Lotus and Renault renew Senna connection

The evocative combination of a Senna in the black and gold colours of Lotus Renault was revived on Monday when Brazilian Bruno Senna was presented as the Formula One team's reserve driver.

The 27-year-old's late uncle Ayrton was a winner for the old Renault turbo-powered Lotus team, running in the black and gold livery of a cigarette company, in the 1980s before moving on to McLaren and becoming a triple champion.

The new combination is a long way from the old one -- a team that is Renault in name but with the French manufacturer providing only the engine and no longer a stakeholder, and sponsored by Malaysian-owned Group Lotus with no tobacco money involved.

Young Senna, who raced for the struggling Hispania (HRT) team last season without scoring a point, was just happy to be back inside the paddock with his Formula One career still afloat.

"This is actually a pretty special place to be," he told Reuters at the launch of the team's new R31 car at the Valencia circuit.

"I am the third driver, I will be following the team at every race," added the Brazilian, almost incognito without his trademark blue cap.

"If any of the other drivers happen to be poisoned or break a leg or something like that, then they may not know who's to blame but they know who is going to replace him," grinned Senna.

TEAM PLAN

Team principal Eric Boullier said the plan was for the race drivers, Poland's Robert Kubica and Russian Vitaly Petrov, to take part in both Friday practice session but that could change as the season wore on.

"It's hard to predict how things are going to transpire but I am fairly happy how this has turned out, coming from last year where I haven't been so competitive," said Senna, whose uncle died in a Renault-engined Williams at Imola in 1994.

"Hopefully I can turn this into a very good thing."

Senna, who had already been ruled out of HRT's plans, said the Renault deal only materialised about a week ago, even if talks had been going on for a while.

"It's more important that I am going to be learning with them and potentially getting a chance to be in a great team," he added, hoping that he could be back racing in 2012.

"I am so happy and it feels great. Everyone has been so warm and welcoming, I am looking forward to this."

(Editing by Tony Jimenez. To comment on this story emailsportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)