Lotus to change name and engines

Formula One team Lotus Racing will change its name to Team Lotus next year amid a struggle for control of the brand name in motorsport.

Team principal Tony Fernandes made the announcement on Friday, while saying the team was changing engine supplier for next season. He did not name the supplier, but it was widely reported to be Renault.

Fernandes’ team claims rights to the historic Lotus name in F1, but another company involving the Malaysian car company Proton also has some commercial rights to the brand and intends to enter the GP2 and GP3 series next year in an alliance with ART Grand Prix. The new team would be known as Lotus ART.

ART is run by Nicholas Todt, son of FIA president Jean Todt.