Lotus 18

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Lotus 18
Lotus 18 Stirling Moss Monaco 1961.jpg
Lotus 18 Formula One car
Category Formula One, Formula Two, Formula Junior
Constructor Team Lotus
Designer(s) Colin Chapman
Predecessor 16
Successor 21
Technical specifications
Chassis Steel spaceframe
Suspension (front) Double wishbone, with inboard coilover spring/damper units.
Suspension (rear)Lower wishbone, top link, and radius rod suspension, with outboard coilover spring/damper units.
Engine Coventry Climax FPF 2467 cc / 2497 cc / 1499.8 cc mid-mounted
Transmission Lotus (Ansdale-Mundy) 5-speed sequential manual
Tyres Dunlop
Competition history
Notable entrants Team Lotus
Rob Walker Racing Team
UDT-Laystall Racing Team
Equipe Nationale Belge
Notable drivers Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Innes Ireland
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Stirling Moss
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Alan Stacey
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg John Surtees
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jim Clark
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Trevor Taylor
Debut 1960 Argentine Grand Prix
RacesWins Podiums Poles F/Laps
234900
Constructors' Championships0
Drivers' Championships0
n.b. Unless otherwise stated, all data refer to
Formula One World Championship Grands Prix only.

The Lotus 18 was a race car designed by Colin Chapman for use by Lotus in Formula Junior, Formula Two, and Formula One.

Contents

Overview

Lotus 18 was the first mid-engined car built by Lotus and was a marked improvement over Chapman's early and only moderately successful front-engined formula cars, the 12 and 16. It was introduced for the 1960 F1, F2 and FJ seasons, with about 27 examples of the F1 and F2 versions and 110 of the FJ versions. As a stop-gap before the introduction of the 18's successor models, the Lotus 20 for F2/FJ and 21 for F1, some 18 chassis were rebodied with 21 skins to create the interim Lotus 18/21 hybrid derivative.

The 18 was replaced by the Lotus 21 in Formula One and the Lotus 20 in Formula Junior in 1961.

Design

The car was a classic Chapman design, being extremely light and simple; the body was made up of lightweight panels bolted to heavily-triangulated tube frame [1] (spaceframe) chassis. Thus the car was rigid, strong and light, maintaining the 16's forward weight distribution despite the engine moving behind the driver.

Lotus 18 Formula Junior Lotus 18 Formula Junior of Roger Ealand.JPG
Lotus 18 Formula Junior

It was powered initially by a 2,467 cc Coventry Climax FPF (3.70" x 3.50") four cylinder DOHC engine inherited from the Grand Prix version of Lotus 16. [2] In 1960, the FPF was enlarged slightly to 2497 cc (3.70" x 90 mm), which produced 239 hp (178 kW) at 6,750 rpm from a weight of only 290 lbs (132 kg) [2] and had a wide torque range. [2]

The 2.5 litre engine was replaced by a 1.5 Litre (82 mm x 71 mm) Climax FPF Mk.II with new Formula One engine rules in 1961. The Formula Junior variant used a 998 cc Cosworth Mk.III or a Downton BMC "A" Series with 948cc displacement. The Formula Junior version also used smaller gauge chassis tubing and Alfin drum brakes on all four corners.

Further contributing to the weight advantage was the adoption of lightweight sequential manual transmission originally developed for Lotus 12 by Richard Ansdale and Harry Mundy incorporating the unique sequential-shifting motorcycle gearbox, and a ZF limited-slip differential in a common Magnesium alloy housing to form a transaxle, which also provided the mounting points for inboard rear brakes. This gearbox had been improved in its reliability for Lotus 15 and 16 in 1957-58 by Keith Duckworth, who had just joined Lotus as a gearbox engineer.

