42 years ago: the death of the brilliant Colin Chapman, founder of Lotus

This article comes from AUTOhebdo n°349, dated December 23, 1982

Anthony Colin Bruce Chapman, born in Richmond (Surrey) on May 19, 1928, died on December 16, struck down by a heart attack. A brutal death that no one expected but a death without hesitation, worthy of the character. It was in 1948 that Chapman, a young engineer who graduated from the University of London, began his career as a car manufacturer. MKl and MK2, two creations made around the Austin 7 on which he tries to integrate some personal solutions. It was during his military service (on behalf of the University Air Squadran within the RAF) that Colin became aware of the benefits of aeronautical technology.

Thus, the MK3, MK4 and the MK6 were born, of which a hundred units were produced. From then on, the craftsman's activities cannot be limited to Stanley Chapman's dilapidated barn, nor to the happy group of friends formed on the university benches. On January 1, 1952, Colin entered into a partnership with his future wife, Hazel Williams, and founded the “ Lotus Engineering Ltd” thanks to a fabulous loan of 25 pounds. A year later, wishing not to mix his commercial and sporting activities, Chapman created a second company, “Lotus Team Ltd”, responsible for designing, producing and operating future Lotus racing cars in competition.

The rest of this story is known, and 1957 will mark the beginning of the great adventure. It is first of all the design of the first F2 (MK12) with Climax front engine and the astonishing domination of the MKI 1, the sports boat which took 1st, 2nd and 4th places in the 1 100 cc class, 1st place in the 7 50 cc class and 1st and 2nd places on the performance index of 24 Hours of Le Mans of that year.

Lotus Cars Ltd, Lotus Components Ltd (for the marketing of kits and special parts), Lotus Engineering Ltd, Lotus Team Ltd, Chapman quickly became the leader of a veritable industrial orchestra in which sporting successes (thanks to Hawthorn, Hill, Allison, Flockart, Stacey, etc.) were coupled with commercial successes with the Lotus Seven, Elite, subcontracted by British Aircraft at a rate of 20 chassis per week, Elan, etc.

Clark-Lotus, an inseparable duo

It was in 1958, at the Monaco Grand Prix, that Lotus made its appearance in F1 with a 2-litre F12 chassis (MK2,2). A rather timid and difficult start, whose modest results continued in 59 despite the arrival of two new single-seaters (MK16 and 17) and the presence of three renowned drivers, Allison, Hill and Ireland. What was missing for success? The MK18, its 2 cc - 500 hp Coventry engine and its many subtleties. If Chapman had to follow in John Cooper's footsteps by moving the engine of his F240 from front to back, he did not deprive himself of bringing some rather personal discoveries.

Mixed aluminium-polyester bodywork, Lotus 5-speed gearbox (designed by Keith Duckworth) and dual fuel tanks, one of which, located on the driver's knees, was only used during the first few laps, until the front/rear mass balance became neutral. Then the driver diverted fuel to the central tank...

Ireland, Moss (on behalf of Rob Walker's semi-factory team) and Clark would accumulate successes during the 60 season while the first bereavement would strike the Lotus family. Alan Stacey, one-legged following a motorcycle accident, was killed at the Belgian GP. Taylor, Siffert, Arundell, Spence, Hill ... the drivers would follow one another at the wheel of Lotus but none of them would manage to achieve the glory, the prestige of Clark. The name of this Scot would become inseparable from that of Lotus, from that of Chapman, until this sad April 7, 1968. Rindt, Fittipaldi, Andretti and Peterson would nevertheless accumulate 35 victories in 8 seasons in a Lotus team that was no longer quite the same.

Jim Clark and Colin Chapman during the 1965 F1 season. © DPPI

Innovator or wonderful adapter?

In 30 years of professional life, how many technical feats can be attributed to Colin Chapman's credit? The Lotus 25 and its first monocoque chassis in 1962, the Lotus 49 and its V8 Cosworth carrier in 1967, the Lotus 72, its wedge line entirely devoted to the approach of aerodynamics and its torsion bar suspension. In 1970, the Lotus 78 and its sidepods in 1977. Four achievements that have marked the history of Formula 1, four "giant steps" that Chapman was able to impose on motorsport. Of course, behind these best-sellers, there are many "failures": the four-wheel drive Lotus 63, the turbine-powered Lotus 56 B, the variable geometry Lotus 76 and 77, the Texaco Star, a Lotus F2 with a Lotus engine... But the results remain highly positive. Does genius really exist?

More than his imagination, Chapman had the merit of drawing out the quintessence of the best engineers of the time and guiding them in the path he considered to be the master. Each of them left his mark: Mike and Frank Costin, Colin Dare, Peter Ross, Keith Duckworth, Len Terry, Ferguson, Alan Stiman, Tony Southgate, Ralph Bellamy, Maurice Philippe, Nigel Stroud, Peter Wright, Jeff Alam, Martin Ogilvie and others whose fame could not pierce the thick walls of Ketteringham Hall Castle.

In fact, Chapman may not be the creator whose name we glorify. No matter, he will remain the inventor of modern Formula 1 through a revolution far more important than the hull chassis or the load-bearing engine: in 1968, he swapped the traditional racing green (the English green) for the blood and gold colors of his sponsor, Gold Leaf. Commercial sport, "star" sport, spectacle sport, professional sport had just been born. Chapman will remain just as much the pioneer of a new philosophy of the racing car, the creator of a British school which, from 1962, would oppose the Ferrari school.

For the latter, F1 was based on a simple principle: engine first, everything else later. In the absence of sophisticated engines, Chapman judiciously applied the antithesis: an excellent chassis powered by a versatile engine. The finesse of a body, the elegance of a suspension, obsessive weight reduction, a car entirely devoted to aerodynamic laws, a car designed for the road, no longer for an engine. Chapman served as an example to Williams, Tyrrell, McLaren, those we call assemblers. Until the day these two philosophies collided. Lotus took over the turbos Renault, Ferrari hired an English “chassis” engineer.

Will Lotus survive?

A modern-day philosopher and an outstanding technician, Chapman was perhaps not the ideal manager, and his industrial empire was going through the years with more and more heaviness. The Moonraker shipyard died out three years ago, Lotus Cars was looking for support in Japan, Lotus Engineering was involved in a notorious scam, Team Lotus was impatiently waiting for a co-sponsor... and the arrival of Pirelli proves the difficulties.

Colin Chapman watches Elio de Angelis at the 1981 F1 British Grand Prix. © DPPI

A few weeks ago, the Sunday Times published an inglorious investigation into Chapman, predicting severe legal action. Lotus International, an engineering consultancy, had just experienced a mysterious episode during which a very large sum (two million pounds) offered by De Lorean for the study of short-term projects, had apparently escaped the British tax authorities through Swiss and South American subsidiaries. De Lorean vanished, as did its budget.

According to a British colleague, the scandal was to break out in the coming weeks and Chapman's personality seemed no longer able to save the situation. So much so that the heart attack of the "official" death was not missed to be doubled by the theory of suicide. Now gone, the iron man leaves a void difficult to fill and the entire Lotus empire risks not recovering from it. Let us hope that the legal and judicial entanglements do not come to destroy one of the finest jewels of our sport. Alan Stacey, Jim Clark, Jochen Rindt, Ronnie Peterson, please welcome the one who was your master.

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