Recent from talks
Nothing was collected or created yet.
Lotus 80
View on Wikipedia
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (July 2020) |
Mario Andretti driving the 80 in 1979 | |||||||||||
| Category | Formula One | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constructor | Team Lotus | ||||||||||
| Designers | Colin Chapman (Technical Director) Martin Ogilvie (Chief Designer) Peter Wright (Head of Aerodynamics) Geoff Aldridge (Chief Engineer) | ||||||||||
| Predecessor | Lotus 79 | ||||||||||
| Successor | Lotus 81 | ||||||||||
| Technical specifications | |||||||||||
| Chassis | Aluminium monocoque | ||||||||||
| Suspension (front) | Lower wishbone and upper rocker-arms, with inboard coilover spring / damper units | ||||||||||
| Suspension (rear) | Lower wishbone and upper rocker-arms, with inboard coilover spring / damper units | ||||||||||
| Axle track | Front: 70 in (1,778 mm) Rear: 64 in (1,626 mm) | ||||||||||
| Wheelbase | 108 in (2,743 mm) | ||||||||||
| Engine | Ford-Cosworth DFV 2,993 cc (182.6 cu in) 90° V8 NA, mid-engine, longitudinally mounted | ||||||||||
| Transmission | Lotus / Hewland FGA400 5-speed | ||||||||||
| Weight | 625 kg (1,378 lb) | ||||||||||
| Fuel | Essex | ||||||||||
| Tyres | Goodyear | ||||||||||
| Competition history | |||||||||||
| Notable entrants | Martini Racing Team Lotus | ||||||||||
| Notable drivers | 1. | ||||||||||
| Debut | 1979 Spanish Grand Prix | ||||||||||
| Last event | 1979 French Grand Prix | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
| Constructors' Championships | 0 | ||||||||||
| Drivers' Championships | 0 | ||||||||||
The Lotus 80 was a Formula One car used by Team Lotus in 1979. The car, designed by Colin Chapman, Martin Ogilvie, Peter Wright and Tony Rudd, was an attempt to take ground effect as far as possible.
Design
[edit]Ogilvie and Rudd reasoned that to take a further step ahead of the competition, the new car should be designed as one huge ground effect system, starting just behind the nose and extending all the way to the back of the car beyond the rear wheels. An additional ground effect system was built into the nose, in an effort to turn the whole chassis into an aerodynamic device. In theory this would create a tremendous amount of downforce, so the chassis would have to be built to be more structurally rigid than that of the Lotus 79. The 80 also would not need wings due to the massive downforce. Chapman approved the idea at once.
The car appeared resplendent in British racing green, since John Player Special had pulled out of F1. The car featured 'Coke bottle' sidepods, something that would become familiar in the 1980s. However, a serious problem was encountered during testing. Mario Andretti reported that at speed the car behaved very well, but in braking and cornering, where speeds were lower, the car lost downforce alarmingly then regained it unexpectedly. The problem was twofold: firstly, the ground effect's low pressure area under the car was moving around with the car's centre of gravity. The phenomenon was known as porpoising, as the car appeared to be lifting and squatting at different speeds, causing it to lurch violently through corners. Secondly, the slightest difference in track ride height including off cambered corners, kerbs, etc. affected the undercar pressure hugely. The team experimented by fitting the car with wings, but this had little effect on the way the car behaved. Andretti persevered with the car, but his new teammate Carlos Reutemann refused to drive it after he tested the car and stayed with the Lotus 79.
Competition history
[edit]Chapman eventually had to admit the 80 was not the wondercar he had planned, and after a reasonable third place for Andretti in the 1979 Spanish Grand Prix,[1] Andretti qualified the car fifth for the Belgian Grand Prix but raced the Lotus 79 due to problems with the Lotus 80.[2] The problems with the Lotus 80 became obvious in the Monaco Grand Prix[3] and the French Grand Prix with Andretti retiring from both races.[4] The Lotus 79 was modified and pressed back into service.
It was a massive setback for the team, and for the car which had appeared so promising. However, Chapman persevered with the concept of a full-length ground effect chassis in the Lotus 88.
-
Lotus 80
-
Mario Andretti driving the 80 during practice for the 1979 Belgian Grand Prix
Complete Formula One results
[edit](key)
| Year | Entrant | Engine | Tyres | Drivers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | Points | WCC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Martini Racing Team Lotus | Ford Cosworth DFV | G | ARG | BRA | RSA | USW | ESP | BEL | MON | FRA | GBR | GER | AUT | NED | ITA | CAN | USA | 391 | 4th | |
| Mario Andretti | 3 | PO | Ret | Ret |
References
[edit]- Footnotes
- ^ "Grand Prix results, Spanish GP 1979". grandprix.com. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
- ^ "1979 Belgian Grand Prix". statsf1.com. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
- ^ "Grand Prix results, Monaco GP 1979". grandprix.com. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
- ^ "Grand Prix results, French GP 1979". grandprix.com. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
- Sources
- Walsh, M. (June 1998). "Seat of Power". Classic & Sports Car. 4 (17): 88–93.
