Team Lotus has announced that American giant GE is the team’s latest sponsor. GE, a leading global technology and infrastructure company that operates in more than 100 countries and employs about 300,000 people, joins the Malaysian owned team as a Premium Partner. GE branding will be seen on the team’s T128 F1 cars and entire race and factory structure from this July’s British GP.
“On behalf of the whole team I am very proud to welcome GE into the Team Lotus family. It is a resounding endorsement of the remarkable development of our team that we have unveiled a partnership of this significance with one of the world’s most eminent organisations,” gushed Team Lotus boss Tan Sri Tony Fernandes.
“We are already exploring a number of initiatives that will bring the GE/Team Lotus relationship to life across the spectrum of GE’s interests, from future automotive electrification technologies, materials sciences, design processes and core engineering competencies to the showcasing of GE’s world class e-infrastructure capabilities throughout the global business and government communities in race and non-race markets alike,” he elaborated.
“We are excited to sponsor Team Lotus and continue our relationship with Tony Fernandes. We have worked with Tony for many years and know his commitment to the aviation business. The global appeal and popularity of Formula 1 provides a unique opportunity for GE and we look forward to great things from Tony again as we become part of his team,” said Jeff Immelt, Chairman and CEO of GE.
Last month, AirAsia X signed a USD 600mil deal with GE Aviation that will see the latter supply engines for its three new Airbus A330-200s, with an option to outfit two more planes. The long-haul budget carrier also made a 20-year on-point solutions agreement with GE for the maintenance, repair and overhaul of the CF6-80E1 engines.
I scratch your back, you scratch mine!
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.
yeah but remember GE, scratch too much and you’ll start bleedin’…
well, american can create millions dollar out of thin air..thats why.
Yup. Still no post on Canadian GP *sighs* Probably never.
it’s obvious they decided to watch le mans instead of f1. why are you whining the same thing in so many posts?
We didn’t watch the race, schedule didn’t permit
forwards and beyond!
“Team Lotus Raised, Proton and Group Lotus fall” copy quote from Transformer 2 the moment Optimus Prime beats and kills his Fallen prime brother of the decepticon leader.
I have to hand it to Tony, he’s a master of pulling a deal like this. Buy GE engines for AirAsia X, ask GE to sponsor F1 team. It’s almost like a bribe. Almost.
it is a form of bribe… Air Asia may decide for GE Engine instead of Rolls Royce because GE agree to sponsor team lotus….
I think it’s purely business. Win-win situation!!
is still better than tax rakyat money kaw kaw than sponsor F1.
Tony will do everything as long as this idea CREATE MONEY.. belit me..
tony is a businessman, why not??
why Group Locust sponsor renault? because of $ too…
Bangun la u…
forgive him lah.. he thought everyone join F1 for sorely on charity purposes
LoL
:D
Not at all, i think they want to empower LOTUS brand.. but Tony want to use LOTUS brand for their product… tido ke bai?
’empower’ Lotus brand in what way? Spending 30 millions to stick their logo on a race car? That is not a wise thing to do. More so when people still relate LRGP with Renault, not Lotus. Unless there are willing to buy the team and rebrand it as Lotus Racing or whatever, I still don’t see LRGP as a Lotus. It is still Renault and will continue to be that way. How is that going to help Lotus to ’empower’ their brand?
And about using Lotus brand for their product. It is TEAM LOTUS brand, not LOTUS. Stop confusing people. If I own TEAM LOTUS brand, I will do whatever it take to make profits out of it. As a businessman, I want to make money first, charity later.
hope GE can boost up their performance,
perhaps, GE can make the car faster.. ngeh ngeh ngeh
Danny Tan, am I right in guessing you are Group Locust supporter? You seem hell bent on bashing Fernandes / TL in every post related with F1.
Which part do you consider as “bashing”?
Since five paragraphs consist of facts or quotes, I presume you mean the last line?
