'Former Lotus F1 boss facing trial with five-year maximum penalty'

The Luxembourg Times reports that Lopez is due to stand trial in Luxembourg in December alongside Eric Lux and former Fola Esch officials Mauro Mariani and Francois Dele.

The case concerns alleged intellectual forgery linked to financial transactions totalling €2million involving Lotus F1 and the Luxembourg football club in 2014.

The defendants deny the allegations and have previously emphasised, through their lawyers, that they did not enrich themselves.

Sud Ouest adds that documents produced to justify the financial transfer, which the accused claim was intended to fund a youth development program, are alleged by the prosecutor's office to be forgeries. The offence carries a potential penalty of three months to five years in prison.

Lopez joined Formula 1 in 2010 when his Genii Capital investment group became owners of Lotus F1.

In 2014, he replaced Eric Boullier as team principal following the Frenchman’s switch to McLaren.

At the end of the 2013 season, 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen quit the team, claiming to have not been paid all year.

“I have not been paid a single euro all year,” he said in Abu Dhabi with three races to go. "Hopefully it will be fixed and we can finish the season. If it's not dealt with as it should be, we end up in an unfortunate situation."

In 2015, Lopez and Genii sold the team back to Renault, which has since become the modern-day Alpine iteration of the Enstone-based squad.

The news comes amid a troubled summer for Lopez, who has seen two of his football teams administratively relegated.

Traditional French giants Bordeaux have been sent down to the sixth tier and are yet to play a match this season amid the threat of liquidation.

2001 Portuguese champions Boavista were expelled from the top flight under Lopez’s ownership and have not played a match since 2025 with their iconic Bessa Stadium currently up for auction.

A third club, Belgian side Royal Excel Mouscron, filed for bankruptcy and ceased operations in 2022.