- "Lotus 80 (1979)". www.jpslotus.org. Retrieved 14 October 2007. (Specifications.)
- Lotus 80 (article, photos, technical details and results)
- Lotus 80 (scanned launch photos and comments, in context of ground effect story)
Lotus 80
View on GrokipediaDevelopment
Background and Concept
During the 1970s, Team Lotus established itself as a dominant force in Formula One under the leadership of founder and chief designer Colin Chapman, amassing multiple Constructors' Championships and innovating car designs that set new standards in aerodynamics and engineering.[7] The team's success transitioned through models like the Lotus 77 in 1976, which improved competitiveness with features such as adjustable suspension geometry, to the Lotus 78 in 1977, which introduced experimental ground effect aerodynamics via sidepod underbody sections to generate downforce.[8] This culminated in the Lotus 79 of 1978, a refined pure ground effect design that secured the Constructors' Championship for Lotus through six race victories and superior cornering grip from venturi tunnels and sliding skirts, marking a pivotal shift from transitional designs to revolutionary underbody aerodynamics.[9][10] The Lotus 80 emerged as a direct evolution of the championship-winning Lotus 79, aiming to extend Team Lotus's aerodynamic lead into the 1979 season by intensifying ground effect principles.[11] Building on the 79's success, which exploited low-pressure zones beneath the car to produce over 2,000 pounds of downforce with minimal drag, the 80 sought to eliminate conventional wings entirely in favor of maximized venturi tunnels integrated into the sidepods for even greater downforce generation.[8] This design philosophy reflected Chapman's vision to create a "suction" effect that adhered the car to the track, enhancing straight-line speed and cornering stability beyond what the 79 achieved.[1] The development of the Lotus 80 was spurred by 1978 Formula One regulations that permitted full-length underbody skirts, enabling tighter sealing of the venturi channels and amplifying ground effect efficiency, while facing mounting competitive pressure from rivals like Ferrari and Renault, who began incorporating similar aerodynamic concepts to challenge Lotus's dominance.[12] These rules, introduced without initial height restrictions on skirts, allowed teams to push the boundaries of downforce, but Lotus aimed to outpace copycats by refining the system for 1979.[10] Concurrently, funding and sponsorship dynamics shifted, with the conclusion of the John Player Special tobacco branding after 1978 leading to a new livery in British racing green, sponsored by Martini Racing and Essex Petroleum, which supported the ambitious project amid Hethel's resource strains from road car production.[13][1]Design Team and Process
The development of the Lotus 80 was spearheaded by a core design team at Team Lotus, led by founder Colin Chapman, who provided the overall vision for pushing ground effect aerodynamics to its limits. Martin Ogilvie handled chassis engineering, focusing on structural integrity, while Peter Wright served as the aerodynamics specialist, refining the venturi underbody and skirt systems. Tony Rudd coordinated the project, ensuring integration across disciplines. This collaborative effort drew briefly on the ground effect principles proven successful in the preceding Lotus 79.[14][15] Initiated in late 1978 at Lotus's Hethel facility, the project aimed to deliver a car for the 1979 Formula One season before anticipated regulatory changes could restrict ground effect exploitation. The process involved extensive wind tunnel testing using scale models to iterate on venturi tunnel shapes, optimizing airflow acceleration beneath the car for maximum downforce. Early sketches emphasized extreme skirt sealing to maintain a low-pressure zone, evolving into a design with 'Coke bottle' shaped sidepods that narrowed sharply inside the rear wheels to enhance airflow convergence without relying on traditional aerodynamic wings—only a small low rear unit was retained. The team emphasized a more rigid monocoque structure compared to the 79 to withstand the heightened downforce stresses.[14][16][17] Key challenges arose in balancing this rigidity with weight targets, initially aiming for under 600 kg to comply with regulations while preserving performance. The increased downforce demands caused the monocoque to twist under load, leading to issues like popping rivets during testing. To address porpoising problems inherited from the 79—where the car would bounce due to fluctuating downforce—the team integrated lessons through stiffer materials and springs, diverging from Chapman's preference for lighter, more flexible designs. These iterative adjustments highlighted the complexities of creating a "pure" ground effect car, fully dependent on underbody aerodynamics to exploit the 1979 rules.[14][15]Design Features
