Description:

994 Lotus 107C (only 3 build)

At the end of the 1993 season, Team Lotus’ finances were in a bad way. The newly released book: Team Lotus, Struggling Beyond The Post Colin Chapman Era details how and why Team Lotus got there by the early 1990’s. Their Chris Murphy designed 107B was fast but unreliable, whilst its complex active suspension and customer Cosworth HB engines had drained resources. Along came Honda with the Mugen brand and an updated 1989 ZA5 V10 engine, a no cost factory option. Furthermore, F1 rules for 1994 have changed, in comes mid-race refuelling with reduced fuel tank sizes inside cars. Active suspension is also banned so it’s back to Penske dampers and ant heave bars.

Three new type 107C chassis are built as an interim before the arrival later in the season of the new for 1994 Lotus 109, which was narrower than the 107B tub. The new Mugen V10 engine allowed a slimmer engine cover, but the tub forward of the mirrors was kept the same to keep its impact test certification. A new semi-automatic gearbox (normal clutch, paddle shift gear changes) was introduced. A signal from the steering wheel paddle would rotate the gear selection barrel to the next gear via a Moog valve and electronics to raise or lower engine revs and retrying selection until the gear is found. This was worth at least half a second per lap. The hand shift blister on the tub was kept in case the new change didn’t work. Drivers for 1994 would be Johnny Herbert and Pedro Lamy with Alex Zanardi as their test driver.

The competed races in 1994 chassis # 01*

• Brazil       Interlagos                       Johnny Herbert.        7th position
• Monte    Carlo Monaco            Pedro Lamy.                11th position
• Japan     Aida                                Pedro Lamy                   8th position

Warm ups chassis # 01*

• Italy**       Imola                        Johnny Herbert
• Japan        Aida                           Johnny Herbert

Spare car chassis # 01**

• Italy        San Marino

** That weekend was marked by the tragic deaths of Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger, along with Rubens Barrichello’s serious crash.

Tests chassis # 01*

• Spain Barcelona                                    Alex Zanardi & Pedro Lamy
• England Snetterton.                           Alex Zanardi
• France Croix-en-Ternois.                 Alex Zanardi
• England Silverstone                          Pedro Lamy
• ItalyI mola                                             Alex Zanardi

*All official datasheets and documentation from the Lotus F1 Team are presented as proof.

Its a none running original chassis with a show F1 engine.

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