For the first race of the 1982 season, in South Africa at the Kyalami circuit, the Lotus team still used the 87B chassis, entrusted to the two drivers retained from the previous season: Italian Elio de Angelis and Englishman Nigel Mansell. Already by the second race in Brazil, the new Lotus 91 made its debut, designed by Technical Director and team owner Colin Chapman, assisted by Chief Designer Martin Ogilvie and aerodynamic engineer Tony Rudd.
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| LOTUS 91, Elio de Angelis Österreichring, Austrian GP 1982 |
The disappointing results of recent seasons led Chapman to design a more conventional car, inspired, as had become standard, by the outstanding Williams FW07. However, the innovative “88” double-chassis concept was not completely abandoned. The 91 used the carbon monocoque from the “88,” housing the classic naturally aspirated 3-liter Ford-Cosworth DFV V8 paired with a Hewland FGA gearbox modified by Lotus.
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| LOTUS 91, Nigel Mansell Hockenheimring, German GP 1982 |
Lotus engineers also developed a new type of suspension that became the defining feature of the Lotus 91. Chapman designed a revolutionary active suspension system, drawing on experience from the “88.” The Lotus 91 was the first F1 car to use such a system, which allowed control over suspension behavior while driving. Unlike on the “88,” where suspension stiffness increased in proportion to aerodynamic downforce, the 91’s system used hydro-pneumatic valves controlled by the driver, later refined with a computer that could automatically adjust the car’s setup. To offset the weight of the active suspension, carbon brake discs and calipers were used, following Brabham’s example.
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| LOTUS 91, Elio de Angelis Österreichring, Austrian GP 1982 |
Under Team Manager Peter Warr’s leadership, the team worked hard to make the car as competitive as possible. Thanks to its excellent, lightweight carbon chassis and Cosworth’s effort to supply Lotus exclusively with a short-stroke version of the DFV, the Lotus 91 proved quite competitive. However, the lack of a turbo engine was felt, especially in qualifying, where the two cars often had to start from the back of the grid. Still, strong race performance allowed De Angelis and Mansell to frequently score points, making Lotus the fifth-strongest team in the 1982 championship.
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| LOTUS 91, Elio de Angelis Zandvoort, Dutch GP 1982 |
De Angelis even secured a win at the Austrian GP in Zeltweg, along with three fourth places, two fifths, and a sixth. His teammate Mansell earned a third-place finish in the car’s debut in Brazil and a fourth at Monaco. On two occasions, however, Mansell had to sit out: replaced in the Netherlands by Brazilian Roberto Moreno and in France by Briton Geoff Lees.
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| Peter Warr with Colin Chapman at Long Beach |
De Angelis’s victory in Austria at the wheel of the 91 was the last win for a Lotus F1 car under Colin Chapman's leadership before the brilliant British designer passed away from a heart attack on December 16, 1982.
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