Lotus 95T

The Lotus 95T was a Formula One racing car designed by Gérard Ducarouge for use by Team Lotus in the 1984 FIA Formula One World Championship. The car was powered by the Renault Gordini EF4 V6 turbo engine and ran on Goodyear tyres, after Lotus had switched from Pirelli. It was a development of the Lotus 94T, which had proved competitive at the end of 1983.

The 95T of Elio de Angelis at the 1984 Detroit Grand Prix
Cockpit of the 95T
Rear wing of the 95T
Renault Gordini EF4 engine in the 95T

Lotus 95T
CategoryFormula One
ConstructorLotus
Designer(s)Gérard Ducarouge
Predecessor94T
Successor97T
Technical specifications[1]
ChassisKevlar / Nomex honeycomb monocoque
Suspension (front)Double-wishbones, pull-rod, coil springs
Suspension (rear)Double-wishbones, pull-rod, coil springs
Axle trackFront: 1,800 mm (71 in)
Rear: 1,700 mm (67 in)
Wheelbase2,775 mm (109.3 in)
EngineRenault Gordini EF4, 1,492 cc (91.0 cu in), 90° V6, turbocharger, mid-engine, longitudinally-mounted
TransmissionLotus / Hewland 5-speed manual
Power750–760 hp (559.3–566.7 kW) @ 11,500 rpm[2]
Weight540 kg (1,190 lb)
FuelElf
TyresGoodyear
Competition history
Notable entrantsJohn Player Team Lotus
Notable drivers11. Elio de Angelis
12. Nigel Mansell
Debut1984 Brazilian Grand Prix
RacesWinsPodiumsPolesF.Laps
160620
Constructors' Championships0
Drivers' Championships0

The car was driven by Elio de Angelis and Nigel Mansell, both of whom were consistently competitive in a season otherwise dominated by McLaren. De Angelis finished in the top five on eleven occasions, including four podium finishes; he also took pole position at the opening race in Brazil. With 34 points, he was third in the Drivers' Championship.

Mansell, meanwhile, finished third in France and the Netherlands, and was running second in the final race in Portugal when his brakes failed (which handed Niki Lauda the Drivers' Championship by half a point from Alain Prost). However, he also crashed out of the lead at a rain-hit Monaco (which prompted team boss Peter Warr, with whom he had a difficult relationship, to famously declare, "He'll never win a Grand Prix as long as I have a hole in my arse"[3]), and in oppressive heat at Dallas he took pole position and led the first half of the race, before his gearbox failed on the final lap and he collapsed from exhaustion trying to push the car to the finish line.[4] He ultimately finished equal ninth in the Drivers' Championship with 13 points, the same tally as Ayrton Senna, who would replace him for 1985.

With a total of 47 points, Lotus placed third in the Constructors' Championship, its best placing since 1978. The 95T was seen by many in Formula One as being as good as the dominant McLaren MP4/2, its biggest problems being the tyres, the gearbox and the Renault engine, which despite being powerful and reliable was not as fuel-efficient as the TAG-Porsche engine in the McLaren. Nonetheless, the car had helped to re-establish Lotus as consistent front-runners, and would be succeeded for 1985 by a further development, the Lotus 97T.[5]

After Formula One

Mansell's 95T was auctioned by Mecum Auctions in Monterey, California in August 2013, with a pre-sale estimate of between $500,000 and $600,000.[6] However, it failed to sell.[7]

Complete Formula One results

(key) (results in bold indicate pole position)

Year Team Engine Tyres Drivers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Points WCC
1984 John Player Team Lotus Renault Gordini EF4
V6 tc		 G BRA RSA BEL SMR FRA MON CAN DET DAL GBR GER AUT NED ITA EUR POR 47 3rd
Elio de Angelis 3 7 5 3 5 5 4 2 3 4 Ret Ret 4 Ret Ret 5
Nigel Mansell Ret Ret Ret Ret 3 Ret 6 Ret 6 Ret 4 Ret 3 Ret Ret Ret

Notes
  1. "1984 Lotus 95T Renault - Images, Specifications and Information". Ultimatecarpage.com. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  2. https://www.statsf1.com/en/moteur-renault.aspx
  3. Taylor, Simon (December 2009). "Lunch with... Nigel Mansell". Motor Sport. London. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
  4. "Push To Pass Out - Nigel Mansell's 1984 Lotus 95T Comes Up For Auction". 4 July 2013. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  5. "Lotus 95T - F1technical.net". www.f1technical.net. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  6. "1984 Lotus Type 95T John Player Special". Mecum Auctions. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  7. "Mecum - Monterey, CA - August 15-17, 2013" (PDF). Sports Car Market. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
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