No end to battle for name

KUALA LUMPUR - The chances of resolving the complex Lotus naming dispute out of court look increasingly bleak, meaning there could be two teams starting the new Formula One season with almost the same name.

It is yet another headache for the sport's bosses - the season-opening race is scheduled to take place in the second week of March in Bahrain, currently the scene of anti-government protests that have left at least five people dead.

Automaker Proton, which owns a controlling stake in Lotus Group and says it alone has the rights to the Lotus name, and aviation tycoon Tony Fernandes have so far failed to agree on an out-of-court financial settlement.