Fernandes keen to create new legend

Fernandes' squad remains locked in battle with Renault backer Group Lotus over the right to use the Lotus title in Formula 1, and with no quick resolution achieved in court last week, the season will now start with two teams carrying Lotus Renault branding.

Team Lotus launched its 2011 T128 F1 design in its Team Lotus Notes online magazine this morning, and in his introduction, Fernandes said while Chapman is still his inspiration, he hoped his team could now start developing a heritage of its own.

"Colin Chapman created the last dynasty and it's one that inspires me and all my team to do more, think more, be more every day," Fernandes wrote. "But now it is time for us to create our own legend."

Although Lotus initially indicated that it would use the TL11 designation for its new car, it instead chose to continue using the naming pattern associated with the original Lotus team and unveiled the car as the T128 instead.

Writing on Twitter earlier today, Fernandes said: "Why the change of name? Because we are continuing with history. We are a new dynasty but tradition continues."

When Group Lotus owner Proton terminated Fernandes' licence to use the Lotus Racing title in F1, he acquired the historic Team Lotus brand from David Hunt instead, a title the Malaysian admits is highly evocative.

"When I was asked to pick one word to describe Team Lotus, a million flooded into my mind!" Fernandes wrote.

"But eventually I had to come back to where it all started for me - dreams. Team Lotus is about dreams, and those dreams becoming reality.

"I remember when I was a boy, running a hole in the carpet with my model Lotus Formula 1 car. I had dreams then, I still do, but what I hope to inspire is the belief that if you dare to dream, you can achieve great things."