Lotus 24
Lotus 24 BRM at the Silverstone Classic in 2018.
CategoryFormula One
ConstructorTeam Lotus
Designer(s)Colin Chapman
Predecessor21
Successor25
Technical specifications
ChassisSteel spaceframe
Suspension (front)Double wishbone, with inboard coilover spring/damper units.
Suspension (rear)Lower wishbone, top link and radius rod suspension, with outboard coilover spring/damper units.
EngineCoventry Climax FWMV, 1496cc, 90° V8
BRM P56, 1498 cc, 90° V8
Naturally aspirated mid-mounted
TransmissionZF 5DS10 5-speed manual
TyresDunlop
Competition history
Notable entrantsTeam Lotus
Brabham Racing Organisation
UDT Laystall Racing Team
Siffert Racing Team
Notable driversUnited Kingdom Trevor Taylor
France Maurice Trintignant
New Zealand Chris Amon
United Kingdom Innes Ireland
United States Masten Gregory
United States Roger Penske
Debut1962 Dutch Grand Prix
RacesWinsPodiumsPolesF/Laps
490100
Constructors' Championships0
Drivers' Championships0
n.b. Unless otherwise stated, all data refer to
Formula One World Championship Grands Prix only.

The Lotus 24 was a Formula One racing car[1] designed by Team Lotus for the 1962 Formula One season. Despite some early success in non-Championship Grands Prix, it was eclipsed by the technically superior Lotus 25 and rarely featured in the points in World Championship races.

Concept

Having devised the monocoque Lotus 25 for use by the works team, Colin Chapman decided to build a 'conventional' back-up spaceframe design which he would also sell to privateers. The 24 was a completely different design from its predecessor, the 21, and used much of the same suspension as the 25. Both Coventry Climax FWMV and BRM P56 engines were generally fitted, with at least one example running with the Coventry Climax FPF four-cylinder.

Racing history

Trevor Taylor at the 1962 Dutch Grand Prix.

The Lotus 24 made its debut at the 1962 Brussels Grand Prix. Jim Clark put it in pole position for the first heat, but retired after only one lap. Two weeks later Clark won the Lombank Trophy race at Snetterton. Its first World Championship event was the 1962 Dutch Grand Prix, where it finished second with Trevor Taylor. However, that would be its best Championship finish; the Lotus 25 had arrived on the scene and was obviously the way ahead, much to the chagrin of those who had paid good money for their 24. Colin Chapman had promised his customers that the team cars would be mechanically identical to the customer cars, leaving himself free to alter what he classified as the cars' "bodywork".[2]

The 24 continued to be run by private teams in 1963 and 1964 with limited success, and by 1965 only one World Championship entry was made, Brian Gubby failing to qualify for the British Grand Prix.

World Championship results

(key) (results in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Engine Driver 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Points[N 1] WCC
1962 Team Lotus Climax V8 NED MON BEL FRA GBR GER ITA USA RSA 36 (38)[N 1] 2nd
Trevor Taylor 2 Ret Ret 8 Ret
Brabham Racing Organisation Jack Brabham Ret 8 6 Ret 5
R.R.C. Walker Racing Team Maurice Trintignant WD Ret 8 7 WD Ret Ret Ret
Dupont Team Zerex Roger Penske 9
John Mecom Climax L4 Rob Schroeder 10
Scuderia SSS Republica di Venezia Nino Vacarella Ret
UDT Laystall Racing Team Climax V8 Innes Ireland Ret Ret Ret Ret 16 Ret 8 5
Masten Gregory 7
BRM V8 7 6 1[N 2] 8th
Autosport Team Wolfgang Seidel Dan Gurney DNS
Wolfgang Seidel Ret DNQ
Tony Shelly DNQ
Günther Seiffert DNQ
Ecurie Filipinetti Jo Siffert Ret DNQ
Heinz Schiller Ret
1963 British Racing Partnership Climax V8 MON BEL NED FRA GBR GER ITA USA MEX RSA 54 (74)[N 3] 1st
Innes Ireland Ret Ret
Bernard Collomb Bernard Collomb DNQ 10
Reg Parnell Racing Maurice Trintignant 8
Mike Hailwood 8
BRM V8 Hap Sharp Ret 7 4[N 2] 8th
Roger Ward Ret
Chris Amon Ret
Masten Gregory 11
Tim Parnell Ret Ret
Ecurie Filipinetti Phil Hill NC
British Racing Partnership Jim Hall Ret Ret 8 11 6 5 8 10 8
Siffert Racing Team Jo Siffert Ret Ret 7 6 Ret 9 Ret Ret 9
Selby Auto Spares Paddy Driver DNS
1964 Bernard Collomb Climax V8 MON NED BEL FRA GBR GER AUT ITA USA MEX 37 (40)[N 3] 3rd
Bernard Collomb DNQ
Siffert Racing Team BRM V8 Jo Siffert 8 3[N 2] 8th
British Racing Partnership Innes Ireland DNS
Trevor Taylor Ret
Reg Parnell Racing Peter Revson DSQ Ret
Revson Racing DNQ 14 13
1965 Brian Gubby Climax V8 RSA MON BEL FRA GBR NED GER ITA USA MEX 54 (58)[N 3] 1st
Brian Gubby DNQ

Notes

  1. 1 2 Points were awarded on a 9-6-4-3-2-1 basis to the first six finishers at each round, but only the best placed car for each make was eligible to score points. In 1962 only the best five results from the season were retained, and only the best six results for 1963, 1964 and 1965.
  2. 1 2 3 Total points scored by all Lotus-BRM cars, including points scored by drivers of Lotus 25 and Lotus 33 variants.
  3. 1 2 3 Total points scored by all Lotus-Climax cars, including points scored by drivers of Lotus 25 and Lotus 33 variants.

Bibliography

  • Whitelock, Mark (2006). 1½-litre Grand Prix Racing 1961-1965. Veloce Publishing Ltd. ISBN 184584016X.

References

  1. ↑ Automobile Year, No. 10, 1962-1963, Page 198.
  2. ↑ Blunsden, John (July 1962). "Lotus "Ramlösa" - Segervagnen i Spa" [Lotus' Frameless: the Victory Machine at Spa]. Illustrerad Motor Sport (in Swedish). No. 7–8. Lerum, Sweden. pp. 6–7.
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