Formula One weaves a tangled web – as per multiple reports, the much rumored buyout of Lotus F1 Team by Renault is set to commence. Renault group CEO Carlos Ghosn and his board have signed off on a deal that now only needs the approval of Lotus to be set in motion.
The plan will have the French automotive giant acquire a 65 percent stake in the F1 team that just seven years ago was 100 percent under their control. Gerard Lopez will remain in the picture with a large stake of 25% and Alain Prost will control the remaining 10 percent.
With Renault set to dump a load of cash into the team, it is undetermined whether or not Pastor Maldonado and his vast sums of PDVSA money will be retained, but Romain Grosjean is set to stay on as the focus of the once again, French outfit.
Complicating matters will be engine choice, as Lotus currently run the dominant Mercedes power units and Renault has a contractual obligation to make Red Bull their main focus for 2016. While up until now the Red Bull push for Mercedes Power looked ridiculous, they may now get a surprising ally in their current engine suppliers so the newly christened Renault team can run a Renault engine.
What a tangled web indeed.
