Classic F1 Cars – Lotus 80

Risk taking is all part of Grand Prix racing and some of the biggest chances are often taken before a design has even left the drawing board; the 80 Lotus was no exception. The previous 78 and 79 models had led the way on and off the circuit; the 78 started the ‘wing effect’ and the following year the 79 moved the goal posts further from the competition. Creating the ‘venturi’ effect with lower air pressure under the car the 79 in the hands of Mario Andretti was the ultimate package; more down-force, better handling and superb driving brought the World Drivers and Constructors Championships to the team. The 1979 season and the Lotus 80 emerged to shock the racing world; designed without any regular front or rear wings, one single swooping shape with air rushing under the car creating a huge venturi sucking it to the ground, whist air over the car pushed the wing down.Andretti tested the car in its original guise and found that although the 80 behaved well at high speeds it became unstable under braking and low speed cornering as down-force simply disappeared, worse still it would re appear unexpectedly. Lotus had the grip they wanted, in-fact it worked too well, causing the car to squat down at certain speeds and ride height changes due to kerbs or cambered corners caused the car to loose grip altogether. Conventional wings were fitted front and rear to cure the problem but confidence in the car had been severely dented; only Andretti continued with the 80 as teammate Carlos Reutemann returned to the previous season’s machine. The Lotus 80 only started three races in the 1979 season; Mario Andretti secured a 3in Spain one place behind Reutemann in the 79 and failed to finish the other two. Andretti qualified in the car at the non-championship Race of Champions at Brands Hatch in April 1979, a rare outing for the car captured by Mick Hallam who has provided us with a great image from that session. Andretti qualified the 80 on pole but it was not to start the race, oil leaks given as the reason the 79 was called back into action. Retirement at the 8round of the season in France was the final fling for the innovational Lotus 80, a few years ahead of its time but with cutting edge technologies we now accept as part of the F1 package. If you have any classic F1 car images then please email info@classiccarmag.net