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Lotus pruned in F1 name game

LONDON, England - Formula 1's governing body has agreed to rename three of the 12 racing teams to end confusion over the Lotus brand name and to say farewell to Virgin  from the list of chassis makers.

Here's how it will all pan out, according to the International Automobile Federation...

Team Lotus will become Caterham F1 with the chassis name switching from Lotus to that of the niche sports-car maker.

Group Lotus-sponsored Renault will still be known as Lotus Renault GP but the chassis designation will switch from Renault to Lotus.

THE NEW LINE-UP

Virgin Racing will take the name of its major Russian shareholder - Marussia.

The changes were agreed at a meeting of the Formula One Commission, chaired by F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, at a meeting in Geneva and details had already leaked out to the news media.

F1 had two Renault-powered and Malaysian-backed teams using the Lotus badge through 2011 - Team Lotus (owned by aviation entrepreneur Tony Fernandes) and Lotus Renault, which is no longer owned by the French automaker.

Team Lotus entered F1 as Lotus Racing in 2010 but then fell out with Group Lotus and its parent company Proton.
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