Although Porsche in Austria pioneered the sequential-shifting gearbox for racing cars, with the Type 360 Cisitalia , the idea was relatively new and the original transaxle in the Lotus 12, which was essentially an enlarged motorcycle gearbox, combined with ZF limited-slip differential, had gained the nickname "Queerbox", or "Gearbox-full of neutrals" for its poor reliability. With Duckworth having left to form Cosworth in 1958, Mike Costin, who, despite being the co-founder of Cosworth, remained with Lotus for a while longer, adopted the improved Queerbox in the Lotus 16, into a configuration for directly mounting it behind the engine for Lotus 18 with dedicated oil scavenge and pressure feed pumps, further improving its reliability while retaining the small and light design.

The Formula Junior version utilized the Renault 4-speed transaxle, and both of the Lotus transaxle and this Renault 'box had the gear shifter lever on the left side of the driver. An optional gearbox was the VW gearbox with Hewland 4 speed gears. This last gearbox has the added advantage of being able to change gear ratios from behind the gearbox without removing the gearbox from the car.

The front suspension was by double-wishbone arms with an outboard coil/damper unit. Unlike Chapman's former designs where the ends of the anti-roll bar acted as a leg of the upper wishbone, the 18 had a separate front anti-roll bar. The rear suspension was by upper and lower radius arms with a reversed lower wishbone, where the fixed-length half-shaft acted as the upper-link. The coil/damper unit was also mounted outboard in the rear, and the 18 sometimes ran with and without the rear anti-roll bar.

In order to capitalize on the weight advantage, Chapman designed a light, sleek machine only 28 inches (71 cm) high (excluding windscreen) and weighing just 980 lbs (440 kg). [3] To help facilitate this, the driver was placed in a semi-reclining position, [2] pioneered about a decade before by Gustav Baumm of NSU. [4]

Racing history

The Lotus 18 had remarkably good handling with a unique suspension system which drastically reduced weight transfer and body roll in cornering. Shortly, the Lotus 18 was proving to be faster than any car Grand Prix racing had ever seen, [5] eclipsing even the legendary Auto Unions and being widely copied. It was also built as a two-seat sports-racer called the Lotus 19 or Monte Carlo. [2]

Stirling Moss in Rob Walker's Lotus 18 at the 1961 German Grand Prix MossLotusClimax19610806.jpg
Stirling Moss in Rob Walker's Lotus 18 at the 1961 German Grand Prix

The car took Lotus' first F1 victory, by Innes Ireland in the non-championship Glover Trophy, on 8 April 1960. [6] Its first World Championship win happened six weeks later, on 29 May, albeit by privateer Rob Walker, who leased the car from Chapman. Driven by Stirling Moss the car took a dominant win at the 1960 Monaco Grand Prix. It was an early taste of things to come. Moss also won the United States Grand Prix at the end of the season helping Lotus finish second in the constructors' championship.

Moss repeated his win in a legendary race at Monaco the following year, beating off the more powerful and faster 'sharknose' Ferraris. He then won at the fearsome Nürburgring in changeable weather, while Innes Ireland took a third win in the USA to help Lotus finish second in the constructors' championship in 1961. The Lotus 18 was also notable for giving Jim Clark his first Grand Prix start in 1960.

The Belgian Grand Prix at Spa in 1960 was notable for Moss's accident in the Rob Walker 18 in practice which kept him from the race and the death of Alan Stacey when he left the track in his 18 apparently following a bird strike in the face.

Complete Formula One results

Championship results

(key) (Results in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap.)

