Jump to content


Photo
- - - - -

Lotus switches to Mercedes engines from 2015


  • Please log in to reply
27 replies to this topic

#1 midgrid

midgrid
  • RC Forum Host

  • 10,132 posts
  • Joined: April 09

Posted 05 July 2014 - 10:36

So that fills the gap left by McLaren's switch to Honda, and leaves Renault with three teams next year.  With Red Bull (and by extension Toro Rosso) looking elsewhere and Caterham's future uncertain, it's not good for the marque.

 

http://www.autosport...t.php/id/114818

 

Edit: OK, there's already a thread about this.  Sorry!  :blush:


Edited by midgrid, 05 July 2014 - 10:38.


Advertisement

#2 Seanspeed

Seanspeed
  • Member

  • 21,814 posts
  • Joined: October 08

Posted 05 July 2014 - 10:40

That's really good news for them. Almost guarantees they should be somewhat competitive at the very least.

Bad news for everybody else, who now have one more good team with a superior powerplant to compete against.

#3 DrEvil

DrEvil
  • Member

  • 64 posts
  • Joined: April 14

Posted 05 July 2014 - 10:50

In my opinion Renault will never catch Mercedes, they don't have the resources to compete. They only won with RedBull, because of the engine freeze.



#4 Jackmancer

Jackmancer
  • Member

  • 3,226 posts
  • Joined: September 09

Posted 05 July 2014 - 11:39

I'm a tad worried that all teams bar Ferrari will switch to Merc, effectively making it the customer engine. Oh well.



#5 wj_gibson

wj_gibson
  • Member

  • 3,920 posts
  • Joined: January 05

Posted 05 July 2014 - 12:34

Renault engines, or derivative versions (e.g. Mecachrome) have powered that team since 1995.



#6 BRG

BRG
  • Member

  • 25,898 posts
  • Joined: September 99

Posted 05 July 2014 - 13:22

There's a last time for everything....



#7 Ferrari_F1_fan_2001

Ferrari_F1_fan_2001
  • Member

  • 3,420 posts
  • Joined: May 01

Posted 05 July 2014 - 13:32

All the Renault teams have different demands and the supplying company has had to comply.

Now they have 4 Red Bulls and Caterham. Caterham wont have any preferential treatment while what is good for RBR is good for TR so this is win win for RBR.

Red Bull's resources (still the best IMO) will allow Renault to catch up quick.

#8 Imateria

Imateria
  • Member

  • 2,424 posts
  • Joined: January 14

Posted 05 July 2014 - 14:14

I'm a tad worried that all teams bar Ferrari will switch to Merc, effectively making it the customer engine. Oh well.

I don't think Merc has the capacity to supply that many cars.



#9 hollowstar

hollowstar
  • Member

  • 2,219 posts
  • Joined: July 13

Posted 05 July 2014 - 14:27

So this old Renault team will be Mercedes powered... strange!

#10 SR388

SR388
  • Member

  • 5,683 posts
  • Joined: March 11

Posted 05 July 2014 - 15:10

So this old Renault team will be Mercedes powered... strange!


Is strange. I still think of them as the factory Renault team.

#11 10e10

10e10
  • Member

  • 950 posts
  • Joined: July 12

Posted 05 July 2014 - 19:04

So this old Renault team will be Mercedes powered... strange!

If you think about it, the current Mercedes team was the official Honda team when McLaren, which is about to be Honda's factory team, was Mercedes' factory team.



#12 SenorSjon

SenorSjon
  • Member

  • 17,539 posts
  • Joined: March 12

Posted 05 July 2014 - 19:07

Well, I still remember them powering around with the Ford V8.

 

b194-schu-bene-1994.jpg



#13 RuleyRamundo

RuleyRamundo
  • Member

  • 242 posts
  • Joined: January 14

Posted 05 July 2014 - 19:08

Romain its your time, 2k15 at the front end of the grid yesssssssssssss.



#14 sopa

sopa
  • Member

  • 12,230 posts
  • Joined: April 07

Posted 05 July 2014 - 19:09

Does Mercedes trust them to pay the bills? Mercedes with their current performance have all the negotiation power and they wouldn't want to give their special power units to those, who can't pay up. Especially as MB could choose between almost any of the privateer teams on the grid, who would all jump at the chance of using Mercedes. So it would have made sense to make the deal with the most financially secure one.



#15 emmanuelrubi

emmanuelrubi
  • Member

  • 1,058 posts
  • Joined: November 13

Posted 05 July 2014 - 20:35

Romain its your time, 2k15 at the front end of the grid yesssssssssssss.

 

I don't know if Lotus will develop a car like that; by now Lotus is slower than Toro Rosso in the same PU, starting with a new PU means a new car design and adapt to this PU to compete with the other Merc Powered teams, at best i see Lotus in 2015 as McLaren is now, not considering McLaren have better engineers and way more budget while Lotus lost a lot of important staff last year and i don't see either of their drivers as pilots who can help develop a good car, and that just with the other Mercedes powered teams because its not like Ferrari will be in 2015 as it is now, RedBull will improve a lot now that Renault will fully focus on them, Mercedes will never give a full support to a customer team because they are focus on their factory team so my safe bet would be Lotus constantly fighting for points and an eventual podium but i don't see them at the front of the grid. 



