1961 F1 Lotus Type 21

Winner 1961 United States GP (the first win for Team Lotus)

• Built originally as a Works Team Lotus racing car
• Drivers: Innes Ireland, Jim Clark and Stirling Moss
• Steel spaceframe chassis, glass fibre & aluminium bodywork
• 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder Coventry Climax FPF
• Horsepower: 150bhp
• Weight: 449kg
• Top speed: 137mph
• The second rear engined Lotus F1 car design
• In 1961 F1 changed from a 2.5-litre to a 1.5-litre engine category so top speeds reduced
• Colin Chapman recognised that the rear engine layout was the way to go so set about designing the best
• A principal benefit of rear engine was doing away with the complications and weight of the propshaft running from front to back which meant the driver was able to sit lower in the cockpit
• All in all, the engine and gearbox being united at the back of the car was so much better packaging-wise
• The smaller 1.5-litre engine enabled smaller frontal area cars with less drag
• Colin Chapman designed inboard front suspension to improve airflow between the front wheels and the bodywork, thereby reducing drag further
• The driving position was angled back to sit the driver lower still and reduce drag even more; with horsepower reduced drag was even more critical than ever