YearEntrantEngineTyresDrivers12345678910PointsWCC
1960 Team Lotus Climax Straight-4 D ARG MON 500 NED BEL FRA GBR POR ITA USA 342nd
Innes Ireland 692Ret7362
Jim Clark Ret5516316
Ron Flockhart 6
John Surtees Ret2RetRet
Alan Stacey RetRetRet
Rob Walker Racing Team Stirling Moss 14DNSDSQ1
Taylor-Crawley Racing Team Mike Taylor DNS
Jim Hall Jim Hall 7
1961 Team Lotus Climax Straight-4 D MON NED BEL FRA GBR GER ITA USA 32*2nd
Innes Ireland Ret
Trevor Taylor 13
Rob Walker Racing Team Stirling Moss 148RetRet1Ret
UDT-Laystall Racing Team Cliff Allison 8DNS
Henry Taylor DNQ10Ret11
Juan Manuel Bordeu DNS
Masten Gregory RetRet
Olivier Gendebien 11
Lucien Bianchi RetRet
Equipe Nationale Belge Ret
Willy Mairesse Ret
Scuderia Colonia Michael May Ret11DNS
Wolfgang Seidel DNS17RetRet
Camoradi International Ian Burgess DNSDNS1414
Tony Marsh Tony Marsh DNQRet15
Tim Parnell Tim Parnell Ret10
Gerry Ashmore Gerry Ashmore Ret16Ret
Louise Bryden-Brown Tony Maggs 1311
J Frank Harrison Lloyd Ruby Ret
Jim Hall Jim Hall Ret
J Wheeler Autosport Peter Ryan 9
Prince Gaetano Starrabba Maserati Straight-4 Gaetano Starrabba Ret0-
1962 UDT-Laystall Racing Team Climax Straight-4 D NED MON BEL FRA GBR GER ITA USA RSA 36*2nd
Masten Gregory Ret
Scuderia Repubblica di Venezia Nino Vaccarella DNQ
Emeryson Cars John Campbell-Jones 11
Equipe Nationale Belge Lucien Bianchi 916
Ecurie Excelsior Jay Chamberlain 15DNQDNQ
Gerry Ashmore Gerry Ashmore DNQ
Scuderia Jolly Club Ernesto Prinoth DNQ
John Dalton Tony Shelly RetDNQ
BRM V8 DNQ1*8th
1963 Tim Parnell Climax Straight-4 D MON BEL NED FRA GBR GER ITA USA MEX RSA 54*1st
Tim Parnell DNQ
André Pilette DNQ
André Pilette DNQ
Kurt Kuhnke Borgward Straight-4 Kurt Kuhnke DNQ0-
1965 Clive Puzey Motors Climax Straight-4 D RSA MON BEL FRA GBR NED GER ITA USA MEX 54*1st
Clive Puzey DNPQ

* Includes points scored by other Lotus models

Non-Championship results

(key)

