Three F1 Teams Changing Names for 2012

Just the Facts:

• The names of teams filling the 2012 F1 grid will undergo some changes.
• Lotus Renault, Team Lotus and Virgin Racing will adopt new monikers.
• The changes are subject to approval by the World Motor Sport Council.

LONDON — It's not quite silly season yet, but the fun has already begun in Formula 1, with three F1 teams, including Lotus Renault, Team Lotus and Virgin Racing, planning to adopt new monikers for the 2012 season.

There has been more than a bit of confusion around Lotus, with two teams this year claiming the name of the iconic brand established by the late Colin Chapman in the 1950s.

Next year, pending approval of the World Motor Sport Council, the former Renault works team will be known as Lotus and will drop the name of the French carmaker from its present Lotus Renault GP moniker.

Meanwhile, the one called Team Lotus, which came into F1 in 2010 by taking the place of BMW after that team withdrew from competition, will shift to another name with British sports-car lineage, Caterham. Team Lotus Enterprise acquired the Caterham company earlier this year.

Another one of F1's new teams, Virgin Racing, will shed the name made famous by Sir Richard Branson's airline and other ventures using that label. The team will be called Marussia, owing to the buy-in to Branson's F1 team by the Russian auto manufacturer Marussia.

Renault Sport F1 will continue to supply engines to both teams presently using the Lotus name. The Lotus Renault squad directed by Eric Boullier will use the black and gold livery of the 1970s and '80s, made famous by drivers Mario Andretti and Ayrton Senna. The Team Lotus entry headed by Tony Fernandes will use the British Racing Green and yellow colors that became iconic with the great Jim Clark in the 1960s.

Virgin uses Cosworth power, as do the vehicles of Marussia, Russia's first sports car manufacturer.

Inside Line says: When Shirley Ellis' "The Name Game" was getting airplay on AM radio in the 1960s, there was no question about the identity of Lotus. Clark was F1 champ in Chapman's cars in 1963 and 1965 and also won the Indianapolis 500 in '65.