Team Lotus Quiz | Formula 1 Grand Prix

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The four letters ACBC appear on the Lotus emblem, as these are the four letters to the names of Colin Chapman. What is his full name?

Answer: Anthony Colin Bruce Chapman

Colin Chapman has been regarded by many as a genius and innovator, who at times changed the face of Formula One with his radical car designs and initiatives.

2. When did Chapman establish Lotus Engineering?

Answer: 1952

Chapman established the company in 1952 after borrowing money from his wife, Hazel. A keen motoring enthusiast and member of the 750 Motor Club, he took to building his own cars after thinking he could do a better job. He was right.

3. Chapman first started building what type of car?

Answer: Sports Cars

Chapman began building lightweight sports cars, with the first one to carry the Lotus name dubbed the 'Mark 4'. Chapman had previously built three cars - Marks 1,2 and 3 with success in racing. The first single-seater Chapman built was the Type 12, which raced in the new Formula Two category. Lotus made their Formula One debut in 1959 with the Type 16.

4. Chapman is regarded as one of the forefathers of the rear-engined revolution, along with John Cooper. Which car that Chapman designed was the first rear-engined car Lotus produced?

Answer: Type 18

The Lotus 18 was considered a brilliant car in its day, underpowered against the Ferrari, but the car handled brilliantly, and in the hands of Stirling Moss, won the marque its first Grand Prix at Monaco in 1960 (Car was entered by Rob Walker, not a factory Lotus victory.)

5. Another revolution in 1962 in Formula One initiated by Colin Chapman, this time regarding to the chassis. What was it?

Answer: Monocoque Chassis

Lighter and safer than tube framing, a monocoque chassis is a single cell for driver, fuel and engine/gearbox. The Lotus 25 was the first car to use this design and soon all other manufacturers were following Chapman's example. The monocoque chassis soon proved unbeatable in the hands of Jim Clark, coming close to the title in 1962 (car was introduced at the Dutch Grand Prix) and dominating in 1963.

6. The Lotus 33 was an update of the Lotus 25 that had proved so successful in the hands of Clark. How much did the car weigh?

Answer: 985lbs

Ten lbs lighter than the 25, Chapman was known for building his cars light and fragile, believing that a car should only have to finish the grand prix for the car to be a success. This sometimes made Lotus cars dangerous to drive but there is no doubting his model was successful.

7. In 1963, Chapman and Clark made the voyage to the USA to compete in the Indianapolis 500. Clark finished 2nd in 1963 with the Lotus 29. In which car would he win the race in 1965?

Answer: Lotus 38

If not for inadequate Dunlop tyres, Clark may have won the race in 1964 with the Lotus 34. But in 1965, Lotus was dominant at Indy with the Lotus 38 with Clark winning the race easily. The car Chapman designed was built specifically for Indianapolis. Powered by a Ford V8, the Lotus 38 used an offset chassis similar to those seen on most other cars.

It was the first time a rear-engined car defeated the front-engined 'Roadsters' and Chapman had once again started a revolution.

8. The Lotus 43 was another brilliant Chapman design with many new features. What was NOT one of the new features?

Answer: Thin aerofoils to increase downforce and cornering speeds

Seen as a safer and more reliable way to design a race-car, all other team owners scoffed at the new car at its debut, stating the car would fold in half at the first corner. Today, every single-seater design follows the method of truncated monocoque, engine and suspension together as the only way to build a fast race car. Aerofoils would not make their appearance on Lotus cars until the 49.

9. Which engine giant did Lotus introduce to Grand Prix racing in 1967?

Answer: Ford

After his success at Indianapolis, Chapman persuaded Ford to compete in Grand Prix. The engine Ford built would soon become the winningest in Formula One - the Cosworth DFV. In the hands of Clark and Graham Hill and attached to the new Lotus 49, the car won on its debut at Zandvoort in 1967 and would win 3 more Grand Prix that year.

In 1968, Ford won the first of several Drivers and Constructors World Championship.

10. In 1970, Chapman designed another masterstroke which would become the winningest car in Grand Prix history and would remain the Lotus F1 machine for five years. What was the car?

Answer: Lotus 72

Featuring variable torsion bar springs, front onboard disc brakes, the wedge aerodynamic bodywork, multiple element rear wings and side radiators, the car left Formula One stunned when attached to the newest Ford DFV. The car would win its first title in 1970, but only after the death of Jochen Rindt at Monza.

