Team Lotus throws in the towel

©Neil White

During its heyday in F1, Colin Chapman's Team Lotus was arguably the only outfit in the sport whose notoriety practically equaled that of Ferrari.

But it all came to a sad end on this day in 1995, when the beleaguered Hethel-based team announced its withdrawal from Formula 1, its Type 112 car seen here at Ketteringham Hall in a virtual image never turning a wheel.

The rights to the Lotus name in F1 later changed hands, passing from David Hunt to Tony Fernandes, while Genii Capital and Group Lotus announced an alliance that confusingly put two teams using the Lotus name on the grid for the 2011 season!

In 2012, Lotus-Renault GP was given the rights to the Lotus name and was renamed Lotus F1, whereas Fernandes' team was renamed Caterham F1 following his purchase of Caterham Cars.

'Lotus F1 Team' was active for 4 seasons, from 2012 to 2015, and even won two races with Kimi Raikkonen before Enstone outfit was returned to Renault from 2016.

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