Nevertheless, the AirAsia owner insisted that no decision has been made in regards to Team Lotus' name or logo, as everyone is expecting the High Court's decision on the naming dispute against British carmaker Group Lotus.
“This isn't being done just in case we lose the case,” Fernandes told the Reuters news agency, referring to his company's legal battle against Group Lotus. “I and the shareholders want to wait and see what happens with the court case and then we'll make plans from there.”
After hearing both sides of the story in the legal dispute for the name of “Lotus” in Formula 1, London's High Court is to give its final verdict on the matter in early May. Until then, both Team Lotus and Lotus Renault GP – the team Group Lotus wants to become its official entry in the F1 championship – will race under the same names.
According to Dutch website f1today.nl, Fernandes & Co have already registered some new Internet domains in the wake of the Caterham buyout – including sonangolcaterhamf1.com and sonangolcaterhamteamlotus.com – following recent rumors that the Malaysian businessman has secured a new title sponsorship deal with Angolan state oil company Sonangol.
Should Team Lotus Enterprise lose its naming battle against Group Lotus a few weeks from now, the Norfolk-based organization could switch name into Sonangol Caterham F1.
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