Lotus backs Sauber over budget cap proposal

Lotus has become the second team to announce it would be happy to operate within a budget cap.

A few years ago, former FIA president Max Mosley’s push for teams to be confined to an even playing field when it comes to spending power was angrily rejected, resulting in a bitter political war.

But Sauber said recently that it would be happy if the idea was proposed again.

Like the Swiss team, Lotus has also agreed a new commercial Concorde Agreement with Bernie Ecclestone, as have the ’grandee’ outfits Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull.

But on the issue of a budget cap, they apparently do not agree.

"Some teams do not realise that we need to do something on the cost side," Lotus team owner Gerard Lopez told Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport.

"Most do agree, but unfortunately there are a few obstructionists."

As for a budget cap specifically, Lopez revealed: "There is no problem with it. It would reward the smartest ones."