Top six Colin Chapman Team Lotus F1 cars

It's been 30 years this weekend that Colin Chapman who was the founder of Lotus Cars and Team Lotus has passed away from a heart attack, despite he was only 54 years old. For this post, similar to the Adrian Newey post a few weeks back, a top six F1 cars designed by Colin Chapman for Team Lotus. This will be interesting post as-well, Chapman only done 25 years in Formula 1 until his death, similar to Newey who have also done 25 years in designing F1 cars, it will be an interesting comparing both posts, starting with:

Number 6: 1982 Lotus 91
Story: The last Formula 1 car that was designed under Colin Chapman. The Lotus 91 was the last Colin Chapman car that won in Formula 1 and the last time the famous Cosworth DFV 3 litre V8 won with Team Lotus as-well, at the 1982 Austrian Grand Prix in the hands of Elio de Angelis, 0.050 seconds ahead of Williams driver Keke Rosberg at the end. But, the first Lotus chassis ever to use all carbon fibre chassis F1 car.

Number 5: 1961 Lotus 21
Story: Team Lotus first F1 win in Formula 1 and Colin Chapman's first F1 win at the 1961 United States Grand Prix in hands of Innes Ireland. The Lotus 21 was powered by a 1.5 litre 4-cylinder Coventry Climax FPF engine.

NOTE: Lotus 18 did won the 1960 and 1961 Monaco Grand Prix, 1960 United States Grand Prix and 1961 Geramn Grand Prix in the hands of Stirling Moss. But for Rob Walker Racing Team and not Team Lotus. So that is why the Lotus 18 will not be included in this list.

Number 4: 1978 Lotus 79
Story:  A surprise for the Lotus 79 to be number 1 a good reason why was the other Team Lotus F1 cars who were number 3-1 had more dominants and more achievements compared to the Lotus 79. Lotus was the first F1 car to take full advantage of ground effects aerodynamics, pioneered in its immediate predecessor, the Lotus 78 which started the ground effect movement. Had the famous Cosworth DFV 3 litre V8 underneath the Lotus 79. To give Mario Andretti the 1978 F1 drivers championship and the F1 constructors championship for Team Lotus, Colin Chapman's and Team Lotus's last divers and constructors championships.

Number 3: 1962 Lotus 25
Story: The Lotus 25 was a revolutionary design created by Colin Chapman, the first fully stressed monocoque chassis to appear in F1. The Lotus 25 was powered by a 1.5 litre 4-cylinder Coventry Climax FPF engine. The Lotus 25 took Jim Clark to his 1963 Formula 1 world drivers championships and Team Lotus to the 1963 F1 constructors championships as-well. Colin Chapman's and Team Lotus's first drivers and constructors championship.

Number 2: 1967 Lotus 49
Story:The Lotus 49 was the first F1 car to be powered by the now-famous Cosworth DFV 3 litre V8 engine after Chapman convinced Ford to build an F1 powerplant with the help from Cosworth. The Lotus 49 was designed around the Cosworth DFV engine and was the first successful Formula One car to feature the engine as a structural member of the chassis. Jim Clark won on the car's debut in 1967, and it would also provide him with the last win of his career in 1968. Graham Hill went on to win the 1968 F1 drivers title and the constructors championship as-well for Team Lotus that year. The Lotus 49 continued winning races until 1970.

Number 1: 1970 Lotus 72
Story: Lotus 72 will be possibly the best Lotus car that have been F1. The Lotus 72 was yet another innovative design by Colin Chapman featuring inboard brakes, side mounted radiators in sidepods, as opposed to the nose mounted radiators which had been commonplace since the 1950s and an overhead air intake. The Lotus 72 has the famous Cosworth DFV 3 litre V8 underneath the Lotus 79. Which, gives Jochen Rindt the 1970 F1 drivers title, Emerson Fittipaldi the 1972 F1 drivers title and Team Lotus the 1970, 1972 and 1973 F1 constructors titles. The Lotus 72 continue winning races until 1974 and kept on racing till 1975. That is why this is the best Colin Chapman F1 Team Lotus car ever designed.

Colin Chapman legacy still continues at Lotus today, 30 years after his death.

End of blog for now, new post soon, bye.