Art of Gears
Fansided

The Greatest Team Lotus F1 Drivers

By David Castro

Jim Clark drives the #1 Team Lotus 33 Climax during the British Grand Prix on 16 July 1966 at the Brands Hatch circuit in Fawkham, Great Britain. (Photo by Getty Images)
Jim Clark drives the #1 Team Lotus 33 Climax during the British Grand Prix on 16 July 1966 at the Brands Hatch circuit in Fawkham, Great Britain. (Photo by Getty Images) /
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Please note that I am focusing on the original Team Lotus that was founded by Colin Chapman and ran from 1958 to 1994. The subsequent franchises, Lotus Racing and Lotus F1 Team, shan’t be mentioned in this article. 

English design engineer Colin Chapman (1928 – 1982), founder of Lotus Cars, during the British Grand Prix at Brands Hatch, UK, 20th July 1968. (Photo by Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
English design engineer Colin Chapman (1928 – 1982), founder of Lotus Cars, during the British Grand Prix at Brands Hatch, UK, 20th July 1968. (Photo by Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) /

Colin Chapman is one of the most influential men in the history of Formula One. His Team Lotus won seven Constructors’ Championships and six Drivers’ Championships from 1958-1994 with 79 race victories in that span.

Chapman and his Lotus squad were always on the cutting edge of F1 race car development and it is this acumen that made it possible for an independent team to hang and dominate Ferrari.

A racing car has only one objective: to win motor races. If it does not, it is nothing but a waste of time and money. It does not matter how clever it is, how inexpensive, or how easy to maintain, or even how safe it is, if it does not consistently win it is nothing. – Colin Chapman

Chapman’s legacy did not pass away when Team Lotus left the grid in 1994. His Lotus Cars was founded in 1948 and still produces light weight sports cars under its current owner, Zheijiang Geely Holding Group. Yes, the ownership is from China but they still follow Chapman’s notions of innovation and keeping vehicles light.

Today there is no Team Lotus in F1 and that is major bummer. There void is akin to the L.A. Dodgers quitting MLB due to financial issues or the Green Bay Packers fading away from the NFL.

Team Lotus was a heavyweight in F1 and equal to Ferrari and McLaren in stature and achievement. There is a void without Team Lotus but at least we have the memories of a great F1 squad.

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