'Renault set to make concrete offer to buy Lotus'

Speculation Renault is close to buying back the Enstone based team will not go away. The persistent rumour is now being reported by Germany's Bild newspaper, which claims the French carmaker is set to make a "concrete offer" to the team now called Lotus "in the coming weeks".

Bild said quadruple world champion and Renault ambassador Alain Prost is playing a role. It follows Prost having told the French broadcaster Canal Plus after the Austrian grand prix that a return to a management role in F1 is "not impossible". "Lotus owner Gerard Lopez could not be reached" for comment, Bild said.

It could be a case of many current rumours all coming together. Renault currently supplies engines to Red Bull, who have been notably vocal in their discontent in 2015. Suddenly, however, there are reports boss Christian Horner could be about to lose his job. "Unfortunately in formula one there are always rumours," Briton Horner said on Wednesday, "and this (one) is total rubbish. I'm fully committed to Red Bull and I love what I do."

Also rumoured recently is that, if Renault and Red Bull do split, the energy drink-owned team might turn to customer Ferrari power. Horner, however, ruled it out on the basis that the Italian outfit would supply Red Bull with inferior equipment.

"Horner saying he doesn't want a Ferrari 'B' engine, for me, is a smokescreen," said former F1 driver and now broadcaster Marc Surer. "The engines are homologated and so the manufacturers are not supplying inferior equipment to their customers," he is quoted by the Berliner Kurier. (GMM)

Replies (0)

Login to reply

AZ Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Local time 

AZAzerbaijan Grand Prix

Local time 

Test calendar

See full test schedule

World Championship standings 2026

Show full world champion standings

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2026

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Spain
-
Bahrain
-
Bahrain
6 - Mar 8
Australia
13 - Mar 15
China
27 - Mar 29
Japan
10 - Apr 12
Bahrain
17 - Apr 19
Saudi Arabia
1 - May 3
United States of America
22 - May 24
Canada
5 - Jun 7
Monaco
12 - Jun 14
Spain
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2026

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
6 - Mar 8
Australia Albert Park
13 - Mar 15
27 - Mar 29
10 - Apr 12
17 - Apr 19
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
1 - May 3
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
22 - May 24
5 - Jun 7
Monaco Monte Carlo
12 - Jun 14
See full schedule

Team profile

Show full profile
show sidebar