Fourteen years after its last race Team Lotus remains one of the most successful racing teams of all time.
Lotus Engineering Ltd was founded in 1952 by Colin Chapman. Due to the brilliance of Chapman early success followed with the MK6 and the MK8. Team lotus however was established in 1954 which raced early on in Formula 2.
In 1958 Colin Chapman decided to finally enter Formula One racing at the Monaco Grand Prix. Graham Hill did not finish the race but Cliff Allison finished in 6th place. Chapman continued to run his front engine f1 cars but had little success in 1959 and decided that for the 1960 season he would switch to the mid-engined Lotus 18.
The first victory for a lotus car came at Monaco in 1960 at the hands of Sterling Moss but it was an independent entry and the first victory for Team Lotus was in 1961 at the US Grand Prix when Innes Ireland finally won.
All around Lotus was on top of the world. All that was needed was a Formula One World Championship crown.
In 1963 that success finally came when the incredible Jim Clark stormed to seven victories and easily won the championship. Lotus barely missed out on winning the 1964 season as well but was not to be denied for 1965 when Clark once again blew the opposition away.
The following two years presented little success with just a few wins but by the end of 1967 the team looked well placed for the 1968 season. However tragedy would strike the team early in 1968.
On April 7, Jim Clark, the best driver in the world at the time was killed driving a Lotus at Hockenheim in a non-championship Formula Two event. The racing world was shocked. Chapman was devastated and ordered the traditional green and yellow badge found on the nose of all Lotus road cars to be replaced with a black badge for a month.
Front wings and a spoiler were introduced on Hill's Lotus and he went on to win that year’s World Championship.
Jochen Rindt was posthumous awarded the 1970 World Champion having driven a Lotus 49 and the Lotus 72.
Further Constructors’ Championships followed in 1972, 1973 and 1978 with Drivers’ Championship for 1972 and 1978.
One of the more famous Lotus cars of course was the often referred to “JPS” Lotus which was in a beautiful black and gold livery.
Lotus and Chapman is of course well known for their innovative ideas like the first monocoque chassis in F1, the first car of note to use an engine as a stressed member, an indycar powered by a gas turbine engine and fitted with four wheel drive and the first mid-engined F1 car to race with four wheel drive.
Chapman and Lotus was also the first team to have Formula One sponsorship on the cars in the form of the Red, Gold and White colors of Imperial Tobacco's Gold Leaf brand.
Unfortunately Colin Chapman died of a heart attack in 1982 as he was beginning work on an active suspension development program.
Ayrton Senna joined Lotus in 1985 and along with Elio de Angelis Lotus won at Imola, Portugal and Belgium. At the end of the year the team lost its long time John Player Special backing and found new sponsorship with Camel.
The 1990’s would see the end of Lotus however with the loss of engine deals, sponsorship, and team management turmoil. In December 1994 all work was stopped and the staff laid off and in February 1995 Team Lotus came to an end.
To this day Lotus is the fourth most successful constructor in Formula 1 history behind Ferrari, Williams and McLaren.
