Lotus 79
The Lotus 79 was a built by the British Racing Team Lotus Formula 1 racing car, which came in the World Cup for use in 1978 and 1979. With the Lotus 79 Mario Andretti won the 1978 Formula 1 World Championship and the Constructors Lotus Cup.
The Lotus 79 was the logical development of the Lotus 78 and the dominant Formula 1 car of the season 1978. Was constructed of 79 by the team who had worked in charge of the 78. Ralph Martin Ogilvie Bellamy and were responsible for the chassis, Peter Wright refined and improved the properties of the ground effect vehicle. The side panels each containing a radiator. In the left part of the water cooler was integrated, the right took on the oil cooler. In contrast to the 78 of the fuel tank between the cockpit and engine was installed. Experiments with a transmission that had a free run, were abandoned and the team picked for the racing version back to a Hewland FG -400 transmission. As engine came back the Cosworth V8 engine used.
His racing debut in the Lotus 79 at the Belgian Grand Prix at Zolder. Mario Andretti started from pole position and won the race by ten seconds ahead of his team mate Ronnie Peterson, who still had to start with 78. From the next race, the Grand Prix of Spain, both factory riders went with the 79 at the start. The race in Jarama ended simultaneously with a double victory for Lotus.
Until the Italian Grand Prix Andretti (6) and Peterson ( 1) had seven wins retracted with the Lotus 79. At Monza, Peterson was involved in a mass collision at the start. A day later, he succumbed to the injuries it suffered during a clinic. However, the Swede had gone in 78 into the race. Andretti reached sixth place in the race and secured the world title. Although the Americans was the first at the finish, but was occupied for a jump start with one penalty.
After the Grand Prix of Italy of success running the car ripped off. Peterson substitute Jean -Pierre Jarier still led the Grand Prix of Canada, until he had a brake failure in the 49th round.
In 1979, the Argentine Carlos Reutemann in the team. After the follow up, the Lotus 80, turned out to be a failure, the team reached this year, back to three races on the 79. The best rankings this season were the second courses of Reutemann in Argentina and Spain. In the Constructors' Cup Lotus was in fourth place with 39 points.
The Lotus 79 was a model for other designers. Numerous teams copied the idea. Tyrrell gave the blueprints of 79 Japanese a manufacturer of model cars. Hector Rebaque bought end of 1978 the first copy of the Lotus 79 and was built by Penske Racing is a true copy of the car that he and his team Rebaque 100 brought in 1979 under the name Rebaque HR at the start.