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JPS Lotus 79  -  1978

Driver: Mario Andretti

Ronnie Peterson

Chairman: Colin Chapman

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The Lotus 79 was the first F1 car to make full use of ground-effect aerodynamics, pioneered in its predecessor the Lotus 78. The chassis pressure issues of the 78 car were solved by the 79, with further design work in a Venturi tunnel under the car, allowing low-pressure areas to be evenly distributed along the entire underside. This is achieved by extending the rear bodywork to a point inside the rear wheels, allowing the underside to extend rearward rather than ending abruptly in front of the rear wheels as on the 78. As a result, the rear suspension has also been redesigned to allow air to leave the rear cleaner than its predecessor. This allows for a smaller rear wing, which reduces drag. When the car first appeared, the upper bodywork was steeply sloping and featured "Coke bottle" sidepods. After working in the wind tunnel, it was discovered that these features were unnecessary as the car would generate so much downforce anyway. However, these features were later integrated into Lotus 80. A total of five chassis were built over the life of the design, with prototype 79/1 being sold to Héctor Rebaque to be entered as a private entrant.

The vehicle is powered by a Ford Cosworth DFV and is made from aluminum honeycomb panels, which specifically enhance the stresses exerted on the vehicle by ground effect. The fuel tank is a separate battery behind the driver, rather than the separate fuel tank on the 78. The benefits of this are increased fire protection and moving the center of gravity to the middle of the car, aiding cornering and braking. The 79 was also the first F1 car to be designed using computer-aided design. [citation needed] In fact, it was the first F1 car to be analyzed using computers in the pits during race weekends.

The car was secretly tested by Ronnie Peterson in late 1977 and proved to be very fast, but the chassis suffered early fatigue due to severe suction and gram forces from ground effect. The 79ers had about 30 percent more downforce than the 78ers, something Ogilvie and Rudd didn't anticipate, and the latter went back to the drawing board. The chassis has been strengthened at specific points, mainly around the monocoque and load-bearing points on the chassis, and the car is found to be faster than before.

The need for smooth airflow dictates that the car must have clean lines. Nicknamed "Black Beauty" by the press and F1 fans, due to its elegant design and sleek profile as well as its black and gold livery sponsored by John Player Special cigarettes, the Lotus 79 was immediately competitive on its debut, the 1978 Belgian Grand Prix at Zolder. It beat Mario Andretti by over a second and won the race easily. Andretti said this while driving a London bus in a Lotus 78 after driving the 79 for the first time. Peterson once quipped after an impressive pole position that the car was so good that all he had to do was steer.

However, the 79 is not without its problems. Wright and Ogilvie noted that the car was very limited in some aspects of its design. Andretti had reservations about the car's brakes, which weakened significantly over race distance, especially in hot conditions; the exhaust had a tendency to overheat, and the monocoque tub wasn't as stiff as the team had hoped, meaning new castings had to be made several times during the two seasons the car was in use.

Description:

JPS Lotus 79 – 1978

Driver: Mario Andretti

Ronnie Peterson

Chairman: Colin Chapman

Start in Tier III with Vanilla Teams. Inclusiv Liverypack and 201 Sponsors with Logos and Carlogos!

The Lotus 79 was the first F1 car to take full advantage of ground effects aerodynamics, pioneered in its immediate predecessor, the Lotus 78. The undercar pressure problems in the 78 were resolved with the 79, with further design work on the venturi tunnels under the …