Lotus cars allowed to leave Spa

Four days after the Belgian Grand Prix, Lotus has finally been allowed to take back their cars following the lawsuit concerning their former reserve driver Charles Pic.

All of the team’s transporters along with race equipment were barred from leaving Spa by court bailiffs regarding Charles Pic.

The Frenchman Pic was demanding $800,000 settlement for breach of contract claiming that the team didn’t give him his hours behind the car, as were promised, last season.

Lotus has now been allowed to carry its equipments and cars from Spa. A French Canal Plus broadcaster reports, “Although the dispute between Lotus and Pic is not fully resolved, progress has been made.”

It is believed that “progress” refers to the negotiations between Lotus and Renault who is reportedly offering €7.5 million now along with a lump sum of EUR 50m which is to be paid to Lotus’ current owners over the next ten years.

According to the French magazine, Auto Hebdo, Renault would own 60 per cent of the team, with French legend, Alain Prost coming back into administration with 10 per cent share in the team. Others, including Gerard Lopez will continue to hold the 30 per cent.

“We would welcome them (Renault) with open arms,” the Austrian news agency APA quotes Lotus engineer Alan Permane as saying.

“We have a great relationship with Mercedes, but to again be a factory team would be fantastic.”