Team Lotus plans F1 comeback

Former racing driver David Hunt, brother of 1976 World Champion James, reaffirmed his intention, at last month’s British Grand Prix, to take the Lotus name back into Formula I in 1999, five years after the collapse of the once-great factory team. Hunt, who bought the Team Lotus name from receivers in 1994, said that he has a £40 million budget “agreed, but not inked,” and wanted to “end recent speculation” over who had the rights to use the name, which was subsequently associated with the short-lived Pacific Grand Prix outfit.

Lotus Racing (run by ex-Lotus Fl engineer George Howard-Chappell), which runs the marque’s GT team, had previously announced that it was considering a Grand Prix programme.

Founder Colin Chapman took Lotus into Formula 1 in 1958. It won 79 Grands Prix, all but seven before his death in 1982. Only Ferrari, McLaren and Williams have won more World Championship events.