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 "Apparently Renault are going to take over Lotus. Apparently. This
is what has been foreseen. Whether it will be completed, I don't
know," Ecclestone, 84, told Reuters by telephone from London.
"If they don't complete it (the takeover) by Monday or put some
money in soon... unless Renault come to the party, it won't happen,"
he added.
Asked whether he felt Renault would step up, or whether there was an
element of wishful thinking on the part of the Lotus owners and the
400 factory employees, Ecclestone said he did not know.
"It's strange that a company as large as Renault are taking such a
long time to make a decision, to be honest with you," he said.
"They've been waiting for us to make a contribution to give them a
reason to do something, which we've done two weeks ago. So I don't
know."
Media reports have indicated that Renault want 'heritage' payments
and status that would put them on a par with Mercedes as a reward
for their contribution to the sport over the years.
These would be in exchange for a long-term commitment to the sport,
something major car companies have been reluctant in the past to
sign up to.
"They wanted the same sort of deal as Mercedes and some money. So we
tried to work it out. We got a calculator and worked out what nine
years would be," said Ecclestone.
"What we've done for them is not anything that we need to do, or had
to, but we've done it to try and be helpful and keep Renault in
Formula One. Our agreement is with Renault and not with Lotus."
Lotus are due back in the London High Court on Monday to face
demands from the Britain's revenue and tax authority (HMRC) to have
the team placed in administration as a result of unpaid taxes.
The British-based outfit, world champions in their previous guises
of Benetton and Renault, have missed at least three monthly payments
of 905,000 pounds ($1.38 million) each plus interest.
They also owe money to a list of other creditors and have been
locked out of their hospitality unit, where staff and guests are
fed, at this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix for failing to pay
organizers.
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Their freight, including the Mercedes engines, were delivered only
on Thursday after another dispute over payment.
In Belgium last month, bailiffs impounded their cars after the race
as part of a legal action brought against them by former reserve
driver Charles Pic while in Hungary Pirelli withheld tyres until
payment was made.
An adjourned court hearing in London last week heard that Renault
were close to completing a deal, although some scepticism was voiced
by HMRC lawyers, that would ensure the team's survival.
While the sport waited for a decision to emerge from Renault
headquarters in Paris, with the French carmaker also mulling whether
to quit the sport entirely, Ecclestone said he had made sure the
hungry Lotus mechanics were being fed at Suzuka by giving them
access to the catering in the VIP Paddock Club.
"They don't have to beg (for food) any more because we've looked
after them. It's not nice for the team. We've done all we can do,
plus," he said, with the mechanics posting a photograph on the Lotus
Twitter feed thanking him for his help.
"Let's hope now that somebody else does something."
(Editing by Sudipto Ganguly)
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