Renault’s new black and gold livery could be against Canadian Law
Since Renault joined with Group Lotus a couple of weeks ago, the team recently revealed that they will use a black and golden livery for the 2011 Formula One season. The pictures of the livery were released online, and it seems that they are quite similar
to the livery the legendary Lotus used back in the 80s.
According to some rumours, the team might not be allowed to use this livery at the Canadian Grand Prix in June this year. This is mainly because of the fact that the promotion of Tobacco is banned in Canada, and their new livery is a promotional symbol for
John Player which is a Tobacco company.
The anti-tobacco law in Canada states, “No person shall promote a tobacco product by means of an advertisement that depicts, in whole or in part, a tobacco product, its package or a brand element of one or that evokes a tobacco product or a brand element.”
Group Lotus left Team Lotus after the 2010 Formula One season came to an end, and joined Renault to continue their Formula One journey with a more reliable team.
According to a spokesperson for Health Canada, Tobacco inspectors would need review this whole situation fully, to assess whether the Tobacco Act has been violated or not.
He added, “The Tobacco Act prohibits the promotion of tobacco products or tobacco product-related brand elements in Canada, except as authorised by the Act or regulations. Tobacco product sponsorship is prohibited entirely and tobacco advertising is severely
restricted.”
The brand John Player is owned by Imperial Tobacco in Canada, and a spokesman of the company stated that this is a very serious matter for Lotus and Renault.
“It is categorically against the law to present any likeness to a cigarette pack. If I were Lotus though, I would be concerned - I wonder if they are aware of the law in Canada,” he said.
However, in 2003, F1 cars did have Tobacco sponsors on them despite the fact that this law did exist back then as well. This law was passed in Canada in 1997. Even after 2003, BAR and Ferrari used sponsors for Tobacco companies in 2006 and 2008, and it was
not a big issue.
As a result, Group Lotus’s CEO Dany Bahar played down these rumours as he believes that the team will not use “negative implications with potential tobacco advertising”.
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