YearEntrantEngineTyresDrivers123456789101112131415161718192021
1960 Team Lotus Climax Straight-4 D GLV INT SIL LOM OUL
Innes Ireland 11Ret1Ret
John Surtees Ret6RetRet
Alan Stacey 4
Jim Clark Ret2Ret
Taylor-Crawley Racing Team Mike Taylor Ret
RRC Walker Racing Team Stirling Moss 1
Vandervell Products Ltd. Vanwall L4 Tony Brooks DNS
Scuderia Centro Sud Maserati Straight-4 Ian Burgess Ret
1961 Team Lotus Climax Straight-4 D LOM GLV PAU BRX VIE AIN SYR NAP LON SIL SOL KAN DAN MOD FLG OUL LEW VAL RAN NAT RSA
Jim Clark 61Ret967
Innes Ireland 105Ret10Ret9Ret
Trevor Taylor Ret199Ret
Rob Walker Racing Team Stirling Moss 471811
UDT Laystall Racing Team Ret1122
Cliff Allison 285158
Henry Taylor 46RetRet284Ret8
Carl Hammarlund Ret
Masten Gregory RetNC5RetRetRet
Jo Bonnier 11
Scuderia Colonia 2
Wolfgang Seidel RetRet2115RetDNQRet8
Maurice Trintignant DNS
Michael May RetRetRet
Tony Marsh Tony Marsh 7336
Louise Bryden-Brown Dan Gurney 145
Camoradi International Ian Burgess Ret6DSQ4
Lloyd Casner DNSDNSDNS
RHH Parnell
The Three Musketeers
Tim Parnell 76Ret8755DNQ7Ret3
André Pilette Ret
Gerry Ashmore Ret112
Gerry Ashmore DNA
Scuderia Dolomiti Ernesto Prinoth 3DNS10Ret2
Jack Holme Jack Holme RetWD
Prince G. Starabba Maserati Straight-4 Giorgio Scarlatti Ret
Gaetano Starrabba Ret
Syd van der Vyver Alfa Romeo Straight-4 Syd van der Vyver 756
Equipe Judette Ford Straight-4 Bob van Niekerk 9Ret9
Bernard Podmore Bernard Podmore RetWDRet
Neville Lederle Neville Lederle Ret
Ecurie Wolman Borgward Straight-4 Helmut Menzler RetRet10
1962 UDT-Laystall Racing Team Climax Straight-4 D CAP BRX LOM LAV GLV PAU AIN INT NAP MAL CPL RMS SOL KAN MED DAN OUL MEX RAN NAT
Masten Gregory 4RetRet5Ret5
Innes Ireland 3Ret3Ret
Stirling Moss 7Ret
Rob Walker Racing Team Ret
Maurice Trintignant 1Ret
Graham Hill 3
Scuderia Republica di Venezia Nino Vaccarella DNQ6RetRet
Colin Davis Ret
Carlo Abate Ret
RHH Parnell Tim Parnell Ret9Ret7
John Dalton Ret
Gary Hocking RetRet
John Dalton Tony Shelly 5367Ret68Ret5
Ecurie Excelsior Jay Chamberlain 5RetDSQ16DNQRetRet9
Olle Nygren Ret
Gerry Ashmore Gerry Ashmore Ret98
Graham Eden RetRet
Speed Sport David Piper 111787
A. Robinson & Sons Philip Robinson Ret
Walter Hansgen Walt Hansgen Ret
Jim Hall Homer Rader 8
Jack Holme Jack Holme DNQRet
Autosport Team Wolfgang Seidel Günther Seiffert RetWD12DNQRetNC910
Kurt Kuhnke DNQRet
Kurt Kuhnke Borgward Straight-4 DNADNADNA
Ecurie Wolman Helmut Menzler 10
Vern McWilliams Vern McWilliams DNQDNQ
Prince G. Starabba Maserati Straight-4 Gaetano Starrabba Ret
Syd van der Vyver Alfa Romeo Straight-4 Syd van der Vyver 7
Bill Scheepers Bill Scheepers DNQ
Equipe Judette Ford Straight-4 Bob van Niekerk 11
Bernard Podmore Bernard Podmore 13
Neville Lederle Neville Lederle 14
Ted Lanfear Peter van Niekerk DNQDNQ
1963 A. Robinson & Sons Climax Straight-4 D LOM GLV PAU IMO SYR AIN INT ROM SOL KAN MED AUT OUL RAN
Brian Robinson Ret
Philip Robinson 8Ret
RHH ParnellNC
Tim Parnell 7DSQRet9
Ron Carter RetWD
André Pilette Ret1210912
André Pilette DNSDNS
Ernesto Prinoth Ernesto Prinoth 8
Scuderia Jolly ClubRet
Jock Russell Jock Russell Ret
Jack Holme Jack Holme Ret
Prince G. Starabba Maserati Straight-4 Gaetano Starrabba Ret65DNQ
Kurt Kuhnke Borgward Straight-4 Kurt Kuhnke DNQRetRet
Ernst Maring DNQRetRet
1964 Jock Russell Climax Straight-4 D DMT NWT SYR AIN INT SOL MED RAN
Jock Russell Ret
Clive Puzey Motors Clive Puzey 8
Kurt Kuhnke Borgward Straight-4 Ernst Maring Ret
Joachim Diel Ret
1965 Scuderia Nord-Ouest Climax Straight-4 D ROC SYR SMT INT MED RAN
Colin Davis DNQ
Clive Puzey Motors Clive Puzey 9
1966 Clive Puzey Motors Climax Straight-4 D RSA SYR INT OUL
Clive Puzey 7

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References

  1. Setright, L.J.K., "Lotus: The Golden Mean", in Northey, Tom, ed. World of Automobiles (London: Orbis, 1974), Volume 11, p.1228.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Setright, p.1228
  3. This was virtually the same as the 16 with, oddly enough, more weight actually on the front wheels. Setright, p.1228.
  4. Setright, p.1230.
  5. Setright, p.1229.
  6. http://www.statsf1.com/saisons/gphc/gp.aspx?idGp=169&LG=1%5B%5D