Lotus Renault will have an English license in 2011

The FIA recently revealed that the 2011 season Lotus Renault GP license will be British. This news, which seems so insignificant, might work against the French car manufacturer if the R31 were to win several races or even fight for the title.

Eric Bouiller’s ambition this year is to win several races in 2011. However, while the ambition is there, it won’t be the Marseillaise that will be heard on the podiums. Indeed, with Lotus becoming the title sponsor, Genii Capital has decided to replace Renault’s currently French license with a British license. To not clash with the French sponsors, Eric Bouiller has nevertheless decided not to display a British flag on the sidepods of the cars as the initial photos might have suggested.

Renault has been divided into two structures for several years: Enstone (England), where the chassis and marketing are carried out, and Viry-Châtillon in the Paris region, where the engines are built. Despite this division, Renault held the majority of the team that bore its name in Formula 1. The license was therefore French. However, since the end of 2010, the team has been majority-owned by the English group Lotus Cars. Thus, it is logical that the French license and anthem have been replaced by the English nationality and anthem.