Lotus 79

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Lotus 79 (John Player Special Mk. IV)

Ronnie Peterson driving the 79 at Brands Hatch during the 1978 British Grand Prix
Category	Formula One
Constructor	Team Lotus
Designer(s)	Colin Chapman (Executive Engineer) Tony Rudd (Head of Engineering) Tony Southgate (Chief Engineer) Peter Wright (Aerodynamics) Martin Ogilvie (Vehicle Engineer) Geoff Aldridge (Chief Designer)
Predecessor	Lotus 78
Successor	Lotus 80
Technical specifications
Chassis	Aluminium monocoque
Suspension (front)	Double wishbone, inboard spring/damper.
Suspension (rear)	Parallel top links, lower wishbones, twin radius arms, outboard spring/damper.
Engine	Ford-Cosworth DFV, 2993cc V8, naturally aspirated, mid-engined, longitudinally-mounted
Transmission	Hewland FG 400, 5-speed manual
Power	475 hp @ 11,000 rpm[1]
Fuel	1978: Valvoline 1979: Essex
Tyres	Goodyear
Competition history
Notable entrants	John Player Team Lotus (1978) Martini Racing Team Lotus (1979) Team Rebaque
Notable drivers	5./1. Mario Andretti 6./2. Ronnie Peterson 6. Jean-Pierre Jarier 2. Carlos Reutemann 31. Héctor Rebaque
Debut	1978 Belgian Grand Prix
First win	1978 Belgian Grand Prix
Last win	1978 Dutch Grand Prix
Last event	1979 United States Grand Prix
Races Wins Podiums Poles F/Laps 26 6 15 10 5
Constructors' Championships	1 (1978)
Drivers' Championships	1 (Mario Andretti, 1978)

The Lotus 79 is a Formula One car designed in late 1977 by Colin Chapman, Geoff Aldridge, Martin Ogilvie, Tony Rudd, Tony Southgate and Peter Wright of Lotus. The Lotus 79 was the first F1 car to take full advantage of ground effect aerodynamics.

Over the span of its lifetime, the Lotus 79 took 7 wins, 10 pole positions, 121 points and won the last drivers' and constructors' world championships for Lotus. The 79 is credited with pushing Formula One into the modern aerodynamics era. After Rubens Barrichello drove the 79 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2000, he spoke of its "phenomenal grip and traction", and stated that "it felt like a modern Grand Prix car".^[2]