The car would win two more Constructors Championships and one more drivers, with Emerson Fittipaldi in 1972. The car would race on until 1975.

11. The Lotus 78 was the first car in Formula One to take advantage of what?

Answer: 'Ground Effects'

Chapman's new design took advantage of the air passing underneath the car with special side skirts and the design of the underbody. With ground effects, the Lotus 78 could develop in excess of 2500 pounds of downforce, allowing his drivers to corner 20 to 40mph faster than any other car. Another revolution started...

12. Which driver would take the Lotus 79, basically a more refined version of the 78, to the World Drivers Title in 1978?

Answer: Mario Andretti

Andretti and team-mate Peterson dominated the 1978 season, with Andretti winning six GP, Peterson two and the team would win both the WDC and WCC. Unfortunately, the season was once again tinged with tragedy as Peterson was killed at the Italian GP.

13. In 1968, Chapman had another brainstorm, this time realising sponsorship was the only means to survival for his racing team. Gold Leaf was the first sponsor of Team Lotus in 1968.

Answer: True

Gold Leaf was the first tobacco sponsor in Formula One. In 1972, Chapman would link up with the brand that would become synonymous with his team - John Player.

14. Which Lotus, which unfortunately never raced, was the first and only car to feature a twin-chassis?

Answer: Lotus 88

Developed through 1980 for the 1981 season, Chapman designed the car with two chassis, one sitting on top of the other. One was for the developing aerodynamics and ground effects, the other was for the driver to sit in and insulate the driver from the stiffly sprung chassis.

After seeing the car at Long Beach in 1981, every other team protested the cars legality and the organisers threw it out. Chapman tried again to race the car, but eventually it was completely banned.

15. Along with McLaren, Lotus were the first to use this type of material for chassis construction in 1981.

Answer: Carbon Fibre

Lighter and stronger than previous chassis materials, carbon fibre was regarded as the biggest safety initiative ever taken in Formula One. All cars are now made of the material and it has no doubt saved the lives of many drivers since its introduction.

16. Before his untimely death from a heart-attack in December 1982, what was the last car Chapman designed?

Answer: Lotus 92

The Lotus 92 was the first car to take advantage of full active-suspension. The 92 was also the last Lotus car to use the Ford DFV as turbocharging soon took a grip of the sport.

17. After his death, which designed joined Lotus in 1983?

Answer: Gerard Ducarouge

Frenchman Ducarouge joined the team in 1983 and finished the design to the Lotus 94T. The first all-Ducarouge Lotus was the 95T for the 1983 season, an all carbon/kevlar chassis, with front and rear pull-rod suspension and a new Renault turbo engine.

18. The final victory for Team Lotus in Formula One was taken by Ayrton Senna at the 1987 American Grand Prix. What chassis did he use to take the victory?

Answer: 99T

The Lotus 99T featured an all hydraulic computer-controlled suspension system, that did away with springs, shock absorbers and anti-sway bars. This would become known as 'Active Suspension'.

19. From their debut in 1959 to the teams sad demise at the end of 1994, Team Lotus won how many Grand Prix in just 35 years?

Answer: 79

First victory - Stirling Moss (Monaco GP 1960)
First 'Works' victory - Innes Ireland (USGP 1961)
Last victory - Ayrton Senna (USGP 1987).
Jim Clark won 25 races and two world championships for Team Lotus from 1960-68.
From 1960-1978, Lotus won 6 Drivers Championships (1963,65,68,70,72,78) and 7 Constructors Championships (63,65,68,70,72,73,78)

20. Which other manufacturer (non-F1) claimed an 80% stake in Group Lotus in 1998?

Answer: Proton

Proton are the owners of the destiny of the Lotus name at the beginning of the 21st century. As the name Team Lotus had nothing to do with Group Lotus from 1986, the Formula One department was not acquired by the company, having been paid for by David Hunt in 1994, so it will take an enthusiast to resurrect the name for Formula One purposes.

Source: Author minardifan

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor spanishliz before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Team Lotus Trivia Quiz

Lotus, at one time, were the most successful team in Formula One. This quiz will ask many questions about the trials and tribulations of this famous marque.

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>