ABOUT

Close but no Cigar

The Lotus 49 B was the first Formula1 car to use wings in its design. Does this mean the Lotus 49 was the last wingless machine? As it happens, it is an extraordinary base to build upon.

I have been enamoured with F1's classic era for a long time now. An entirely different aesthetic wherein the engine, almost as wide as the body itself, was an integral part of the chassis. Somewhere between the leftover Voiturettes and the sidepod-bearing track weapons we know today. There was an era where the pinnacle of racing was described as cigar-shaped. The Lotus 49 was the end of its era.

Naturally, a project based on such a design had to borrow from both sides of the coin. The iconic shark nose from the much earlier Ferrari 156 makes a return. Bearing in it the latter front wing. Something the B-side to Lotus' own would come to birth. The final touches are a complementary rear wing and a rather modern, if retro-inspired, livery.

This work is a part of a trio of experimental designs based on classic F1.