Black Magic – 1978 Lotus 79-Cosworth

During the 1978 season, Mario Andretti and Ronnie Peterson dominated the FIA’s Formula One World Championship. From its introduction at the Belgian Grand Prix that year, the Lotus 79 became the car to beat. Between them, Andretti and Peterson would notch an impressive six wins with their Lotus 79s—with our test car, Lotus 79-3 passing the checkered flag first three times in Andretti’s hands.

With the Lotus 79, Colin Chapman’s Team Lotus found themselves on the crest of a wave, and “Black Beauty” enabled Andretti to sweep his way majestically to the world title. Utilizing the latest “ground-effect” technology, the Lotus 79 defined the era. Born out of the Lotus 78 that was used during the 1977 season, the Lotus 79 was the sport’s first ground-effects winner, and with Chapman’s drive and determination to succeed, it set the standard for others to emulate in the years to follow.

THE 79 IS BORN – AND BECOMES THE CAR TO BEAT

The Lotus 79 was the first Grand Prix car to take full advantage of the aerodynamic phenomenon known as “ground effect.” Designed to suck the car down to the track’s surface, by the end of the decade ground-effect was in general use, and causing the odd contentious point or two, but for 1978 the science was still in something of its infancy and Team Lotus was very much sitting at the top of the tree.

Pioneered on the Lotus 79’s predecessor, the Lotus 78, ground effect took a giant leap forward on the new Team Lotus car with Martin Ogilvie, Tony Rudd and Peter Wright working hard to find a way literally to seal the car to the ground. Wright had worked for Tony Rudd at BRM in the late 1960s and had spent time with him at Specialised Mouldings after their departure from Bourne. Wright was responsible for much of the ground-breaking ground-effect work, and as head of long-term research and development, and with Rudd’s experience of aerospace, the Merlin engine, Spitfire aircraft and “upside-down wings” it was only a matter of time before the combination code was unlocked. Once the door was open, Team Lotus was away!

It hadn’t been easy though. For two years the staff at Lotus had worked on the ground-effect scheme, and the final design of the Lotus 79 allowed them to showcase to the world their latest innovation. Dominant on the racetrack, the Lotus 79 was not without its foibles, and was surely not the perfect creation that history books often refer to it as.

The car’s greater ground effect was achieved by managing the airflow under the car. Heavy design work on the car’s venturi tunnels allowed for low pressure areas to be placed along the entire length of the underside. Made possible by extending the sidepods and rear bodywork, with the rear suspension also redesigned to allow a clean exit of air from beneath the car and, with a smaller rear wing installed, to lessen drag. With side skirts fitted to seal the car to the tarmac, the 79 became attached to the deck, and the faster the car went the faster the air flowed under it and the tighter the car became affixed. The ground-effect era was well and truly under way.

TESTING TIMES

Ronnie Peterson took to the wheel of a Lotus 79 for the very first time when he conducted secret tests toward the end of 1977. Despite proving extremely fast, the chassis of the 79 quickly showed signs of fatigue due to the suction and g-force generated by the ground effect. The massive increase in downforce on the car sent the team back to the drawing board to try and work out a way to strengthen numerous points around the monocoque, particularly load bearing points on the tub itself.

When these issues were ironed out, the car returned to the track for further tests and proved faster than before. With a continuous development program planned, further development found the sidepods to be a weakness. In simple terms they were like hollow fibreglass tubes. They had to be stiffened to aid the ground effect, as did the chassis. Additionally the spring rates had to be increased to make the car stiffer in cornering to allow for the ground-effect factor. The stiffening of the springs had a knock-on to other areas of the car as everything was put under greater pressure and load. Eventually, the team was satisfied that Black Beauty was ready to debut, and it did so in spectacular fashion.

Andretti scored a sensational victory in the Belgian Grand Prix at Zolder, starting a roll of success that would eventually make him World Champion.

CHAMPIONSHIP SUCCESS

The Lotus 79 proved to be almost unbeatable during the 1978 F1 campaign. It took six victories during a year where not only did Andretti become World Champion, but Lotus swept to the Constructors Championship as well. Only Ferrari’s 312T3 was able to challenge it on those occasions when Michelin’s tires allowed, and the Gordon Murray-designed Brabham “fan car” was outlawed by the FIA following Niki Lauda’s victory with it at Anderstorp in Sweden. To be fair, no one else got a look in.

For the most part, black and gold was the color to be seen at the front of the field. Andretti won five races in the 79, to go with an early season win in a 78, and Peterson scored one win each in a 79 and a 78, while finishing 2nd to Mario on four occasions. Having been a Lotus driver for three full Grand Prix seasons in 1973, ’74 and ’75 Peterson had returned to Chapman’s team after another spell with March. He signed on as number two to support Andretti and knew what he had to do. The most important thing was for Team Lotus to win the Constructors title, and with the 79 due for a mid-season launch, hopes in the Norfolk-based camp were high.

