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F1: Fernandes Pushing Ahead With Team Lotus Name; Whitmarsh Better At Managing Champion Drivers

 Tony Fernandes' F1 outfit is pushing ahead with the 'Team Lotus' moniker, despite lingering expectations he might drop the name before the start of the 2011 season.

The Malaysian, whose official licence for his team's 2010 ide


 Tony Fernandes' F1 outfit is pushing ahead with the 'Team Lotus' moniker, despite lingering expectations he might drop the name before the start of the 2011 season.

The Malaysian, whose official licence for his team's 2010 identity - Lotus Racing - was terminated because Group Lotus wanted to enter F1 separately, has said several times recently that he favours a "pragmatic" solution to the dispute.

But the latest news is that green and gold 'Team Lotus' signage, including the famous CABC logo, has been erected outside the outfit's Hingham (UK) factory.

The signage also features at the team's new official website, which is located at teamlotus.co.uk because teamlotus.com is controlled by Group Lotus.

"The migration to (the) Team Lotus brand has started," Fernandes wrote on Twitter. "It's a shame. I liked Lotus Racing and always thought Team Lotus should be returned to (the) Chapman family.

"But that's the deck of hand (cards) we got handed," he added.

Renault F1's new website, located at lotusrenaultgp.com, will be launched on January 31.

(GMM)

Whitmarsh Better At Managing Champion Drivers - Dennis

Ron Dennis has said that McLaren's current boss is better than he was at managing "world champions" currently driving for the Woking based team.

Dennis, still Executive Chairman and a significant shareholder of the British company but no longer the F1 team principal, was asked by F1i magazine about McLaren's current driver line-up of Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button.

"Managing the co-habitation of two World Champions is often a challenge," he said. "I have tried it a few times. Martin is perhaps showing himself to be better than me at that role."

Martin Whitmarsh, Dennis' long-time deputy, took over the role of team principal at the beginning of 2009, and he is now tipped to also retain the FOTA Chairmanship in 2011.

Under Dennis' stewardship in 2007, Hamilton clashed memorably with Fernando Alonso, whose fractious relationship with his boss lasted only one difficult season.

20 years before that, the pairing of Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost is remembered as one of the bitterest in F1 history.

(GMM)

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