Lotus 96T
Encyclopedia
The Lotus type 96T was Team Lotus
's last Indycar
.
The project was the brainchild of former Formula 2 team owner Roy Winkelmann. During the 1960s Winklemann had proved successful running Brabhams and scoring successes with Jochen Rindt
. However this team was to break up suddenly in 1969 with some of the core personnel (including Alan Rees
) forming March Engineering
.
Winklemann then relocated himself in the United States and built up a large and diverse business empire. Following the creation of the CART
series in 1979 Winklemann saw a perceived blossoming of international interest and was once again lured to an opportunity to race again. However he did not wish to buy an "off-the-shelf" March or Lola chassis as was de rigueur in CART
racing during the 1980s. Instead he initially approached Cosworth
and obtained some assurances that they would be prepared to build "works" engines for his team. All teams in the championship were effectively running second-hand DFX engines at this point, with little input from Cosworth.
Winklemann then approached Team Lotus
and their new designer Gérard Ducarouge
to obtain a bespoke chassis with the plan of competing and conquering CART within three years. Ducarouge enlisted Mike Coughlan
to help design the chassis.
The 96T was Ducarogue's response to these requirements. Its tub, lines and suspension were similar to the Lotus 95T
that was racing in the 1984 Formula One Championships, but with one significant design alteration. Ducarouge had foreseen that the car stood the very real possibility of hitting a concrete retaining wall at over 200 mph (322 km/h). Therefore the chassis was modified.
Since 1981 all Formula one Lotuses had been constructed of a carbon/Kevlar (Chapman Tartan) sandwich with the void between the two filled with Nomex
paper foil. The Type 96T departed from this by having the void filled with a lightweight aluminium-foil honeycomb. This modification was significant as it built in extra strength at no cost to weight and was to lay the foundations for all future Lotus Formula 1 chassis.
Despite the project's promising beginnings it was to be the American CART
establishment's lack of enthusiasm (interpreted by some as outward hostility) for a “works team” that was to effectively kill this project. The repercussions of this were to virtually guarantee none of the sponsorship that Winklemann had originally been so confident of. Also with a lack of sponsorship many drivers were not willing to sacrifice their growing reputations with an unknown European team, despite the legacy that team came with.
The one and only prototype now resides with Classic Team Lotus.
Team Lotus
Team Lotus was the motorsport sister company of English sports car manufacturer Lotus Cars. The team ran cars in many motorsport series including Formula One, Formula Two, Formula Ford, Formula Junior, IndyCar and sports car racing...
's last Indycar
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
.
The project was the brainchild of former Formula 2 team owner Roy Winkelmann. During the 1960s Winklemann had proved successful running Brabhams and scoring successes with Jochen Rindt
Jochen Rindt
Karl Jochen Rindt was a German racing driver who represented Austria during his career. He is the only driver to posthumously win the Formula One World Drivers' Championship , after being killed in practice for the Italian Grand Prix...
. However this team was to break up suddenly in 1969 with some of the core personnel (including Alan Rees
Alan Rees
Alan Rees is a British former racing driver from Wales. He participated in three World Championship Grands Prix in the 1960s, although two of those appearances were driving Formula 2 cars...
) forming March Engineering
March Engineering
March Engineering was a Formula One constructor and manufacturer of customer racing cars from the United Kingdom. Although only moderately successful in Grand Prix competition, March racing cars enjoyed much better achievement in other categories of competition including Formula Two, Formula Three,...
.
Winklemann then relocated himself in the United States and built up a large and diverse business empire. Following the creation of the CART
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
series in 1979 Winklemann saw a perceived blossoming of international interest and was once again lured to an opportunity to race again. However he did not wish to buy an "off-the-shelf" March or Lola chassis as was de rigueur in CART
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
racing during the 1980s. Instead he initially approached Cosworth
Cosworth
Cosworth is a high performance engineering company founded in London in 1958, specialising in engines and electronics for automobile racing , mainstream automotive and defence industries...
and obtained some assurances that they would be prepared to build "works" engines for his team. All teams in the championship were effectively running second-hand DFX engines at this point, with little input from Cosworth.
Winklemann then approached Team Lotus
Team Lotus
Team Lotus was the motorsport sister company of English sports car manufacturer Lotus Cars. The team ran cars in many motorsport series including Formula One, Formula Two, Formula Ford, Formula Junior, IndyCar and sports car racing...
and their new designer Gérard Ducarouge
Gérard Ducarouge
Gérard Ducarouge is a French former Formula One car designer. Like many designers, his background was based in aeronautical engineering...
to obtain a bespoke chassis with the plan of competing and conquering CART within three years. Ducarouge enlisted Mike Coughlan
Mike Coughlan
Mike Coughlan is a race car designer. On 3 May 2011 it was announced that Coughlan will become the Chief Designer for Williams F1...
to help design the chassis.
The 96T was Ducarogue's response to these requirements. Its tub, lines and suspension were similar to the Lotus 95T
Lotus 95T
The Lotus 95T was an F1 car designed by Gérard Ducarouge for Team Lotus' use in the 1984 Formula One season. It was Lotus' first newly designed chassis since the Lotus 88. The car was powered by a Renault turbo V6 engine with twin Garrett turbochargers. It was a development of the previous Lotus...
that was racing in the 1984 Formula One Championships, but with one significant design alteration. Ducarouge had foreseen that the car stood the very real possibility of hitting a concrete retaining wall at over 200 mph (322 km/h). Therefore the chassis was modified.
Since 1981 all Formula one Lotuses had been constructed of a carbon/Kevlar (Chapman Tartan) sandwich with the void between the two filled with Nomex
Nomex
Nomex is a registered trademark for flame resistant meta-aramid material developed in the early 1960s by DuPont and first marketed in 1967.- Properties:...
paper foil. The Type 96T departed from this by having the void filled with a lightweight aluminium-foil honeycomb. This modification was significant as it built in extra strength at no cost to weight and was to lay the foundations for all future Lotus Formula 1 chassis.
Despite the project's promising beginnings it was to be the American CART
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
establishment's lack of enthusiasm (interpreted by some as outward hostility) for a “works team” that was to effectively kill this project. The repercussions of this were to virtually guarantee none of the sponsorship that Winklemann had originally been so confident of. Also with a lack of sponsorship many drivers were not willing to sacrifice their growing reputations with an unknown European team, despite the legacy that team came with.
The one and only prototype now resides with Classic Team Lotus.