There are brands that, just by naming them, make us remember unprecedented motorsport scenes. In the case of Lotus, its name appears indisputably linked to the history of Formula 1, a competition in which it participated, in a first stage, from 1958 to 1994. And this was one of the most successful brands during that time, winning the constructors’ championship seven times and the drivers’ championship six times.
The British brand’s first foray into F1 competition was with this Lotus-Climax Type 12. chassis No. 353 that you can see in the photos, an icon that still runs today. During its heyday, behind the wheel of this magnificent car was driver Graham Hill, who became a five-time winner of the Monaco Grand Prix and twice won the Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship title.
Hill debuted Lotus in Formula 1 at the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix in 1958, having previously driven the car during the BRDC (British Racing Drivers’ Club) International Trophy race at Silverstone that same year.
Aside from Hill, some of the greatest motorsport drivers of all time, such as Jim Clark, Jochen Rindt, Emerson Fittipaldi and Mario Andretti, also passed through the Lotus cockpit to give the brand the international F1 title. Years later, names such as Ayrton Senna, Stirling Moss and Ronnie Peterson would be added, who achieved numerous victories in Formula 1 Grand Prix for Lotus.
It all started with the automaker’s first production car, the Mark VI, produced between 1953 and 1955. The Mark VI was followed by a series of lightweight sports racing cars such as the Lotus 7 and Lotus 11, which became the flagship models. most revered of the firm. The brand’s founder, engineer Colin Chapman, designed the company’s first single-seat racing car in 1956.
The Lotus 12 was destined for the Formula 2 category in 1957. That year seven examples were built, five of them entered by the official team. In 1958, the regulations of the premier category of Formula 1 allowed engines of up to 2.5 liters of displacement.
Without the budget for a high-displacement engine, Chapman used the original 1.5-litre Coventry Climax F2 engine, enlarged to almost 2.0-litre for his entry into Formula 1. The little engine performed quite well, with Hill remaining seventh on Lotus debut.
When it was retired from racing, the Lotus in the photographs passed to a private owner and has changed hands until the current owner completely restored it. Its estimated value today is around 400,000 euros. Don’t miss the video that accompanies this article, with an original recreation of the debut of the Lotus 12.