LONDON (AP) — The fight over the right to the Lotus name in Formula One will go to trial in late March, meaning the upcoming season will start with two teams using the historic F1 brand.
A British High Court judge on Monday dismissed an application for an immediate summary judgment on the complex dispute, and instead set a trial for March 21.
Team Lotus, run by Air Asia entrepreneur Tony Fernandes, used the name in F1 last season, claiming it had legally acquired the rights from the remnants of the old F1 team.
However Group Lotus, the road-car division of the company, claims it has the rights to the name and has now entered F1 as a major backer of the Renault team. Group Lotus had applied for a summary judgment.
