Lotus 94T
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2017}}
{{Infobox racing car
| Image = 260 px
| Caption = 94T of Nigel Mansell at the 2012 Goodwood Festival of Speed
| Car_name = Lotus 94T
| Category = Formula One
| Constructor = Lotus
| Designer = Gérard Ducarouge (Technical Director)
Martin Ogilvie (Chief Designer)
| Predecessor = 93T
| Successor = 95T
| Team = John Player Team Lotus
| Drivers = 11. {{flagicon|ITA}} Elio de Angelis
12. {{flagicon|GBR}} Nigel Mansell
| Chassis = Carbon fibre and Kevlar monocoque
| Engine name = Renault Gordini EF1,
| Configuration = 90° V6,
| Capacity = {{convert|1492|cc|cuin|1|abbr=on}},
| Turbo/NA = turbo,
| Engine position = mid-engine, longitudinally-mounted
| Power = {{convert|650|hp|kW|1|abbr=on}} @ 12,000 rpm{{Cite web|url=https://www.statsf1.com/en/moteur-renault.aspx|title = Engine Renault • STATS F1}}
| Gearbox name = Lotus / Hewland
| Type = manual
| Gears = 5-speed
| Differential =
| Front suspension = Double-wishbones, pull rod, coil springs
| Rear suspension = Double-wishbones, pull rod, coil springs
| Wheelbase = {{convert|2654|mm|in|0|abbr=on}}
| Track = Front: {{convert|1816|mm|in|0|abbr=on}}
Rear: {{convert|1664|mm|in|0|abbr=on}}
| Fuel = Elf
| Tyres = Pirelli
| Weight = {{convert|545|kg|lb||abbr=on}}
| Debut = 1983 British Grand Prix
| Races = 7
| Cons_champ = 0
| Drivers_champ = 0
| Wins = 0
| Poles = 1
| Fastest_laps = 1
| Podiums = 1
}}
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.{{Cite web|url=https://racer.com/2015/02/25/obituary-gerard-ducarouge-1941-2015/|title=Obituary: Gerard Ducarouge, 1941-2015|date=25 February 2015|website=racer.com|access-date=27 December 2019}}
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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.grandprix.com/gpe/rr387.html|title=European GP, 1983|website=www.grandprix.com|access-date=27 December 2019}} 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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/history/f1/nigel-mansells-best-drives|title=Nigel Mansell's best drives|date=8 August 2019|website=Motor Sport Magazine|access-date=27 December 2019}}
Gallery
{{Gallery
|width=160 | height=170
|align=center
|File:Lotus 94T Mansell Goodwood 2011.jpg
|A Lotus 94T of Nigel Mansell at the 2011 Goodwood Festival of Speed
|File:Nigel Mansell Lotus 94T British GP 1983.jpg
|Mansell in his 94T at the 1983 British Grand Prix
|File:Elio De Angelis Lotus 94T Dutch GP 1983.jpg
|Elio de Angelis driving the 94T at the 1983 Dutch Grand Prix
}}
{{-}}
Complete Formula One results
(key) (results in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap)
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%" |
| Year
! Entrant ! Engine ! Tyres ! Drivers ! 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 ! 5 ! 6 ! 7 ! 8 ! 9 ! 10 ! 11 ! 12 ! 13 ! 14 ! 15 ! Points ! WCC |
|---|
| rowspan="3"| {{F1|1983}}
|rowspan="3"| John Player Team Lotus |rowspan="3"| Renault Gordini EF1 |rowspan="3"| {{Pirelli}} | | BRA | USW | FRA | SMR | MON | BEL | DET | CAN | GBR | GER | AUT | NED | ITA | EUR | RSA |rowspan="3"|11* |rowspan="3"|8th |
| align="left"| Elio de Angelis
| | | | | | | | | style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret | style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret | style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret | style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret | style="background:#dfffdf;"| 5 | style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret | style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret |
| align="left"| Nigel Mansell
| | | | | | | | | style="background:#dfffdf;"| 4 | | style="background:#dfffdf;"| 5 | style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret | style="background:#cfcfff;"| 8 | style="background:#ffdf9f;"| 3 | style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret |
* Lotus also used the 92 and 93T models in {{f1|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.{{Cite web |date=29 April 2023 |title=1983 Detroit Grand Prix II - Race Result |url=https://www.formula1.com/en/results.html/1983/races/8/detroit/race-result.html |access-date=29 April 2023 |website=f1.com}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{commons category|Lotus 94T}}
{{f1-stub}}
{{Team Lotus}}
{{Lotus}}
{{F1 cars 1983}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lotus 94T}}