Andretti raced to victories with Peterson following behind, forever acting the team player. He was a team player, though, who was finally handed his own moment in the spotlight, when on the opening lap of the Austrian Grand Prix at the Österreichring Andretti made a mistake and found the guardrail.

Peterson was not about to let the opportunity pass him by, and in ever worsening conditions the “Super Swede” swept to a popular victory—his last. Only a handful of weeks later at Monza he would perish from injuries sustained in a horrible accident as the field roared away from the grid. Peterson had damaged his 79 during practice and with the spare 79 set up for Mario; a Lotus 78 was wheeled out for Ronnie to race. Surviving the accident itself, poor Peterson died in hospital from poor treatment after complications to his condition set in.

It was heartbreaking for Chapman and Team Lotus. At a time when everyone should have been celebrating, the season was plunged into darkness. The loss of Ronnie Peterson lay heavily on the shoulders of everyone in Norfolk. Andretti returned the team to some form of normality at the following Grand Prix in the United States, when he qualified on pole position, though a rare engine problem forced him out while leading. Jean-Pierre Jarier was drafted in by Chapman for the final two races to drive the second Lotus 79, now numbered 55 instead of the 6 that Peterson had carried.

Jarier retired at Watkins Glen, but showed great pace one week later in Montreal to put his car on pole position. Forever regarded as a “nearly man,” Jarier was again looking fair for victory when braking issues forced him out. Afterward he was told that the problems he’d encountered were a characteristic of the 79 and the brakes would probably not have lasted until the checkered flag anyway. Jarier was left to ponder as what turned out to be his final chance for Grand Prix glory eluded him.

During 1978 the Lotus 79 was quite simply outstanding. Those who saw Andretti and Peterson driving Chapman’s final “great” Grand Prix machine can count themselves lucky. It really was a halcyon era.

TIMES CHANGE

Times change, and so does technology. In the space of a couple of years the world of Formula One became totally absorbed and gripped, quite literally, by ground effect. For 1978, the Lotus 79 was the class of the field, but by 1979 the goal posts were moving and Chapman and his team found themselves left behind.

Introducing the beautiful Lotus 80 for the ’79 season, the car looked like it was a winner. However the saying “if it looks right, it is right” did not follow with this creation, and Andretti raced it only four times that season. It was not long before the swooping design had made way for the return of the trusted 79.

Carlos Reutemann, Andretti’s new teammate, disliked the 80 so much he never raced it and stuck with the 79 for the entire season. He doggedly battled his way to podium finishes as the car began to show its age against newer ground-effect cars such as Patrick Head’s sublime Williams FW07. The Lotus 79 had evolved from cars of a previous age. The car was old school and used natural evolution to incorporate ground effect, while cars such as the Williams FW07 were clean-sheet designs. Lotus, by its own admission, became bogged down in the development of the 80, and then the redevelopment of the 79, while other teams broke free. Sadly for Lotus, they were never to be caught.

AT THE WHEEL

It is not every day that you are offered the chance to drive such an important piece of Grand Prix history, and that is exactly what Lotus 79 Chassis 3 is. At the invitation of Classic Team Lotus and Clive Chapman, Colin’s son, I can only say the Vintage Racecar crew were in an excited mood as we headed from our Northamptonshire base to Hethel and the Classic Team Lotus workshops.

Removal of the foam seat from the car’s cockpit—“Mario has to have the seat taken out now as well” joked Chapman as I climbed in—and the tightening of the lap belts, was all that was required to allow me to sit comfortably in Lotus 79-3. It was quite simple. Possibly the fastest seat fitting I had ever had? A quick explanation of the switches and gauges on the dash followed and I felt confident that I was ready for my first taste of F1 action.

“The car has Mario’s roll hoop on it as well” Chapman told me. I noted the hoop was quite low. Apparently, the 79 had a taller hoop fitted when Peterson was driving, making switching from car to car during the meeting pretty much impossible. The car I was about to drive, 79-3, was almost exclusively Andretti’s machine during the ’78 season—the real deal, the world title winner.

The car’s DFV engine was warmed up at the Classic Team Lotus headquarters before it was loaded and transported the very short distance across the road to the Hethel test track—now home to Lotus cars. Following a quick couple of laps around the track with Chapman in his road car to explore the venue and find the track’s conditions, my time to become a Formula 1 driver in Mario Andretti’s World Championship-winning Lotus 79 was getting ever nearer!

