World Imports USA

Kimi R??ikk??nen back in F1 with Lotus Renault GP in 2012

We have F1 news for you: Lotus Renault GP is pleased to announce that Kimi R??ikk??nen will race for the team next season. The 2007 World Champion, who left Formula 1 at the end of 2009 to pursue a career in rallying, has decided to make a comeback at the pinnacle of single-seater racing. He has now signed a two-year agreement with Lotus Renault GP.

Kimi???s F1 roll of honour includes 18 wins, 62 podiums and 16 pole positions. This experience and success is sure to help the team make a step forward next year. The 32-year-old Finn???s commitment indeed makes for a vote of confidence in Lotus Renault GP, demonstrating the team???s determination and new philosophy for the seasons ahead.

That???s what Kimi R??ikk??nen said: ???I???m delighted to be coming back to Formula 1 after a two-year break, and I???m grateful to Lotus Renault GP for offering me this opportunity. My time in the World Rally Championship has been a useful stage in my career as a driver, but I can???t deny the fact that my hunger for F1 has recently become overwhelming. It was an easy choice to return with Lotus Renault GP as I have been impressed by the scope of the team???s ambition. Now I???m looking forward to playing an important role in pushing the team to the very front of the grid.???

Lotus might not be the world's largest automaker, but that hasn't stopped them from outlining a large expansion plan at the Paris Motor Show last year. Since then, the British automaker has reached out to the U.K. government for capital from the Regional Growth Fund, which is intended to help boost the country's economy.

The first bid that Lotus put in for ?27.5-million ($45-million) was a bit too high, and…

JOINT PRESS RELEASE

Group Lotus Plc and PROTON Holdings Berhad

1Malaysia Racing Team, Caterham Cars and Tony Fernandes

Proton, Group Lotus, 1Malaysia Racing Team and its owner Tony Fernandes are delighted to announce that the legal dispute in the English Courts relating to the "LOTUS" and "TEAM LOTUS" brands has now ended amicably with the parties agreeing settlement terms earlier this month.

The terms of the settlement are confidential but the deal sees the "LOTUS" brand reunited under the sole ownership of Group Lotus. This includes the rights to the "LOTUS" and "TEAM LOTUS" names in Formula 1 motor racing. 

1MRT will race in the 2012 Formula 1 season under the name "CATERHAM F1 TEAM" and will use a ???CATERHAM??? chassis.

The deal also sees a working relationship established between the parties and they will work together on future projects in the automotive field.

Group Lotus Chief Executive Officer Dany Bahar: ???On behalf of Group Lotus and Proton I would like to express how pleased we are that this matter is finally closed and we can now focus on looking forward to the future.

???We understand that this has been a very difficult and confusing time for the fans of the sport and the Lotus brand so we are glad to have reached a clear resolution on this important matter ??? I would like to take this opportunity to thank our fans for their continued support, it means everything to us.???

Riad Asmat, Group CEO: "We are proud of what we have achieved by bringing the Team Lotus name back to Formula One when many tried and although we are sad to say goodbye to Team Lotus we are excited about owning our own future and being in control of our own destiny. Now we have no one to be compared to. We make our own history and we will remain green and yellow.

"Now we look forward to an exciting future racing under our new team name of Caterham F1 Team. Please continue to support our very special spirit of never say die and support us on the track as we move up the field and demonstrate that the good do win."

ENDS

For media enquires relating to this statement, please contact: Liz Brooks, PR Manager, Group Lotus

+44 7718 793852, lbrooks@lotuscars.com

About Lotus

Group Lotus plc, is based in Norfolk, UK, and has three operating divisions: Lotus Cars, Lotus Engineering and Lotus Motorsport.

Lotus Cars builds world class, high performance sports cars including the award-winning Evora, the iconic Elise and the stunning Exige and the road / track orientated 2-Eleven. Lotus New Era, the future product line-up, was unveiled in Paris on 30^th September 2010 featuring the new Esprit, Elan, Elite, Elise and Eterne.

Lotus Engineering provides comprehensive and versatile consultancy services to many of the world's OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers and is an internationally recognised automotive engineering consultancy. Global facilities include those in the US, Malaysia, China and offices in Germany and Japan. Lotus is a global high-tech company, committed to driving forward technology for both Lotus Cars and its Engineering clients, spearheading research into such areas as hybrids, electric vehicles and renewable fuels.

Lotus Motorsport operates the motorsports activities of Lotus and includes the strategy to return the Lotus name to a great number of series including endurance racing with GT2, GT4 and LMP2, single seater racing with GP2, GP3 and IndyCar. Lotus has also returned to F1 with Lotus Renault GP from the start of the 2011 F1 racing season onwards.

For more information about Group Lotus please contact:
PR Department, Group Lotus plc, Potash Lane, Hethel, Norfolk, UK, NR14 8EZ; Tel: +44 (0)1953 608264 Email: pr@lotuscars.com

Aside from their stunning presence, superb design, and envious performance, there is one defining feature that every model in the Lotus lineup carries: The letter E. The Lotus Elise, Lotus Evora, and Lotus Exige all feature it proudly as the first letter in their name, and it looks as though the British automaker won't be abandoning this trend with the introduction of their new plug-in minicar, the Lotus Ethos.

The Lotus plug-in minicar was…