The Lotus F1 team is confident that it can "escape going into administration even if money owed to Britain's tax authorities remains outstanding before a London High Court hearing on Monday," according to Alan Baldwin of REUTERS. Lotus CEO Matthew Carter said, "Physically, cash doesn’t have to be in a bank account. There needs to be intention, a show that things are heading in the right direction. That’s what everyone wants. There’s clearly movement. I know from our level that things have moved in the last seven days. We’re confident." Lotus is "hoping to be rescued by Renault." However takeover talks "have dragged on, with Renault still to rule out leaving the sport entirely after years as engine suppliers, and a series of creditors have begun to lose patience." F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone, who is not in Japan, "arranged for the team's hungry mechanics to be fed with staff of the VIP paddock club." Carter said that "the failures of the Caterham and Marussia teams last year, with both placed into administration and only the latter finding a new owner and emerging to fight another day, had made creditors nervous" (REUTERS, 9/27). The BBC reported with the Renault deal dragging on, Lotus's current owner Genii Capital has "been trying to put as little money as possible into the team." The result "has been unpaid bills, a cash-flow shortfall and problems for the team operationally." Lotus announced last week that Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado "would be staying at the team next year but the team's other driver has yet to be decided." Carter said their British reserve driver Jolyon Palmer was "a candidate" (BBC, 9/26). AUTOSPORT reported despite Justice Birrs' remarks, there "is a possibility" Lotus's confirmation of Maldonado as one of its drivers for '16 -- triggering forthcoming payments from backer PDVSA -- "may satisfy HMRC and prove enough for the judge dismiss the case." Carter recognizes the fact Lotus cannot pay the £27,000 ($41,000) "required to unlock its hospitality unit is a sad reflection on the position the team finds itself in." Explaining the situation, Carter said, "We have to make certain decisions as to what we pay and what priorities we make payments in. The hospitality at the circuit wasn't one of the priorities at the moment" (AUTOSPORT, 9/25).
MANOR DEAL ON 'STANDBY': AUTOSPORT's Lawrence Barretto wrote Mercedes Motorsport Exec Dir Toto Wolff said that "a potential engine supply deal for Manor is on standby until current customer Lotus's future in Formula 1 is determined." Mercedes "has customer agreements with Williams, Force India and Lotus and should a Renault-Lotus deal go through, it could have capacity to supply an alternative team, with Manor waiting in the wings." Referring to the team securing a last-minute rescue package to compete this season, Wolff said, "We like Manor a lot because there is a competitive edge to the whole story." Wolff said Mercedes is "very close" to making a decision regarding engine supply next year and that it will take matters into its own hands if Lotus and Renault do not decide their future soon. Wolff: "We are not in a position to give Lotus or Renault a deadline. But there needs to be a moment when Manor knows what is happening, and we need to know who we are supplying with engines. We are very close to that moment, to that decision." Wolff added that "there is the possibility of placing a Mercedes-backed driver with Manor as part of the deal, but added it would require Manor to make sure it could make it work financially" (AUTOSPORT, 9/26).
