7 best Lotus racing cars of all time | From F1 domination to Indy 500 wins

[@GoodwoodRR]

Is Colin Chapman the greatest motorsport mind in history?

[@scottl.1568]

He's way up on the list...

[@DoctorAustin]

Maybe, but you can't discount people like Jim Hall and others.

[@RobDover]

Quite possibly. Paradigm breaking in an era when it was possible to break paradigms (it seems less possible now, with more prescriptive regulations). His untimely death was a great shame, as the sport was robbed of someone capable of leading innovation.

[@martingonzalez2850]

Oh, yes.

[@orionexplorer]

Most definitely. If he is not the greatest, then on the short list of those who are. He ALWAYS thought outside of the box.

[@apancher]

Totally leaving the 49 out, eh? I think the fact that it debuted the Cosworth DFV is reason enough to include it.

[@timbrewin9241]

And the fact it was the first F1 car to use the engine as a fully stressed chassis component.

[@morganrees6807]

Lotus debuted at Indy in '63, and very nearly won - in fact had USAC followed their own rules and black flagged Parnelli Jones for dropping oil, Clark would have won at his first attempt. Finishing 2nd under those circumstances is hardly a failure.

[@christophernewman5027]

What, no 49? Oh, and the Mosquito wasn't a postwar fighter bomber; it first flew in 1940 and served throughout the war.

[@paulelverstone8677]

Chapman was a genius; from racing to engineering to marketing to accounting - he pushed envelopes at every turn. The 72 - if not the greatest F1 car - was certainly the most beautiful imho. The cars tell a great story. And Chapman changed the face of F1 twice. How many engineers could you say that about...

[@paulelverstone8677]

@Jantje Pietje so this is the charge-cooled S4? Esprit is still a dream car for me...

[@tonys6538]

The 72 is a great car no doubt but the 49 is to F1 what the Spitfire was to WW2 aviation, a work of art.

[@PeterJohnston42]

Have you missed one? The Lotus 49 was first to run the engine as a stressed member, first to run Ford's legendary DFV and, possibly biggest innovation of all, first to run a sponsor's colours rather than a national livery (Gold Leaf).

[@N-Scale]

Lotus made some of the most beautiful race cars ever !!!

[@morganrees6807]

In the 56, Chapman had wanted to replace the fuel pump drive shafts, which were hollow, with solid versions. Pratt & Whitney refused on "safety" grounds (thinking of helicoptors, the engine's main application). Late in the race, under a caution yellow, both remaining 56's were suffering overheating of the pumps due to slow running - as soon as the green was waved, and drivers floored the pedal, the shafts sheared, as Chapman had foreseen.

[@frankhoward7645]

First time I've heard of Chapman being accused of subtracting lightness.

[@morganrees6807]

He suspected what could happen if hollow shafts were retained - and did.

[@arditoabdillah6560]

Lotus 95T and 97T of Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell and Elio de Angelis 😍😍😍

[@hooligan1017]

just to add to this great video Jim Clark is the only person in history to win the Indy 500 and the F1 championship in the same year

[@darrenbrailsford6809]

It’s a tough call. Lotus and Colin Chapman were virtually untouchable in the 60s and 70s. A truly iconic era for team Lotus. The likes of we’ll never see again sadly. The type 79 is the stuff of legend and is I think the most beautiful formula 1 car ever produced.

[@christinalloyd9566]

How could you miss out the Lotus 49!!!!! I suggest you employ some people who actually know something about motorsport.

[@user-zq6yz5gf6d]

The 69 and 49 deserved spots here. 69 was a brilliant f2 car with an amazing sounding BDA engine.

[@timford3599]

@1:05 Truly Iconic photo of Colin Chapman and the Great Jimmy Clark. The "Dynamic Duo" of the 1960's. RIP: Owner/Builder & THE Driver!

