Rebellion Racing LMP1 team ends Lotus branding deal for WEC

The Anglo-Swiss team has decided against continuing its tie-up with the British sportscar manufacturer into a third season.

Rebellion team manager Bart Hayden told AUTOSPORT: "It was always a two-year thing and we decided to honour our side of the bargain last season even though there were management changes at the end of the first year [when CEO Dany Bahar left the company].

"We could have continued, but we decided that with our new car coming [the Rebellion R-One], we wanted to push our own identity a bit more."

Hayden explained that the German Kodewa team's move into P1 with a chassis bearing the Lotus name had also influenced its decision.

The two Lola-Toyotas that Rebellion is running at this week's official WEC test at Paul Ricard because its ORECA-built R-Ones are not ready are liveried in a red-and-white colour scheme similar to that run by the team in 2011.

Hayden explained that its new R-Ones would race in a version of this livery.

The first R-One is expected to be given a shakedown at the beginning of April, but Hayden was unable to confirm that the cars would race at the opening round of the WEC at Silverstone on April 20.

"The aim is to be there with two Rebellions, but if I were a betting man I wouldn't put money on it, because if we go with the new car we want to go with a full inventory of spare parts," said Hayden.

"We are erring on the side of caution rather than making bold statements about definitely being there."

Rebellion will race its Lolas again at Silverstone if it feels the new car is not race-ready and Hayden said that it is doubtful that the team would run of each.

The line-ups in the two Lolas at Ricard are likely to be the driver combinations for the full season.

The #12 is being driven by Nicolas Prost, Nick Heidfeld and Mathias Beche and the #13 by Andrea Belicchi, Dominik Kraihamer and Fabio Leimer, who is expected to firm up his deal to race for the team after the test.