Formula One racing in the late nineteen sixties and early nineteen seventies was a time of technical innovation, commercialization, and also one of the most dangerous times to be a racing driver. Colin Chapman’s Lotus racing team was at a leader in all three of those categories. Colin Chapman, a brilliant engineer, and fierce competitor was always searching for the newest innovation that would give him an edge over his competition. Having lead the evolution from the front-engine layout that was the standard since the first race car was built, to the rear engine layout was revolutionary, and would change motor racing. The ultimate show of the power of his vision was taking a modified rear engine Lotus F1 car to Indy to compete on the massive oval against the purpose built front engine roadsters in 1963. Their performance at Indy with their rookie Formula One drivers was nothing short of amazing, especially consider neither team, nor driver had every turned a lap on an oval race track. Previous to the Indy 500 debut of Jim Clark and Graham Hill, Formula One was a little known curiosity to American fans of car racing. Lotus’ five year stint at Indy while running full Formula One schedules was unprecedented, even the mighty Ferrari Formula one team would never attempt this. It would be another several years before another formula one team attempted to run a car of their own design in the Indy 500.
Colin Chapman’s eagle eye for talent is legendary and almost without rival. His drivers have included world champions: Jim Clark, Graham Hill, Nigel Mansell, Ayrton Senna their first competitive rides in formula one. Colin Chapman introduced the first commercial sponsor into formula one, running the iconic Gold Leaf colors in 1969 with the only posthumous world champion, Austrian Jochen Rindt, an iconoclast, and as unique a character as Colin Chapman. This first commercial sponsorship of a formula one team was as revolutionary as moving the engine to the rear. No longer solely relying on prize money to fund the teams, commercialization led to larger more professionally organized teams. Even with the new money, Formula one was still a far less formal operation than it is today. Without television commitments dictating precise schedules, formula one races had start times that were often based off of factors such as, who was the most hungover, or a particularly competitive poker game.