Grand Prix Success
The car took Lotus' first F1 victory, by Innes Ireland in the non-championship Glover Trophy, in 8 April 1960. Its first World Championship win happened six weeks later, in 29 May, albeit by privateer Rob Walker, who leased the car from Chapman. Driven by Stirling Moss the car took a dominant win at the 1960 Monaco Grand Prix. It was an early taste of things to come. Moss also won the United States Grand Prix at the end of the season helping Lotus finish second in the constructors' championship.
Moss repeated his win in a legendary race at Monaco the following year, beating off the more powerful and faster 'sharknose' Ferraris. He then won at the fearsome Nürburgring in changeable weather, while Innes Ireland took a third win in the USA to help Lotus finish second in the constructors' championship in 1961. The Lotus 18 was also notable for giving Jim Clark his first Grand Prix start in 1960.
The 2.5 litre engine was replaced by a 1.5 litre Climax with new Formula One engine rules in 1961, and a Formula Junior variant used a 998 cc Ford MAE. The Formula Junior version also used smaller gauge chassis tubing and Alfin drum brakes on all four corners as it did not have to cope with so much power.
The 18 was replaced by the Lotus 21 in Formula One and the Lotus 20 in Formula Junior in 1961.
Read more about this topic: Lotus 18
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