Lotus 63

The Lotus 63 was a four-wheel driven Formula 1 racing car, built and used in 1969 by British Formula 1 Team Lotus.

Construction

In the design of complex Lotus 63 Colin Chapman and Maurice Philippe drew on the experience in the construction of the Lotus 56, which came into use in the 500 miles of Indianapolis in 1966. The vehicle had four wheel drive and the engine, a DFV V8 Cosworth, sat " wrong " in the chassis. The clutch was behind the driver's seat and the gear left.

The four-wheel drive technology in itself was no revolution in Formula 1, in 1961 came the Ferguson P99 with this technology to a victory in a non for the World Cup scoring race in Oulton Park. In the late 1960s, some teams experimented again with this form of drive. The designed by Robin Herd Cosworth 4WD here was the most striking design, but the car never had a race.

The chassis of the Lotus 63 is a monocoque with auxiliary tubular frame front and rear, on which the suspension ( double wishbone ) and the differentials are attached. In the monocoque are on the left and right ( side of the driver ), the fuel tanks made ​​of rubber, another is installed between the engine and rear axle. The water cooler is housed in the front of the car, the oil cooler alternately behind the engine or behind the driver's head.

Prior to Ford V8 engine and behind the driver's seat, clutch, gearbox and (left ) are arranged in the central differential, from where the power is transmitted via rigid shafts at the front and rear differential.

Racing applications

The two regular drivers of 1969, Graham Hill and Jochen Rindt, had no real joy with the new police car and drove the entire season with the predecessor model, the Lotus 49 After initial tests called the Hill 63 is a " death trap ". The car was difficult to drive and also difficult to tune due to the complex drive. The best result achieved yet with a regular driver Jochen Rindt. Rindt was in front of the Oulton Park Gold Cup Race 1969, which, however, did not count to the F1 World Championship, persuaded by Chapman but to drive the 63 in a race. Rindt was second, but complained that the car was extremely dangerous.

So it was the third driver in the team, the Briton John Miles and committed for some race Mario Andretti reserved the to drive 63 in the World Cup. Miles managed the Grand Prix of Great Britain so rank 10, the best ranking of 63 in a World Championship race.

End of the season, the idea of ​​four-wheel drive at Lotus was given up again and focused on the construction of a new model. As a basis for the brilliant Lotus 72 but served many chassis parts of the unsuccessful 63

Race Results

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