Feb.13 (GMM) Lotus has put on hold plans to relocate in the near future to Malaysia.

When the new team's official entry was confirmed last September, the FIA said Lotus' plan was to be based at the Sepang circuit.

Some days later, the Malaysian prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak said the cars would be designed, made and tested at the venue near Kuala Lumpur.

"It will all be made in Malaysia, and made by Malaysians," he said, adding that even the pit crew will be made up of Malaysians despite being led by the British F1 technical expert Mike Gascoyne.

However, Lotus' 2010 car, launched in London on Friday, has been designed at Hingham, Norfolk (UK).

"Right now, stability is important and there are no plans to move to Malaysia yet," team boss Tony Fernandes, also head of the Malaysian airline AirAsia, said.

"In time, obviously, it would be great to be in Malaysia because there's a formula one track, but we have no immediate plans to move," he added.

He said the concept of relocating to Sepang will be reconsidered next year.

Latest F1 News - Mobile version

26 Feb: New Ferrari not quickest in field - Domenicali 26 Feb: Red Bull still best in 2013 - Tost 26 Feb: 2014 French grand prix 'possible' - Prost 26 Feb: Danica Patrick 'not interested' in F1 switch 26 Feb: Report - Gilles Simon working on F1 engine for Honda 26 Feb: Gutierrez plays down link to Carlos Slim 26 Feb: Caterham exhaust 'legal' insists van der Garde 26 Feb: McLaren replaces Mercedes-bound Lowe 25 Feb: 'Engine maps' trouble for Red Bull, Lotus - report 25 Feb: Mercedes-bound Lowe to miss 2013 opener - report 25 Feb: Mercedes 'in group of teams' behind Red Bull - Lauda 25 Feb: Gutierrez expects Hulkenberg to beat him early in 2013 25 Feb: New Ferrari 'much better' than 2012 - Massa 25 Feb: Teams 'will adapt' to new tyre situation - Gutierrez 25 Feb: Tight rules make today's F1 cars 'the same' - Forghieri 25 Feb: Williams removes controversial exhaust trick 25 Feb: Contract 'conflicts' cause of Marussia test snub - Razia 25 Feb: Lotus to fight Red Bull for title - Gutierrez 25 Feb: Marussia 'ahead of Caterham' - Chilton 25 Feb: Sutil will not stay in F1 as test driver The latest F1 News - Mobile Version