Details of Cars

Lotus 87: carbon fibre and the twin-chassis hangover

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Lotus 87
Lotus 87. Photo by Thomas Vogt from Paderborn, Deutschland, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

The Lotus 87 was a Formula One racing car used by Team Lotus in the second half of the 1981 season and in the first race of 1982. It was driven by Elio de Angelis and the future champion Nigel Mansell.

Lotus 87 at a glance

Lotus 87 key facts
Raced 1981, second half; first race of 1982
Drivers Elio de Angelis, Nigel Mansell
Chassis carbon fibre reinforced with Kevlar sheets
Origin rebuilt from the outlawed twin-chassis Lotus 88
Engine Cosworth DFV
Points 13 with the 87 during 1981
Tyres switched from Michelin to Goodyear during the season
1982 version 87B, lighter, no points
Replaced by Lotus 91

Based on one source (English Wikipedia).

History of the Lotus 87

The 87 was another step in Lotus’s development of ground-effect cars. Its predecessor, the Lotus 81, had a chassis that was not rigid enough compared with the dominant Williams FW07, so Lotus built a new chassis from carbon fibre reinforced with Kevlar sheets, believing carbon fibre alone would not be enough. As John Barnard’s all-carbon McLaren MP4/1 later showed, that was a miscalculation.

Lotus 87 of 1982
Lotus 87 in 1982 specification. Photo by Charles from Port Chester, New York, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

The chassis had originally been planned for the ambitious twin-chassis Lotus 88. After that car was outlawed, it was hastily rebuilt into the more conservative 87.

The car was not competitive enough to fight for victories, although the drivers scored points: 13 of them with the 87 during the season, when Lotus also switched from Michelin to Goodyear tyres. When the turbocharged Renault and Ferrari engines became more reliable, the 87 proved too heavy and was replaced by a lighter 87B specification for the opening round of 1982, which scored no points. It was then replaced altogether by the Lotus 91, which was more competitive and took a podium on its first outing in Brazil.

Design and features

  • Carbon fibre and Kevlar: a stiffer chassis than the Lotus 81’s.
  • Rebuilt from the 88: a hasty conversion of the outlawed twin-chassis design.
  • Ground effect: conventional skirts and underbody tunnels.
  • Too heavy: the arrival of reliable turbo engines exposed its weight.

Lotus 87 versions

  • Lotus 87 (1981): the original car, 13 points.
  • Lotus 87B (1982): lighter specification for the first race of the season.

The 87 followed the Lotus 81 and was replaced by the Lotus 91 before the turbo era began with the Lotus 93T. More racing cars are in the Lotus collection.

Sources

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