Lotus 86 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2012. Photo by In Vitrio, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. (Credit links at the end of the content)
In the past, things were different. Many teams developed prototype cars that never reached the Formula 1 grid. Some remained experimental projects, others failed to pass pre-season tests, while some were abandoned due to financial struggles. Our next story is about the Lotus 86, an experimental car that paved the way for the controversial Lotus 88.
While we continue to bring interesting stories to our website, we have recently focused more on forgotten F1 drivers of the past, a topic that has been attracting growing interest among fans. However, the stories of what could have been are just as fascinating, offering a chance to explore the projects, cars, and teams that history has left behind.
Unraced Lotus 86
Here, we will explore the story of the Lotus 86, why the team built it, what they were testing, and what led them to develop such a different car from its rivals. We will also look at the thinking behind the project and what was on the mind of Colin Chapman when he came up with this unusual design.
The End of Ground Effect as Formula 1 Knew It
During the late 1970s, Team Lotus became one of the leading forces in F1 by introducing groundbreaking ground-effect technology.
The Lotus 78 and Lotus 79 demonstrated how carefully designed underbody tunnels could generate enormous aerodynamic downforce; by using side skirts to seal the airflow beneath the car, teams could create a poerful low-pressure area that effectively pulled the car toward the track. The tech transformed F1, allowing cars to go into the corner with remarkable speed.
For the 1981 season, new regulations banned sliding side skirts and introduced a minimum ride height requirement, these changes were intended to reduce the effectiveness of ground effect aerodynamics and low the cars down.
For Colin Chapman the founder of Lotus and one of F1’s most influential designers, the new rules presented another engineering challenge, rather than simply accepting the reduced aerodynamic performance, Chapman began exploring a different way to maintain downforce while complying with the regulations.
Colin Chapman’s Twin-Chassis Idea
The key to Chapman’s concept was separating the driver’s chassis from the aerodynamic bodywork.
F1 cars used always a single main structure that supported the driver, engine, suspension, and bodywork.
The proposed design of Champan was different, the aerodynamic outer body could move independently of the inner chassis.
The idea was to allow the outer structure to respond to aero forces while keeping the driver in a more convenctional suspension system.
At high speeds, the aero load would push the outer body closer to the track, helping the car maintain its ground-effect performance, meanwhile, the inner chassis would provide a more manageable ride for the driver.
IT was an ambitious solution to the restrictions introduced for 1981, Chapman believed the design could recover much of the downforce that had been lost under the new rules.
RELATED TO TEAM LOTUS: The Lotus 72 was another remarkable example of Colin Chapman’s engineering vision in Formula 1.
The Lotus 86: A Test Car Before the Revolution
The Lotus 86 was developed as an experimental car to investigate the twin-chassis concept.
Lotus 86 served as a development car that allowed the team to explore the unusual aerodynamic arrangement before committing to a more advanced design.
The car was based on an existing Lotus chassis and was used to test the principles behind Chapman’s idea, and the concept helped Team Lotus to understand how the two structures could interact under changing aero loads.
This testing was important because the concept introduced several engineering challenges; the out body for example, needed to remain stable, respond predictably to aiflow, and work alongside the inner chassis without compromising the car’s handling.
Lotus 86 was important step in the development process, even though it never appeared on the starting grid of a F1 race.
From Lotus 86 to the Lotus 88
The lessons learned from the Lotus 86 helped the team to develop the more advanced Lotus 88.
The new car featured a twin-chassis arrangement and a distinctive aerodynamic design, its construction also reflected the growing use of advanced materials in F1, including carbon-fibre composite technology.
The Lotus 88 was designed to take the twin-chassis concept further, offering a more sophisticated solution than the experimental Lotus 86.
Lotus 86 vs Lotus 88 comparison
Although the Lotus 86 and Lotus 88 shared revolutionary twin-chassis concept; there were some important differences between the two cars.
Lotus 86 was an experimental prototype developed in 1980, using an aluminium-based structure derived from the Lotus 81 to test the idea of separating the driver’s chassis from the aerodynamic bodywork.
The Lotus 88, however, was more advanced development intended for the 1981 season, featuring carbon-fibre and composite construction, including Kevlar, as well as an updated design adapted to the new technical regulations banning sliding side skirts.
And for example the Lotus 86 was developed in 1980, when sliding ground-effect skirts were still legal. The Lotus 88, was designed for the 1981 regulations, which banned sliding skirts and introduced stricter-height requirements, forcing Team Lotus to find a new way to generate downforce.
The Lotus 88 Controversy at Long Beach
The Lotus 88 became one of the most controversial F1 cars of the 1981 season.
When Lotus presented the car at the United States Grand Prix West in Long Beach, the rival teams immediately questioned whether its design complied with the regulations.
The argument concerned the independently moving aerodynamic structure.
Rivals believed that the outer body effectively functioned as a movable aerodynamic device, which they considered illegal under the rules.
Chapman and Team Lotus defended the design, arguing that the car complied with the regulations as written.
The dispute quickly escalated, the Lotus 88 wasn’t permitted to compete at Long Beach, and further attempts to enter the car at subsequent races also encountered regulatory objections.
Despite the Team Lotus efforts, the Lotus 88 never started an official F1 race.
Why the Lotus 86 Never Raced
The Lotus 86 was never intended to become a regular F1 competitor in the same way as the Lotus 88.
Its main purpose was to serve as a development platform for the twin-chassis idea; the experimental work carried out with the 86 helped them to refine the concept before building the more ambitious 88.
As the regulatory dispute surrounding the Lotus 88 intensified, the twin-chassis project became increasingly difficult to pursue.
So the Lotus 88 remained a test car, while the Lotus 88 became the machine associated with controversy.
Together, they represented a fascinating chapter in F1 history, when one designer attempted to find a new solution to the sport’s changing technical regulations.
RELATED TO GROUND-EFFECT: Another unusual ground-effect experiment was the Brabham BT46B Fan Car, which used a rear-mounted fan to generate extra downforce in 1978.
Remembering Lotus 86
The Lotus 86 may not have competed in a Grand Prix, but its place in F1 history is closely connected to one of the sport’s mos ambitious experiments.
Colin Chapman’s willingness to challenge conventional thinking helped shape the development of F1 cars throughout his career.
Lotus 88 failed to race, but the controversy surrounding it highlighted the importance of technical regulatioins and their interpretation in F1.
For enthusiasts interested in forgotten prototypes and experimental racing machines, the Lotus 86 remains a remarkable example of a car that helped push the sport forward without ever taking part in an official race.
Featured image credits: Lotus 86 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2012. Photo by In Vitrio, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Interesting story: Another example of Formula 1’s technical battles was the Brabham BT49C, which used a hydropneumatic suspension system to exploit the ground-clearance regulations of 1981.