If so, isn’t business all about scratching each other’s backs and having win-win situations?
forgive him danny… it’s hard to please both side
:D
and you must be a person who has an interest in the Tony’s company and worried too much your shares will fall ..
dont like what Danny wrote? main jauh-jauh lah..
last time people whine every single time F1 news comes in here, there will be Team Lotus and accuse Team Lotus pay this site for ads…
now suddenly coming another guess says he bash Team Lotus…
so, give exposure is wrong… bash also wrong.. then what’s right??
Scratched with dirty fingers you might end up with ‘KURAP’ at your back.
its not a suprise GE is invloved….infact its really smart….air asia is speculated to purchase about 40-50 planes of various types over the next 10 years and some are predicting that that number may be more than double over the next 15 ! …
..it is very obvious that every single one of them will be powered by GE engines as opposed to a Rolls Royce ..its a win win situation i guess….infact GE has made a good move as they also receive exposure and they are bound to earn more out of it it then lose in the long term…..i reckon the GE livery will be on the Team Lotus cars for many seasons regardless of what they may be called …
Team Lotus with jet engine maybe… a must to win the F1
No matter what TL and TF do, they will be bashed here like there is no tomorrow.
They even resort to claim this whole deal is a bribe. That is to show pure hatred against TF/TL.
It’s a business deal and not a bribe. I am not a TF fan, but an F1 fan. Can TF translate the deal with GE into a more competitive Team Lotus F1 cars? Can he meet his target to be among the ‘midfielders’? Currently his team is about 3 seconds slower per lap to the leading cars.
Indeed. I’m neither a TF fan too. I like F1 and I like to see progress. Let see if they progress. This is maybe a progress for a bigger ones.
I like it when any teams progress and provide challenge. After all, this is a race.
But pure brags without milestone is taking away the fun.
F1 is all about business and competition.
Dog fight between TL / GL is purely business.
But IMO, non of them have the bragging rights of previous race victories.
The legacies are barried with Mr. Colin Chapman.
TL – if you could move into the mid-pack, lots of fans will be happy, esp. in UK.
Define yourself as just ‘Team Lotus’. Stop brand bastardization of LOTUS.
Blackmailing / bad tweeting isn’t welcome.
GL – if you could involve more than being title sponsor and translate the development into your planned series of cars, you are already a winner.
F1 could be the platform to show your engineering prowess.
Ethos and legacies can be built all over again.
Agree with you. Formuls One is an expensive affair. This is also the main reason why Toyota, BMW and Honda pulled out of F1. So it is natural for TF to secure a good funding, otherwise he willl bleed. GE is a good target by virtue of engine contract to AA. He is a good manager in his business. The thing is, even with his wast skills and manouvers, he still couldn’t get his car among the midfileders. He has to do that fast before his means of funding dry out.
Of course the deal will translate Team Lotus F1 cars to be more competitive, definately Team Lotus will be among the midfielders for sure but all of this can only happen in 2012. You have to understand this is only the SECOND YEAR of Team Lotus in F1 and being the best of the beginners is already good. The reason why they are 3 seconds behind the midfielders is because of Team Lotus DOESN’T have KERS, the deal with GE will result in a research and development of KERS for Team Lotus. And with TF promising KERS in 2012(if u watch the CNN news) definately we will see Team Lotus becoming the midfielders plus the deal with Williams to use one of their wind tunnel with improve the cars aerodynamic efficiency
TF is promosing a lot of things. I hope he will keep his promise this time. Otherwise, a boy who cries wolf he will be.
it takes an American company to support a Malaysian initiative while Malaysia supports a German brand….goes to show our priority….
Its all about business and exposure, Petronas gets more recognition in the world market by associating with MB, they can further strenghten the tie up if all and I mean all the engine oil used in every MB is Petronas or Selenia (also now under Petronas). If you use TL or LRG your exposure is mostly limited to the track. TL do not have cars on the road and Proton’s relationship with Renault do not go beyond the tracks. If it did, it is worth exploring, but it still won’t have the same level of brand recognition as MB’s three pointed star. Other than the odd few Skyline, GTR and Renault sports cup, the rest is mediocre. Branding means market positioning means you can price you product at premium price points.
waahhhaahaha
I guess people who accused this deal as bribe must be present on site during every negotiation process for this deal.. they must be either tony fernandes coffee boy or Jeff Immelt squire
LoL..