such as Costin had built planes around them for 50 years,
while Jaguar’s Le Mans-winning D-type was underpinned by
a full monocoque. But only after Chapman’s napkin sketches
while dining with Costin, and a wonderfully inspired trial-
and-error build process from those basic drawings, did Team
Lotus’s mechanics realise just what the Old Man had hit upon,
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The genius was in the packaging. The problem of where
to place fuel around the driver had dogged Chapman in his
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Instead of tanks above the driver’s legs, fuel would be carried
in rubber bags posited within the aluminium pontoons, with
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establishing the straight-armed posture that would become
the future two-time champion’s visual signature. Then there
was the new, powerful V8 engine from British builders
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truck motors), which would sit within the monocoque as a
part-stressed member, adding to the impressive rigidity.
At the dawn of the new era
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left teeth-marks in the British
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than half a year later, the
wounds would become a faded
scar thanks to Chapman’s 25.
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wouldn’t be instantaneous.
After clutch problems ruined
the Dutch debut, he’d win three
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Watkins Glen, only for a seized
engine to thwart his title bid in
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But in the year that would
follow nothing could stop
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the ten championship rounds
would fall to the quiet farmer and his Type 25 R4 – four of
them consecutively and on the same set of Dunlops! With
further victories in the numerous non-championship races,
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The return of designer Len Terry is credited for the 25’s
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from their creation to begin plotting their parallel campaign
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original, and suspension development brought ever greater
gains from the improving Dunlops. Clark made hay.
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although it admittedly only fell into his lap after another Clark
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his making, Clark would have won four consecutive titles.
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,QWKRVHHDUO\PRQWKVRI¶RQWKHUDGLRRQJUDLQ\79
sets and in theatres up and down the land, the Beatles sent
Britain’s youth into hysteria and simultaneously charmed the
cognoscenti, as Please Please Me shot to the top of the charts
to open a torrent of music that would change the world.
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Culture, society, sport... the pace of change was breathless.
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British Racing Green Lotus with the vivid yellow stripe
represented everything that was fresh and inspiring. What a
time to be alive. It seemed like those days would never end.SPECIFICATION
Chassis Fibreglass body on aluminium monocoque
Front suspension Double wishbones, inboard coil
springs over dampers
Rear suspension Reversed lower wishbones, top links,
twin radius arms, coil springs over dampers, anti-roll bar
Wheelbase 2310mm
Engine Coventry Climax FWMV 90-degree V8
Engine capacity 1495cc
Power 195bhp @ 9,500rpm
Gearbox ZF 5DS-10 5-speed manual
Tyres Dunlop
Weight 451kg
Notable drivers Jim Clark, Trevor Taylor, Peter Arundell,
Mike Spence, Chris Amon, Mike Hailwood, Richard AttwoodRACE RECORD
Starts 60
Wins 14
Poles 18
Fastest laps 14
Other podiums 4
Points (1962-63) 90“WITHOUT
THOSE
FAILURES,
NOT OF HIS
MAKING,
CLARK WOULD
HAVE WON
FOUR TITLES”