autoevolution
 

Renault Strikes Back at Tobacco Livery Claims

Lotus Renault officials have hit back at claims that their car livery for the 2011 Formula 1 championship could break laws against tobacco advertising in Canada.

In some recent reports that appeared in the Canadian media, it was suggested that the R31's black and gold colors – a tribute to the historic livery of Lotus' F1 cars in the '80s and '90s – could be considered a revival of Lotus' affection for the Imperial Tobacco label John Player Special (as it used to be the case back then).

Following comments made by a Health Canada spokesperson in January, according to which Lotus Renault may look at a suspension from the Canadian race due to a potential infringement of the Tobacco Act, team owner Gerard Lopez made it very clear that this will not be the case.

Number one, we have no relationship with a tobacco company,” he told The Independent newspaper after his team's launch event of the R31 yesterday.

And in order to support his stance, he argued that there is a team (there's obviously no reason to go around the bush here, he's talking about Ferrari) whose car livery hints more at a cigarette manufacturer as compared to Renault.

Even if we had, there is another famous team racing around in a colour that is very close to a cigarette manufacturer. For sure there is no interest in promoting anybody's brand. If someone has a problem with that, they essentially have a problem with a non-issue,” he concluded.
If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories