Lotus 94T

Lotus 94T

94T of Nigel Mansell at the 2012 Goodwood Festival of Speed
Category	Formula One
Constructor	Lotus
Designers	Gérard Ducarouge (Technical Director) Martin Ogilvie (Chief Designer) John Davis (Head of Aerodynamics and R&D)
Predecessor	93T
Successor	95T
Technical specifications [1]
Chassis	Carbon fibre and Kevlar monocoque
Suspension (front)	Double-wishbones, pull rod, coil springs
Suspension (rear)	Double-wishbones, pull rod, coil springs
Axle track	Front: 1,816 mm (71 in) Rear: 1,664 mm (66 in)
Wheelbase	2,654 mm (104 in)
Engine	Renault Gordini EF1 , 1,492 cc (91.0 cu in), 90° V6, turbo, mid-engine, longitudinally-mounted
Transmission	Lotus / Hewland 5-speed manual
Power	650 hp (484.7 kW) @ 12,000 rpm [2]
Weight	545 kg (1,202 lb)
Fuel	Elf
Tyres	Pirelli
Competition history
Notable entrants	John Player Team Lotus
Notable drivers	11. Elio de Angelis 12. Nigel Mansell
Debut	1983 British Grand Prix
Races Wins Podiums Poles F/Laps 7 0 1 1 1
Constructors' Championships	0
Drivers' Championships	0

The Lotus 94T was a Formula One racing car used by Team Lotus in the second part of the 1983 Formula One season.

Design and development

The car was designed and built in only five weeks by the incumbent designer Gérard Ducarouge, who was brought into the team by boss Peter Warr in an attempt to stave off the uncompetitiveness of the previous Lotus cars. ^[3]

The car was powered by the Renault Gordini EF1 V6-turbo engine, and ran on Pirelli tyres. It featured a lower, slimmer monocoque with improved weight distribution over its predecessor.

Racing history

The 94T made its debut at the 1983 British Grand Prix and proved to be competitive in the hands of Nigel Mansell, who came home fourth in the race, and Elio de Angelis, and provided an upswing in form for the Lotus team which would carry them into the 1984 season with a developed version of the car. Its best result was a third-place at the 1983 European Grand Prix with Mansell, who also claimed the fastest lap in the race, while de Angelis won the pole position. ^[4] De Angelis scored two points with the car, but Mansell made it into the top six on several occasions, and finished the season with 12 points to his credit. ^[5]

Gallery

• 
  A Lotus 94T of Nigel Mansell at the 2011 Goodwood Festival of Speed
• 
  Mansell in his 94T at the 1983 British Grand Prix
• 
  Elio de Angelis driving the 94T at the 1983 Dutch Grand Prix

Complete Formula One results

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

Year	Entrant	Engine	Tyres	Drivers	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	Points	WCC
1983	John Player Team Lotus	Renault Gordini EF1 V6 tc	P		BRA	USW	FRA	SMR	MON	BEL	DET	CAN	GBR	GER	AUT	NED	ITA	EUR	RSA	11*	8th
				Elio de Angelis									Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	5	Ret	Ret
				Nigel Mansell									4		5	Ret	8	3	Ret

* Lotus also used the 92 and 93T models in 1983 but scored all Lotus-Renault points with the 94T; for the German Grand Prix Mansell used the 94T in practice but used the 93T in the race. He also scored a point in the Detroit Grand Prix with the 92, but since the car used a different engine from the one the 94T used, the point counted towards Lotus-Ford in the Constructors’ Championship. ^[6]

References

1. "1984 Lotus 95T Renault - Images, Specifications and Information". Ultimatecarpage.com. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
2. "Engine Renault • STATS F1".
3. "Obituary: Gerard Ducarouge, 1941-2015". racer.com. 25 February 2015. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
4. "European GP, 1983". www.grandprix.com. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
5. "Nigel Mansell's best drives". Motor Sport Magazine. 8 August 2019. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
6. "1983 Detroit Grand Prix II - Race Result". f1.com. 29 April 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2023.