Suited and booted, I climbed over the sidepods and lowered myself into the cockpit. Getting in was pretty easy, and my feet and ankles slithered through the front bulkhead to rest on, what felt like tiny pedals. The detachable steering wheel was clicked firmly into position and I was given just a few seconds to familiarize myself with the switches and dials and soak up the atmosphere.

“Neutral,” Chapman instructed, which I confirmed with a nod of my head as he then asked me to flick on the ignition and fuel pump. The pump kicked in with a reassuring whine and then the familiar sound of compressed air followed as the engine turned over for starting. Slight pressure on the accelerator and the wonderful sound of the car’s Cosworth DFV could be heard.

“First gear,” I was told as I selected the gear on the dog box. Letting the clutch out Lotus 79-3 rolled forward and then lurched to a halt. Having been told by everyone that I would stall it, I had been so determined not to have the embarrassment, but I have seen greater men than me do it, so as I was rolled back for “Take Two.” I was determined that I wouldn’t need a “Take Three,” and I didn’t.

Exiting the pit lane I checked the dials to make sure everything looked as suggested and then concentrated on the job at hand. A slick tire on a wet track is not an ideal way to start one’s F1 career, but hey, you have to start somewhere. Gradually feeding the power in, I felt the DFV wanting to pick up speed as the revs increased. Gently, I tried to increase tire temperature—on a sunny day that offered no warmth—but the wet track soon made sure there was no heat to find!

My installation lap over, I returned to the pits for a quick check of the car and to make sure everything was all right. On confirmation that all was indeed well, I was allowed to return to the track for a number of laps that would allow me to push 79-3 just a little harder. Very conscious of the track conditions, and my slick tires, my opening lap was again getting used to the surroundings before I began to push harder, allowing me to flick the fuel pump off.

I found the Hewland gearbox very precise, and when I say the car felt like a big Formula Ford 1600, I don’t wish to appear rude. It had the same feel as one of the little racers as I turned through the corners, although offering infinitely more grip. Red-lined at just over 10,000 rpm, the DFV sounded truly magnificent from where I was sitting as I accelerated and changed up along Hethel’s lovely long straight. Braking and changing down for a tight chicane was made easy by the car’s superb handling, a sheer joy, and 79-3 dealt with everything I threw at her with ease.

Picking up wheelspin exiting the slower corners, the car felt as if it had everything under control. Sometimes cars can feel like real animals, always wanting to do the opposite of what you want them to do, but 79-3 did not.

I continued to push on around the demanding Hethel track. Recently upgraded by Lotus, the track offers a wide variety of sweeping corners, tights turns and long straights—ideal for the test and development of modern road cars and run-outs for F1 legends such as the Lotus 79. Before too long, however, my time was up and I returned to the pits for the final time. Switching off, I removed the steering wheel, undid my seat belts and climbed out.

Clive Chapman came over, shook me by the hand and said, “Well done, and thank you for looking after the car.” That meant a lot to me, and I think Clive knew it!

The Lotus 79 holds a special place in the heart of all who have driven it, and I can see why.

In 1978 Mario Andretti described it as a “dream” and Ronnie Peterson said, “The Lotus 79 is one of the best Grand Prix cars of all time.” Rubens Barrichello commented after driving an example at the Goodwood Festival of Speed that, “The Lotus 79 offers phenomenal grip and feels like a modern Grand Prix car,” while experienced Grand Prix racer, Jarno Trulli, said, “To me the Lotus 79 is the greatest Lotus Grand Prix car. It made F1 what it is today.”

I have to agree. The Lotus 79, developed by the hard-working staff at Team Lotus, was able to become an icon of the sport due to the brilliance of Colin Chapman and his team. Mario Andretti was presented with the very best toy in the box for the 1978 season, and he put it to good use. Hats off to Mario for that and, more importantly, hats off to Colin Chapman—one of the greatest innovators Grand Prix racing has ever seen.

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: Cosworth DFV

Gearbox: Hewland FG400

Chassis: Aluminum monocoque with honeycomb sandwich floor, perforated stress-panels bulkhead and single fuel cell.

Suspension: Front: Upper rocker arms, lower wishbones and inboard coil spring/damper units. Rear: Lower wishbones, upper rocker arms and inboard coil spring/damper units.

Wheelbase: 108 inches

Front track: 70 inches

Rear Track: 64 inches

Weight: 1132 pounds

Acknowledgements / Resources

The author would like to thank Clive Chapman and the staff at Classic Team Lotus for granting me the honor of driving their invaluable World Championship-winning Lotus 79, and for arranging our visit to the famous Hethel test track where we were able to run 79-3. I will be forever thankful. Thanks go also to my good friend John Pearson who gave me encouragement throughout the day, and to whose words of wisdom I listened to carefully before I climbed into 79-3 for my first outing.

Lotus – All the Cars by Anthony Pritchard