Wednesday 1 February at 06:35 : Feb.1 (GMM) Lotus F1 owner Gerard Lopez has revealed plans to take the former Renault team back into championship contention within a few years.

"Our efforts are concerted behind our objective to be a contender once more for the 2015-16 championships, to continue the proud heritage of the 1994-95 and 2005-6 world championship titles achieved by Enstone," he said.

Lopez, the Genii-owned team that will run 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen and reigning GP2 champion Romain Grosjean in 2012, made the announcement as he revealed two appointments as chief executive and chief operating officer.

The team was founded as Toleman, becoming - under different ownership - the title-winning Benetton and Renault squads in subsequent decades from the same Enstone headquarters.

Lopez added: "Our fight to return to the front of the grid is a continual process, and we are leaving no stone unturned."