Lotus 94T
94T of Nigel Mansell at the 2012 Goodwood Festival of Speed
CategoryFormula One
ConstructorLotus
Designer(s)Gérard Ducarouge (Technical Director)
Martin Ogilvie (Chief Designer)
Predecessor93T
Successor95T
Technical specifications[1]
ChassisCarbon fibre and Kevlar monocoque
Suspension (front)Double-wishbones, pull rod, coil springs
Suspension (rear)Double-wishbones, pull rod, coil springs
Axle trackFront: 1,816 mm (71 in)
Rear: 1,664 mm (66 in)
Wheelbase2,654 mm (104 in)
EngineRenault Gordini EF1, 1,492 cc (91.0 cu in), 90° V6, turbo, mid-engine, longitudinally-mounted
TransmissionLotus / Hewland 5-speed manual
Power650 hp (484.7 kW) @ 12,000 rpm[2]
Weight545 kg (1,202 lb)
FuelElf
TyresPirelli
Competition history
Notable entrantsJohn Player Team Lotus
Notable drivers11. Italy Elio de Angelis
12. United Kingdom Nigel Mansell
Debut1983 British Grand Prix
RacesWinsPodiumsPolesF/Laps
70111
Constructors' Championships0
Drivers' Championships0

The Lotus 94T was a Formula One racing car used by Team Lotus in the second part of the 1983 Formula One season.

Design and development

The car was designed and built in only five weeks by the incumbent designer Gérard Ducarouge, who was brought into the team by boss Peter Warr in an attempt to stave off the uncompetitiveness of the previous Lotus cars.[3]

The car was powered by the Renault Gordini EF1 V6-turbo engine, and ran on Pirelli tyres. It featured a lower, slimmer monocoque with improved weight distribution over its predecessor.

Racing history

The 94T made its debut at the 1983 British Grand Prix and proved to be competitive in the hands of Nigel Mansell, who came home fourth in the race, and Elio de Angelis, and provided an upswing in form for the Lotus team which would carry them into the 1984 season with a developed version of the car. Its best result was a third-place at the 1983 European Grand Prix with Mansell, who also claimed the fastest lap in the race, while de Angelis won the pole position.[4] De Angelis scored two points with the car, but Mansell made it into the top six on several occasions, and finished the season with 12 points to his credit.[5]

Complete Formula One results

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

Year Entrant Engine Tyres Drivers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Points WCC
1983 John Player Team Lotus Renault Gordini EF1
V6 tc		 P BRA USW FRA SMR MON BEL DET CAN GBR GER AUT NED ITA EUR RSA 11* 8th
Elio de Angelis Ret Ret Ret Ret 5 Ret Ret
Nigel Mansell 4 5 Ret 8 3 Ret

* Lotus also used the 92 and 93T models in 1983 but scored all Lotus-Renault points with the 94T; for the German Grand Prix Mansell used the 94T in practice but used the 93T in the race. He also scored a point in the Detroit Grand Prix with the 92, but since the car used a different engine from the one the 94T used, the point counted towards Lotus-Ford in the Constructors’ Championship.[6]

References

  1. ↑ "1984 Lotus 95T Renault - Images, Specifications and Information". Ultimatecarpage.com. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  2. ↑ "Engine Renault • STATS F1".
  3. ↑ "Obituary: Gerard Ducarouge, 1941-2015". racer.com. 25 February 2015. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  4. ↑ "European GP, 1983". www.grandprix.com. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  5. ↑ "Nigel Mansell's best drives". Motor Sport Magazine. 8 August 2019. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  6. ↑ "1983 Detroit Grand Prix II - Race Result". f1.com. 29 April 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
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