GRR

Video: So good it was banned – The Lotus 88

20th May 2016
Ben Miles

By 1981 Ground Effect F1 cars had become so advanced that the governing body, worried that drivers would begin to pass out due to the high cornering speeds, took steps to try and slow them down. What they didn't take into account was the genius of Colin Chapman and his visionary Lotus crew.

Chapman, already virtually the father of ground effect, set out to get around the stiff new rules, which banned the use of 'skirts' to seal the all-important airflow under the car. The result was the Lotus 88, which ran two seperate chassis in an attempt to recapture the massive amounts of downforce of previous years. But what happened to the infamous 88? Find out in the video.

  • F1

  • Lotus

  • 88

  • lotus-88-dario-franchitti-74mm-mmfm-video-goodwood-31032020.jpg

    Formula 1

    Video: Dario Franchitti drives the banned Lotus 88

  • f1-1981-brazil-practice-lotus-88-elio-de-angelis-lat-mi-main-11032022.jpg

    Formula 1

    The Lotus 88 is the most ingenious F1 car ever | Thank Frankel it’s Friday

  • graham-hill-lotus-56-launch-thin-sidebar.jpg

    Formula 1

    The nine best Lotus racing cars

Explore the latest additions to our Revival collection

SHOP NOW