The starting point for the new challenge was to analyze the results of a project developed by a special Lotus research group. That team of technicians had been experimenting with spoilers similar to the ones we see in the current F1. Other designers had also approached the concept, but they were never certain and were not encouraged to take the next step in implementation.
Chapman insisted to continue research on the use of air flow under the car, as well as aerodynamic loading on wings in front of the chassis. The results of his work to harness the airflow under the chassis came in the second half of 1977, when Mario Andretti won the Japanese Grand Prix with a Lotus 77.
After much of the 1977 season, the Lotus car was optimal. The 78 model used the successful Cosworth DFV engine and the Hewland gearbox. The monocoque was very narrow, while the pontoons were wide and low, housing radiators and fuel tanks. The same pontoons had an inverted wing section, while the lower outer edges were flush with the ground to control the flow of circulating air.
The front track was too wide to gain in stability. The suspension had its arms covered by wings that provided extra grip in high-speed curves. The key factor was to get the car as close as possible to the ground.
In 1977 Mario Andretti won four Grand Prix on board a Lotus 78, while teammate Gunnar Nilsson won one. Andretti was the driver who won the most races and Lotus the most winning car, yet the scoring system left the titles in the hands of Lauda and his Ferrari 312T2.
In 1978, Andretti and Ronnie Peterson won a Grand Prix each with a Lotus 78, before the 79 model was introduced. The Lotus 79 was much more than a redesign of its predecessor. The 79 model generated so much downward force from the aerodynamic development that after the first tests they decided to use a specially reinforced monocoque.
The new Lotus car featured other innovations. While the radiators were still on the pontoons (the water on the right and the oil on the left), the fuel tank was in a cell between the cockpit and the engine. The advantage was great, as it was a large load located below in the center of the chassis, allowing to keep the center of gravity well low.
These developments proved to be exceptional. The 1978 Lotus was as reliable as it was fast on all circuits. Andretti won four Grand Prix with this car, plus one win with the previous 78 model. This is how Mario Andretti became World Champion 1978 for a wide range of points.
His teammate Ronnie Peterson won once aboard the Lotus 79 and won four second arrivals before his fatal accident in Monza.
However, other teams developed their cars quickly by catching up with Lotus results. In early 1979 the Lotus was one more car in the heap. While Lotus's success in F1 ended there, the team's contribution to the motorsport world was decisive and unprecedented.
© Adrián Blanco 2006 — Prohibited the total or partial reproduction of text and/or images without explicit written consent of the author. —
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