Technology in race cars (42): Lotus 88 - One chassis is not enough

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Technology in race cars (42): Lotus 88 - One chassis is not enough

Created on January 16, 2024

Text:

Gerhard Schütz

Photos:

Daniel Reinhard

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Archiv: Gerhard Schütz

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Christian Zöllner - Courtesy Essen Motor Show

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Archiv Gerhard Schütz

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Lotus 88 B (1981) - AvD Oldtimer Grand Prix 2022

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Lotus 88 (1981) - in the John Player Special Look - Essen Motor Show 2022

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Lotus 88 (1981) - in the special show "Fascination Black&Gold - 50 Years John Player Special - Essen Motor Show 2022

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Lotus 88 B (1981) - AvD Oldtimer Grand Prix 2022

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The Lotus 80 was a failure - planned without wings, it had to be given wings afterwards, but without success

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Lotus 88 (1981) - Quite harmless at first glance...

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Lotus 88 (1981) - The suspension of the second chassis

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Lotus 88 (1981) - aprons also under the nose, which is 15 cm longer than on the Type 79

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Lotus 88 (1981) - Practically obstacle-free diffusers. The upper wishbone was sacrificed for aerodynamics

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Lotus 88 (1981) - A look under the nose: No radiator inlet - purely aerodynamic function

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Lotus 88 (1981) - Lotus 88: The additional suspension for chassis 2 with the side radiators is clearly visible

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Lotus 88 (1981) - modular principle. From left to right: Entire car. Chassis 2 (side panels, 3 cross members, radiator, small additional suspension). Chassis 1 with the suspensions. Body (sits on chassis 2) with the profiles in the side channels

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Lotus 88 (1981) - Incorrect schematic contemporary representation of the Lotus 88 in a trade magazine: Here, the body is supported on the chassis by springs. However, this would have been contrary to the regulations, which did not permit any movable aerodynamic elements. The journalists were not the only ones to blame for the error, as Lotus had a very restrictive information policy for obvious reasons.

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Lotus 88 (1981) - The aprons are clearly visible

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Lotus 88 (1981) - The first carbon fiber chassis from Lotus

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Lotus 88 (1981) - Despite a wheelbase of 274 cm, the Type 88 looks surprisingly compact. The nose is significantly shorter than on the Type 80 and the side outlet of the oil cooler (water radiator on the left) is clearly visible

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Lotus 88 (1981) - Schematic sketch: Green: classic wheel suspension chassis 1, springs on the inside, actuated via rocker arms, wheel carrier (3), wishbone (4,5) Red: suspension chassis 2. Its side surface (1) is supported by its own small spring strut (2) via two arms (6a, 6b) on the wheel carrier (3).

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Formula 1 2023 - The ground effect, which was increasingly restricted by the regulations in the 1980s, is back, and this time initiated by the regulations of all things. How times can change

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Summary

The Lotus 88 seemed like the next big thing in the first grand effect era of Formula 1. To meet the enormous demands of aerodynamic forces on man and material, the Lotus designers opted for two chassis. But then everything changed - today the Lotus 88 marks the beginning of the racing team's decline.

This article contains the following chapters

Prologue
Basic understanding
On the way from the Type 80 (1979) to the Type 88 (1980/81)
The Type 80
The Type 88: The new approach with a second "chassis"
Not a trick of the regulations
The regulatory dispute
Carbon fiber chassis
Lotus 88 - the car of destiny

Estimated reading time: 15min

Preview (beginning of the article)

The years 1958-1981 were the most creative in the history of racing technology. This series portrays the most innovative, pioneering and exotic designs of Formula 1, Indy cars, sports cars and Can Am, and at the same time traces the major lines of development that still have an impact today. When the Type 88 was presented to the press, there was a lot of confusion: Why is the car body so narrow, only 110 cm? (the width of the side boxes had previously been important for the ground effect). Why are the radiator outlets on the side? (Outlets facing upwards contribute to downforce). Why is the rear wing set so low (wings have a better effect when they are higher up and thus have a free flow around them)? Why does the car not need wings at the front? (The ground effect shifts the aerodynamic pressure point further to the rear and requires the front wing all the more to compensate). Was that just a preliminary version? Or - much more interesting: Had Lotus already discovered something revolutionary that would turn the Formula 1 world upside down?

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