Boss says Lotus not involved in F1 espionage dispute

The new Lotus F1 team has moved to distance itself from claims its 2010 car is improperly based on Force India's design of this season.

It has been reported that the wind tunnel model being used by the Italian Aerolab facility to design the aerodynamic shape of the 2010 Lotus is the same as the 2009 Force India.

Aerolab hit back at the reports last Friday by saying Force India breached contract during their recent collaboration, and that the rumours are to "divert attention away from the facts".

Mike Gascoyne, involved initially in the Force India project and now working with Lotus, has denied any wrongdoing.

"We are not going to add anything more to this as it is not our issue," Lotus F1's chief executive Riad Asmat told the New Straits Times.

"We are very sure that we have not infringed any rights," he added. "It is entirely between the wind tunnel operator and the other team."