Chassis and Suspension
The Lotus 80 employed a single skin aluminum monocoque chassis construction to enhance structural integrity under the demanding loads of ground effect aerodynamics.[18][19] This design aimed to provide torsional rigidity to withstand the twisting forces generated by high downforce, though in practice it suffered from insufficient stiffness under load.[19] Key dimensions included a wheelbase of 2,789 mm, front track width of 1,700 mm, rear track width of 1,638 mm, and an overall length of 4,623 mm, contributing to optimized stability and handling geometry.[18] The suspension setup utilized a double wishbone configuration at both ends, with inboard coil springs and dampers at the front for reduced unsprung mass and improved aerodynamic efficiency; the rear featured a similar arrangement augmented by anti-roll bars to manage body roll.[18] The dry weight was 580 kg, achieved through lightweight materials and precise engineering, while the design incorporated a front-biased weight distribution to enhance braking performance under elevated downforce conditions.[18] Material selections, including aluminum extrusions for side impact structures, ensured compliance with 1979 FIA safety regulations, prioritizing occupant protection without compromising performance.[19]Aerodynamics and Ground Effect
The Lotus 80 represented an extreme evolution in Formula 1 aerodynamics, emphasizing ground effect through full-length venturi tunnels that ran the entire underside of the car. These tunnels accelerated airflow to create low-pressure zones, sealed against the track by sliding skirts that maintained a near-vacuum effect for high downforce generation without relying on conventional wings. This approach allowed the car to produce significant aerodynamic grip primarily from underbody suction, shifting the center of pressure forward as speed increased.[20] The sidepod design featured a narrow, waisted "Coke bottle" profile to channel and accelerate air into the venturi tunnels efficiently, enhancing the Venturi effect while reducing overall drag. Deformable skirts, constructed from flexible rubberized materials, were engineered to adapt to track contours and undulations, ensuring consistent sealing despite minor ride height fluctuations. However, this sensitivity to ground proximity introduced trade-offs, as even small changes in clearance could disrupt airflow and lead to instability.[21] The aerodynamic philosophy targeted an optimal balance of downforce and drag, outperforming rivals in theoretical efficiency by minimizing wake turbulence and frontal resistance. Wind tunnel models confirmed superior performance at low ride heights, with peak downforce achieved through sealed tunnels, though risks of porpoising emerged from airflow separation during low-speed maneuvers or over bumpy surfaces.[22] Visually distinctive, the Lotus 80's smooth, clean bodywork omitted a rear wing entirely, underscoring its dependence on underbody aerodynamics for all high-speed stability and cornering prowess. The chassis incorporated enhanced rigidity to withstand the intense loads from this ground effect system.[20]Powertrain and Specifications
The Lotus 80 featured a mid-mounted Ford-Cosworth DFV V8 engine, a 2,993 cc naturally aspirated 90-degree unit with dry sump lubrication, delivering approximately 485 hp at 10,600 rpm and 343 Nm of torque at 9,500 rpm.[23][18] This engine, constructed with an aluminum block and heads, employed Lucas electronic fuel injection, a 11.5:1 compression ratio, and DOHC valvetrain with four valves per cylinder, enabling high-revving performance suited to the era's ground effect designs.[18] Power was transmitted via a Hewland FGA 400 5-speed manual gearbox, paired with a limited-slip differential to optimize traction under varying aerodynamic loads.[18] The braking system consisted of ventilated disc brakes all around, equipped with AP Racing calipers that responded to aero-induced downforce for enhanced stopping power.[18] Tires were Goodyear radial slicks, providing the grip necessary for the car's low-profile setup, while fuel was stored in an approximately 250-liter foam-filled tank compliant with 1979 FIA regulations.[24] Key specifications underscored the Lotus 80's emphasis on a favorable power-to-weight ratio, with a dry weight of 580 kg yielding over 0.84 hp per kg; this contributed to a top speed of around 310 km/h and 0-100 km/h acceleration in under 3 seconds, aided briefly by aerodynamic downforce on straights.[18]| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Engine | Ford-Cosworth DFV V8, 2,993 cc, NA, ~485 hp @ 10,600 rpm |
| Transmission | Hewland FGA 400, 5-speed manual, limited-slip diff |
| Brakes | Ventilated discs, AP Racing calipers |
| Tires | Goodyear radial slicks |
| Fuel Capacity | ~250 liters, foam-filled |
| Weight | 580 kg (dry) |
| Top Speed | ~310 km/h |
| 0-100 km/h | <3 seconds |
