The Lotus 95T was a Formula One racing car designed by Gérard Ducarouge for Team Lotus in the 1984 championship. It brought Lotus its best results for several seasons and often reached the podium.
Lotus 95T at a glance
| Season | 1984 Formula One |
|---|---|
| Designer | Gérard Ducarouge |
| Engine | Renault Gordini EF4 turbo V6 |
| Tyres | Goodyear, after switching from Pirelli |
| Based on | Lotus 94T |
| Drivers | Elio de Angelis, Nigel Mansell |
| De Angelis | 3rd in the championship, 34 points, four podiums, pole in Brazil |
| Mansell | equal 9th, 13 points |
| Constructors | 3rd with 47 points, best since 1978 |
| Praise | AUTOCOURSE called it the best-handling car of 1984 |
Based on one source (English Wikipedia).
History of the Lotus 95T
The 95T was a development of the Lotus 94T, which had proved competitive at the end of 1983. It was powered by the Renault Gordini EF4 turbo V6 and ran on Goodyear tyres after Lotus switched from Pirelli. The editor of the AUTOCOURSE annual in 1984 called its chassis the best handling of the season in the annual’s team-by-team review, which was particularly positive about the Lotus mechanical grip in slow corners, finding it equal to if not slightly better than the McLaren MP4/2. The same review noted that the McLaren was more aerodynamically efficient and better in fast corners, but praised Gérard Ducarouge’s technical leadership for reviving Lotus after a dismal 1983.
Elio de Angelis and Nigel Mansell were consistently competitive in a season otherwise dominated by McLaren. De Angelis finished in the top five eleven times, including four podiums, and took pole position at the opening race in Brazil; with 34 points he was third in the drivers’ championship.
Mansell finished third in France and the Netherlands and was running second in the final race in Portugal when his brakes failed, which handed Niki Lauda the title by half a point from Alain Prost. He also crashed out of the lead in a rain-hit Monaco, prompting team boss Peter Warr to declare that he would never win a Grand Prix while Warr had a hole in his arse, and in the heat of Dallas he took pole position and led the first half before his gearbox failed on the final lap and he collapsed trying to push the car home. He finished equal ninth with 13 points, the same as Ayrton Senna, who replaced him for 1985.
With 47 points Lotus placed third in the constructors’ championship, its best since 1978. Many in Formula One saw the 95T as good as the dominant McLaren, its biggest problems being the tyres, the gearbox and the Renault engine, which was powerful and reliable but less fuel-efficient than the TAG-Porsche. The car re-established Lotus as a consistent front-runner and was developed into the Lotus 97T for 1985. Mansell’s 95T was auctioned by Mecum in Monterey in August 2013 with an estimate of $500,000 to $600,000, but failed to sell.
Design and features
- Renault turbo: the Gordini EF4 V6.
- Best-handling chassis: praised by AUTOCOURSE for its mechanical grip in slow corners.
- Strong season: four podiums for de Angelis and third in the constructors’ championship.
- Known weaknesses: tyres, gearbox and the Renault’s fuel consumption.
Lotus 95T versions
- Lotus 95T (1984): the only version, developed from the 94T.
The 95T followed the Renault-turbo Lotus 93T and was developed into the Lotus 97T. More racing cars are in the Lotus collection.
Sources
- Lotus 95T, English Wikipedia: design, chassis praise, 1984 season, auction