#16 Hans V

Hans V
  • Member

  • 651 posts
  • Joined: August 03

Posted 05 July 2014 - 22:08

I believe Merc has a slightly harder credit policy than Renault - as they don't need the money that much, so it remains to be seen if Lotus can cough up the money. They can live with one late-paying customer (FI), but two?

#17 PayasYouRace

PayasYouRace
  • Racing Sims Forum Host

  • 45,969 posts
  • Joined: January 10

Posted 05 July 2014 - 22:10

Renault engines, or derivative versions (e.g. Mecachrome) have powered that team since 1995.

 

But their first win was with a German-badged turbo.



#18 Eff One 2002

Eff One 2002
  • Member

  • 1,132 posts
  • Joined: January 02

Posted 06 July 2014 - 00:31

No links left to their former iteration as the Renault works team, then.



#19 RonnyRonny

RonnyRonny
  • Member

  • 366 posts
  • Joined: May 14

Posted 06 July 2014 - 00:35

Maybe a livery change too?



Advertisement

#20 Ikebana

Ikebana
  • Member

  • 342 posts
  • Joined: December 12

Posted 06 July 2014 - 00:45

I'm a tad worried that all teams bar Ferrari will switch to Merc, effectively making it the customer engine. Oh well.

 

I personally wouldn't worry about it. RBR already said they want their own engine, Ferrari as you said won't use a Mercedes engine, and then Honda will come by so I think there'll be plenty of different engines.



#21 George Costanza

George Costanza
  • Member

  • 4,536 posts
  • Joined: July 08

Posted 06 July 2014 - 01:15

If you think about it, the current Mercedes team was the official Honda team when McLaren, which is about to be Honda's factory team, was Mercedes' factory team.

 

Indeed.... That's correct, except for two seasons of 1993 and 1994 which Ford and Peugeot had powered the team.

 

Since 1995, Mercedes until 2014.

 

The Benetton had Renault, then it's devations since 1995 until 2014.


Edited by George Costanza, 06 July 2014 - 01:16.


#22 George Costanza

George Costanza
  • Member

  • 4,536 posts
  • Joined: July 08

Posted 06 July 2014 - 01:17

Renault works team is now Red Bull or was it always that works team since 2007?


Edited by George Costanza, 06 July 2014 - 01:18.


#23 emmanuelrubi

emmanuelrubi
  • Member

  • 1,058 posts
  • Joined: November 13

Posted 06 July 2014 - 07:12

There is a Rumor that Unilever might leave Lotus after this season and move to McLaren with its 20M Deal.

 

Disclaimer: I don't know in which post i should put this info, if this is not the place i apologize and if so please tell me to delete it.



#24 FPV GTHO

FPV GTHO
  • Member

  • 2,393 posts
  • Joined: March 08

Posted 06 July 2014 - 07:47

Renault works team is now Red Bull or was it always that works team since 2007?


Red Bull only signed works deal in 2011. Renault were coming off consecutive championship doubles in 2007, why would Red Bull waltz in and get a works deal straight away?

#25 W154

W154
  • Member

  • 345 posts
  • Joined: May 10

Posted 06 July 2014 - 08:59

I'm a tad worried that all teams bar Ferrari will switch to Merc, effectively making it the customer engine. Oh well.

I seem to recall some pretty good racing in the 'Cosworth" era. Actually, it was probably better than what we get dished up as Grand Prix racing today.

#26 Ferrari_F1_fan_2001

Ferrari_F1_fan_2001
  • Member

  • 3,420 posts
  • Joined: May 01

Posted 06 July 2014 - 09:34

The whole situation could end up massively hilarious if Renault build a stonker of an engine for 2015 and over power Mercedes.



#27 Seanspeed

Seanspeed
  • Member

  • 21,814 posts
  • Joined: October 08

Posted 06 July 2014 - 09:38

I don't know if Lotus will develop a car like that; by now Lotus is slower than Toro Rosso in the same PU, starting with a new PU means a new car design and adapt to this PU to compete with the other Merc Powered teams, at best i see Lotus in 2015 as McLaren is now, not considering McLaren have better engineers and way more budget while Lotus lost a lot of important staff last year and i don't see either of their drivers as pilots who can help develop a good car, and that just with the other Mercedes powered teams because its not like Ferrari will be in 2015 as it is now, RedBull will improve a lot now that Renault will fully focus on them, Mercedes will never give a full support to a customer team because they are focus on their factory team so my safe bet would be Lotus constantly fighting for points and an eventual podium but i don't see them at the front of the grid.

I imagine Toro Rosso got a whole lot of help from their daddy in integration and running of the powerplant.

Lotus seem to be struggling with this quite badly still. Look at Sauber as well - having a load of trouble with the Ferrari powerplant.

I think that the Mercedes is just way ahead of the game and will be much easier to plug in and get to racing.

#28 Dolph

Dolph
  • Member

  • 12,128 posts
  • Joined: March 01

Posted 06 July 2014 - 12:02

I don't think Merc has the capacity to supply that many cars.

 

I don't think they want to. To need to beat other marques to boost their image not be almost a single supplier. It would be best for them if they can supply the better team and the worse teams can go with competitors.