Sports Car Forum - MotorWorld.net - [Request] Info about 1981 Chapman's Lotus 88.

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homep...nson/lotus.htm

Quote:

Team Lotus enjoyed some success in the 1980s. Its drivers included Nigel Mansell at the start of his F1 career (but he had to wait until he joined Williams to score his first Grand Prix victory) and Aryton Senna also at the early stages of his F1 career who gained his first GP victory with Lotus in Portugal in 1985.

The Essex sponsorship came to an end with controversy surrounding the business ethics of David Thieme. Also following Colin Chapman's death, allegations were made that large amounts of public money from the De Lorean project had been misused. Observers have commented that these problems made it difficult for Lotus to obtain large scale corporate sponsorship necessary to provide funds required for a first class team.

Ayrton Senna was to score Lotus's final GP victory at Detroit in 1987 in the Lotus 98-T with active suspension. Senna then moved to form a very successful partnership with Ron Dennis and the McLaren F1 Team.

The ownership of Team Lotus changed but Lotus cars steadily slipped back down the grid and rather like an old soldier, the team 'just faded away'. Lotus languished at the back of the grid a mere shadow of the former glories. One of the final Lotus drivers who struggled with an uncompetitive car was Alex Zanardi, who later moved to CART racing in the United States and demonstrated his abilities by taking the 1997 CART Drivers Championship, in his second season of CART racing. Team Lotus's final grand Prix was Australia 1994 at which point the financial crisis finally closed the team.

Type 81 1980-81 4 Formula 1 produced no victories
http://www.tgpf1.com/carmarket4.htm

Quote:

Maintained in the private Team Lotus collection since last race in 1981. Race prepared by original Team Lotus mechanics. Best possible provenance, originality and condition

Great history:
Elio de Angelis 3 GP : 2nd Brazil 1980
Mario Andretti 7 GP
Nigel Mansell 1 GP : 3rd Belgium 1981 (first podium finish)

Race history for every mile, including set-up and driver comments, as per Classic Team Lotus Works archive Fitted with zero miles original long stroke DFV (rebuilt by LPE). Ongoing Works support available, if required.

For Sale - Ex-Works

Price: £200,000
Further Info: Oliver McCrudden
Tel: 01621 89 28 14
Email: [email protected]