Lotus agree Renault/Red Bull deal

Team Lotus have agreed a deal which will undoubtedly see them continue as the best of the newbie teams and try to close the gap to the more established mid-pack cars.

Team Lotus and Renault Sport F1 have extended their current deal which will see them continue to race with Renault V8 engines for the 2013 season and is expected to see them continue the partnership into the new V6 engine era in 2014.

A new deal between Team Lotus and Red Bull Technology has also been struck.

This will see them continue to run with Red Bull gearboxes as they have this season, but for the first time will also use Red Bull's KERS systems in next seasons championship.

“Having established an incredibly good working partnership since the first days of our agreement we are absolutely delighted that Renault Sport F1 and Red Bull Technology will be playing such an integral role in the ongoing development of our team until at least 2013.' Team Lotus team principal Tony Fernandes told formula1.com.

“Not only will we be able to build on everything we have learnt through working with Renault and Red Bull Technology in 2011, but we will now have the added benefit of KERS for next year, which really is a major step forward for our team. We have done the very best job we can this year but without that extra power we are always competing on a different level to the teams ahead, so to give our drivers that boost is a key element of helping us catch the cars ahead, and compete with them when we do so.”

Next season will be the third season of the newbie teams.

Neither Team Lotus or the other new teams (Virgin Racing or HRT) have yet to claim a point in Formula One, but if Lotus do not manage to change that this season, they will certainly be hoping to do so next season with this new agreement.