[@timbrewin9241]

In my opinion, the 49 and 88 should be in this list as well

[@PeterJohnston42]

Didn't Innes Ireland win in a Lotus 18? Indeed, perhaps it was Lotus first F1 win?

[@tonys6538]

The ‘67 Lotus 49!

[@belvinananda]

anything lotus built up to '86 is a masterpiece

[@hannahmillington5781]

98T for me, especially with Senna's iconic helmet. Obviously not a great, but achieved what it did because of one man's genius. Back in the day when F1 cars looked different from each other and the driver still had a lot to do with it.

[@yiannishayabusaofficial]

AWESOME AMAZING VIDEO FANTASTIC SUPERB I LOVE IT

[@orionexplorer]

The only car that I feel you left out was the Lotus 49. It won its first race, so it should at a minimum get an honorable mention.

[@liberisempre]

GRANDE LOTUS♾️UN GRANDE SALUTO 🇮🇹

[@peterconnan5631]

While I agree that the 49 deserves a place on the list, the car I really think should have been included is the humble 7. I know it never one any high-profile championships, but it probably introduced more people to proper motor racing thsn any other car in history.

[@garneauweld1100]

Lotus all the way! - Lotus shall return: It's just a matter of time. The marque is too great to be lost to history.

[@altinsilsile36]

Visually Senna's JPS Lotus Renault 98T was the sexiest F1 car ever built. Unfortunately it doesn't have the accolades of some of its predecessors hence not talked as much. 2nd Camel Lotus Honda 99T 3rd Marlboro McLaren Honda MP4/4 4th JPS Lotus Ford Cosworth DFV 72 5th Elf Team Tyrrell Ford Cosworth DFV 006 6th Elf Team Tyrrell Ford Cosworth DFV 003 7th Matra MS120C 8th Marlboro McLaren Honda MP4/5B 9th Benetton BMW B186 10th Renault R.S. 17

[@strictlygrey]

Lotus Cortina for me, being a tin top lover

[@pauli5506]

I miss the Lotus 99T in the hands of Ayrton Senna!?

[@TheGnarTube]

racing has been a race of drivers until maybe 2000. Now its a race of engineers, with drivers already optimized

[@GeneralLee1961.3]

7:43 My favorite Lotus ❤️

[@KayoMichiels]

0:17 "Flansgarden"? you mean "Flugplatz"

[@trob1173]

BRM could be innovative at times. I'm surprised they passed on what could have been a great opportunity for them.

[@noiisserpmii]

When i was a kid i always thought the logo was a little lady’s face lol

[@Cam-jv7qy]

Imagine what the f1 World would be if they never banded the 88

[@marcwilhelmus1323]

The Mosquito, a POSTWAR fighter-bomber? Oh dear, oh dear!

[@olesrensen5020]

Chapman was a great deesigner - and it wasn’t his life at stake?!

[@johncummins2801]

So many better racing cars built by Lotus not even mentioned in this video.

[@mstoops64]

How can you say at the end of the Lotus 18 segment that it was unbeatable when it lost far more than it won? 🤦🏻

[@oldlud8971]

There should at least be a Cortina on this list, along with the Elite.

[@nicolafox5786]

JPS for me but yes all awsome ❤

[@susanhenderson2322]

Lotus moved to norfolk in the 60s

[@scottl.1568]

FORD!

[@111Peter]

49

[@morganrees6807]

The Mosquito was NOT a post-war plane!!!!! Too many mistakes in this commentary

[@blxtothis]

“The Mosquito a post-war fighter bomber”, you just spoiled a decent video with a massive mistake there, it flew in WW2 from 1941!

[@blxtothis]

“The Mosquito, a POST-WAR fighter bomber”, get lost, it served with brilliant effect in the Second World War!!!!!!,

[@grabir01]

For unreliability.

[@ricardagottschalk9089]

Where is Ayrton Sennas Lotus? For me the best looking F1 Car ever.

[@kevinoneil7532]

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