When Lotus Briefly joined INDYCAR and failed MISERABLY

[@lorddrac_dontaskmetodance]

Fun fact (not related to IndyCar): The 2004 Lotus Esprit, along with the Chevrolet Corvette C5, were the last production vehicles to introduce pop-up headlights.

[@andrewwinslow9315]

POP UP UP AND DOWN HEADLIGHTS!!!!!

[@Thefrogbread]

@@andrewwinslow9315I was just about to say that

[@hangingchad_]

The even crazier thing that I just found out is that Lotus were still making the Espirit up until 2004!?

[@AndyS-kv2jh]

I’m 42 and I remember as a kid thinking pop up headlights were the coolest things ever.

[@cwnapier67]

What about Mazda RX8? I had a 2004 with pop us headlights

[@wiovelli]

The streets will never forget Jean Alesi’s Indy 500 attempt

[@mikehergenroether6160]

They did Jean dirty.

[@senorsoupe]

A lot of the problems related to the Slotus engine were a result of the internal issues at Proton/Lotus. John Judd knows how to build good engines but they didn't have the steady stream of finances to do it properly and they got a late start. Basically Dany Bahar wanted to continue his favourite passtime (spending other people's money) but the bosses at Proton didn't like seeing their funds be spent so lavishly

[@K9RacingAndStuff]

Eh, imo Judd is a bit overrated as an engineer supplier, but that aside, Judd in 2012 had major quality problems, as all of their competition engine offerings that year were some form of crap.

[@bloqk16]

Appreciated that DylanJamesGP mentioned about the two Lotus cars that were black-flagged at the 2012 Indy 500 for being too slow. I just viewed another YT channel that had the complete video of that race, and no mentioned in that ESPN/ABC-TV telecast about the black-flag. The TV coverage went to commercial break at lap 9, and resumed on lap 14.

[@richards4466]

your videos are the perfect length and high quality. Keep up the good work. Would be so nice to see you talk about the history of Mclaren in indycar. I feel like that video would also bring in some f1 youtube viewers.

[@ZontarDow]

Here's an idea for a video: the history of IndyCar expansion abroad which went from a one or two off race outside of North America to ChampCar's final season being about as American as a modern F1 season.

[@CobraAce04]

I think you and FP1 are collectively the Stingray Robb fanclub! XD Great vid, mate. I was vaguely aware the Lotus Indycar thing was crap but I had no clue how crap

[@DylanJamesGP]

Ah wicked! Well, glad you enjoyed!

[@marty0063]

Me too. I knew Lotus had done poorly in their return to IndyCar but not how poorly. Such a shame. Wish they had been able to do better. Such an iconic racing name and love their colors!

[@趙祖睿]

Meanwhile at the same period, Lotus also has a GT2 cars racing in American Le Mans Series,which also end up badly

[@TaisinViper]

Indy does indeed need a new engine maybe Ford can be enticed since they've partnered with Red Bull in F1 and they now have a GTD spec Mustang in the WEC

[@rexthewolf3149]

Not going to happen last time ford was in Indy they got screwed up by the split

[@miguelcebriancarrasco1907]

ford will only be helping red bull with the Electric part

[@wesleyamancio3686]

​@@rexthewolf3149It would be interesting if teams like BRM, Cooper, Eagle returned to compete in categories like Indycar and S5000

[@KendrickLamarfan123]

Great vid mate, so glad your back

[@DylanJamesGP]

Thanks man glad you enjoyed!

[@brianhewitt7071]

Wanted the spec series to go away. Basically still spec

[@bloqk16]

Looking up the qualifying results for the 2012 Indy 500, it looks like the organizers were desperate to have a 33 car field, as Jean Alesi's qualifying time in 33rd position was over 11 mph [18 km/h] slower than the 30th position qualifier. The Racing-Reference page is good at listing non-qualifiers, of which none were shown, so it looks like the Indy 500 that year just squeaked by with having a 33 car field for the start.

[@accordingtodrake]

Very well researched, thanks for taking the time to do this.

[@jmed412]

The final race of the 2012 season was not at Texas Motor Speedway. It was held at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana California.

[@BoxInThisLapVR46]

We all know Lotus's actual definition Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious

[@rolux4853]

Well you know that Lotus invented the modern Indycar when Colin Chapman came over with his rear engine car in the mid 60s and showed all the other teams that their days of driving roadsters are over? Indycar like it is today only exists because of Lotus. Sprint cars and Indycars are there because of Colin Chapmans geniousity!

[@sqweeps.03]

Whatever opinion you may have, you can’t lie, Randy Bernard was a great promoter for Indycar

[@ElectoneGuy]

You didn't mention that the Lotus engine was designed and manufactured by John Judd.

[@K9RacingAndStuff]

And in 2012, Judd was just in complete shambles; the LMP1 engine (which frankly, had absolutely zero reason to be as bad as it was) was terrible and the only team that tried to full season with it switched to Honda, the LMP2 engine had potential but just had terrible reliability that year, and yeah, this disaster of an Indycar engine.

[@Gangsta_Playz]

I could totally see either Toyota or even McLaren becoming Engine Suppliers

[@konekillerking]

You left out that the engine was just an engine with a sticker on it. It was a Judd produced engine. Nice sound, lower torque and Horsepower then the Chevy or Honda. I’m not positive, but a version on engine may have been used in a IMSA P1 entry in the mid 20 teens.

[@K9RacingAndStuff]

No, one time a Judd engine graced the Prototype class in IMSA was the Judd HK36, which was a LMP2 engine based on the BMW V8. Not the worst engine once the reliability got sorted, but it still ended up being second fiddle to the Gibson-Nissan engines in european competition, and probably would've been the second best engine in IMSA if it weren't for the Honda engines being that bit better at accepting the power needed to actually be competitive against the DPs.

[@adr1uno638]

If you join and fail, it's not miserable, it is miserable if you have a brand and don't compete at all

[@ic3man]

The aero kits didn’t show up until 2015 and ended after 2017

[@KayJblue]

I would really love to see a new manufacturer join again though. I think the hybrid chaos has ruined that chance though.

[@reliantrailways]

Rumour has it that Reliant will build indycar engines

[@henrikmoe5502]

Epic video run recently!

[@ash_hamilton]

Background Music starting a 3:00? (thanks in advance)

[@BoxInThisLapVR46]

6:02-6:11 Translation they were black flagged for being too slow

[@jackcphelps]

where does all of sting rays money come from

[@413TomaccoRoad]

4 would be good. Toyota and Ford as well as Chevy and Honda.

[@BoxInThisLapVR46]

Worst part is the Lotus engines were just Judd V6 engines rebadged as lotus what would ruin Lotus's reputation in motorsport

[@FormulaPunRacer]

Shame on Volkswagen, BMW, Jaguar, Ferrari, Aston Martin, & Volvo for not even considering going Indycar racing. Buick ought to come back as well

[@rexthewolf3149]

Why, we all know Indy as a series has no clout. Why get involved with a series that hasn’t had major changes since 2012.

[@ZontarDow]

Ferrari considered it twice

[@FormulaPunRacer]

For Ferrari to never try, that makes them the Prancing CHICKEN. As for Aston Martin, we can add some chicken feathers to their wing logo

[@FormulaPunRacer]

Oh, and Jaguar is a SCAREDY CAT

[@ZontarDow]

@Firestorm226 they went to far as to built a car and engine.

[@Mbarnstein62891]

Oh I remember and it was horrible!

[@BoxInThisLapVR46]

The KV Racing Dallara IR-05 were mediocre but were beautiful

[@Medium.Randell]

Ayy don’t diss 2012/13 grojean he was really good those years.