Nigel Mansell leaves the Tony Fernandes’ camp
Nothing seems to be going in favour of the Team Lotus’ boss, Tony Fernandes. After having lost the support of the Chapman family, now he loses the backing of another big name in the world of Formula One, Nigel Mansell. The former
World Champion appreciated Clive Chapman’s decision of taking sides of Group Lotus and ensured his support too for the Renault-Lotus duo.
Fernandes introduced Team Lotus once again in Formula One at the start of the 2010 season. Although, Clive Chapman, the son of the founder of Lotus Racing, Colin Chapman, appreciated his efforts of bringing the name back to the
series, he, now, believes that the car manufacturer has more right to the legendary name and its return to the sport will be more beneficial for ‘Lotus’. Group Lotus has signed a deal recently with the French Formula One team, Renault F1 becoming the title
sponsor of the team, ‘Lotus Renault GP’.
This means, until court gives its verdict over the title case between the Group Lotus and Fernandes, the 2011 calendar is going to see two teams with the same title. After reviewing the entire issue, Mansell, who started his F1
career with Lotus in 1980, assured his complete support and backing for the Group Lotus.
Echoing the words of the Chapman family, Mansell also said, "I am extremely grateful to Lotus - and especially to Colin Chapman, who was so inspirational and almost like a second father to me - and have been watching with great
interest the developments that have been taking place recently at Hethel with their ambitious race and road car projects."
He further explained saying that he is delighted to see Lotus finally reaching where it belongs. He added, “It is particularly pleasing for me to see the union of Lotus and Renault again and the return of the iconic black-and-gold
colours as driven by the late greats Ayrton Senna and Elio de Angelis, Johnny Dumfries and, of course, myself in the 1980s.”
Although, Fernandes has announced time and again that he will not go and ask anyone’s support but surely, being abandoned by the Chapman family and now by Mansell, is a big blow for him. Although this is not going to affect the
legal proceedings of the case, yet it will certainly reduce the public support, which Fernandes needs.
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