lotus Renault Grand Prix team, owned by Genii Capital and formerly Renault F1 Team, might have to do without the Renault engine in the near future.
Indeed, since the Monaco Grand Prix, the paddock has been abuzz with rumors about the British team’s financial health. Invited to respond on the show “Blood, Sweat and Tyres” broadcast on June 30 on BBC Radio Oxford, Eric Boullier nevertheless assured that the future was clear and bright for the team based in Enstone.
“We have strong sponsors, we have strong owners with good financial support, and we have good projects,” the Frenchman responds to the rumors before questioning their origin: “I understand that there is some jealousy in the paddock and a few people who want to disrupt us. Affecting people’s morale was obviously their goal, which is a bit petty.”
The name of Flavio Briatore, who was dismissed following the Singapore crash scandal and was present in Monaco, where the rumors first appeared, is circulating among possible sources, which seems to have caused Eric Boullier’s discontent as reported by many media outlets.
The Frenchman acknowledges, however, that the team is in a period of transition after its acquisition by Genii Capital, the partnership with Lotus Cars, and Renault’s change of status from co-owner to supplier: It’s a lot of changes for a company like this, but time will show that we were right and that we were strong.
However, at Silverstone, and despite the team’s denials, the rumors persisted and Auto Motor und Sport claims that the disappointing results and the delays in engine payments are not improving things for Lotus Renault Grand Prix.
The announcement, with great fanfare, featuring historical models and former world champions as the backdrop, of the partnership between the French engine manufacturer and the Williams team, leads some to believe that the Losange might reconsider its strategy in the medium to long term and thus abandon its partnership with Lotus Renault Grand Prix.
For its part, the latter could turn to the Cosworth engine, which is cheaper than its French counterpart and might be keen to associate with the current fifth force on the grid, after losing its flagship partnership with Williams.
