A Breezy Failure: The Story of The Only Turbine Powered Car To Race Formula One

Рет қаралды 13,552

Күн бұрын

This is the story of the only turbine powered car to ever race Formula One. Originally a machine designed to win the Indy 500, which it nearly did, the transition from ovals to road courses three years after it was built was not a great one. One of the greatest drivers in F1 history tried to make it work and couldn't.
Sometimes in racing ideas that seem logical and nearly succeed in one form of competition fall woefully short in another. The Lotus 56B is one of those stories. Driven to a near win at the 1968 Indy 500 by Joe Leonard, racers like Emerson Fittipaldi were charged with making it work in Formula One. The man who would become one of the greatest names in racing history tried valiantly as did others like Reine Wisell and perhaps most famously Dave Walker.
This car was an amazingly interesting technological experiment. One that just didn't quite work.
#f1 #formulaone #1971 #emersonfittipaldi #emo #lotus #Lotus56 #Lotus56B

Пікірлер: 18

@peterresetz1960 7 ай бұрын

I had the model kit of that Lotus race car. I believe the kid was made by AMT. It also came with a modified riding lawn tractor as a push vehicle in the pits.

@allareasindex7984 9 ай бұрын

I LOVE the way you tell these stories! How about Andy Granatelli? He was a colorful character. Or tell the story of STP The Racer’s Edge (which will be about Granatelli anyway.) Those darn STP stickers were everywhere…

@robbnutter4665 3 ай бұрын

I was at Riverside Raceway when Mario Andretti wrecked BOTH turbine powered cars. I believe they were the Lotus 56's wedge cars.

@mrmiscast 2 жыл бұрын

I just stumbled over your channel. I've enjoyed your work for years including Drag Week and with the best choice, the NHRA has made in a long time. Thank you for your efforts.

@Caddynars 5 ай бұрын

The late sixties and early seventies were a crazy time for experimentation. You had turbine F1 cars, and even F1 cars with six wheels.

@keithstudly6071 Ай бұрын

Thanks for filling out the history of the 56. I knew about this car but only a bit.

@neillangridge862 2 ай бұрын

Nice video thanks. I was at Brands Hatch Race of the Champions in 1971 and remember Emerson in the Lotus 56. Down what passes for main straight at Brands it was very quick but slowing for the reverse camber on exit Paddock Hill bend was interesting with all the weight. Others like Clay Regazoni in the flat 12 Ferrari caught and usually passed Emerson in the twisty section past Druids Hairpin. Great for us spectators but I fully understand Emerson's reservations about the car.

@xqqqme 6 ай бұрын

Brian, if this car's lack of success was due to being "forced out of its natural home on ovals," then it seems to me the story of the Howmet TX turbine begs to be told. Designed from the start as a road racing sports car, it didn't seem to suffer quite as bad from turbine shortcomings as the Lotus 56B...and it won 3 events in the 1968 SCCA National Championship.

@peterhill7846 2 жыл бұрын

Very interesting - thank you. Saw it race at the spring meeting at Oulton Park 1971. I have some Super 8 film of it too.

@theschultz-ster 2 жыл бұрын

Just to be a blip, wow!!! All wile driving that thing too, Mr. Walker, you sir are the man!

@DekGT5mad 2 жыл бұрын

In Australia 🇦🇺 David Walker was known for having balls of steel the size of the Adelaide Rundle Mall art installation!

@FoxMacLeod2501 Жыл бұрын

"Mothballs," in this context, is used just like the word "storage." It's "in storage;" not "in _the_ storage." Then, when you're ready to put it back into service, you "take it out of mothballs." The only difference between the two words is that "in storage" basically just means "put away somewhere," where "in mothballs" generally refers to taking a mechanical thing, most often a land vehicle or ocean vessel, and prepping it to keep deterioration to a minimum during its upcoming time out of service. Stuff like draining fluids, putting it up on blocks or in dry dock, coating exposed metal in cosmoline or grease, plugging openings pests could use to get inside, et cetera; then leaving it somewhere safe for the years off. Anyway, I enjoyed this, and it's a good video!