Lotus 21

Lotus 21
Overview
Manufacturer	Team Lotus
Production	1961
Body and chassis
Class	Formula One
Body style	Open wheel
Powertrain
Engine	Coventry Climax FPF
Transmission	ZF 5DS10
Chronology
Predecessor	Lotus 18
Successor	Lotus 24 / Lotus 25

The Lotus 21 was a Formula One racing car ^[1] designed by Colin Chapman. It was a mid-engined design using a tubular spaceframe structure skinned with fibreglass panels, of a more advanced build than seen in the Lotus 18. Powered by the 1.5-litre Coventry Climax FPF 4-cylinder engine, it used disc brakes all round.

Used by the works Lotus team and the privateer Rob Walker Racing Team in 1961, the 21 was the first works Lotus to win a Formula One Grand Prix, in the hands of Innes Ireland at the 1961 United States Grand Prix. (Previous victories were taken by Rob Walker's team). Customer teams continued to use it up to 1965. It was soon rendered obsolete by the Lotus 24 and the monocoque Lotus 25 introduced for the 1962 Formula One season.^[2]

Scale models and die cast

• Meccano Dinky Toys; No. 241 (production 1963–1969), approximately O scale (1:44).^[3]

Complete Formula One World Championship results

Year	Entrant	Engine	Tyre	Driver(s)	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Points	WCC
1961	Team Lotus	Climax FPF 1.5 L4	D		MON	NED	BEL	FRA	GBR	GER	ITA	USA			321	2nd
				Jim Clark	10	3F	12	3	Ret	4	Ret	7
				Innes Ireland	DNS		Ret	4	10	NC		1
	R.R.C. Walker Racing Team			Stirling Moss							Ret
1962	Ecurie Nationale Suisse	Climax FPF 1.5 L4	D		NED	MON	BEL	FRA	GBR	GER	ITA	USA	RSA		36 (38)2	2nd
				Jo Siffert		DNQ
	Ecurie Filipinetti						10			12
	Jim Hall			Jim Hall								DNS
	Ernie Pieterse			Ernie Pieterse									10
	Neville Lederle			Neville Lederle									6
1963	Lawson Organisation	Climax FPF 1.5 L4	D		NED	MON	BEL	FRA	GBR	GER	ITA	USA	MEX	RSA	54 (74)2	1st
				Ernie Pieterse										Ret
1965	Lawson Organisation	Climax FPF 1.5 L4	D		RSA	MON	BEL	FRA	GBR	NED	GER	ITA	USA	MEX	54 (58)2	1st
				Ernie Pieterse	DNQ
	Scuderia Scribante			Neville Lederle	DNQ

¹ 17 points were scored using the Lotus 21, the other 15 points were scored using other Lotus models
² All points were scored using other Lotus models

References

• v
• t
• e

Team Lotus

Personnel
Founder	Colin Chapman
Notable personnel	Frank Coppuck Frank Dernie Gérard Ducarouge Maurice Philippe Peter Warr Peter Wright Len Terry

Drivers
Notable drivers	Mario Andretti Elio de Angelis Jim Clark Martin Donnelly Emerson Fittipaldi Mika Häkkinen Johnny Herbert Graham Hill Jacky Ickx Nigel Mansell Satoru Nakajima Gunnar Nilsson Ronnie Peterson Nelson Piquet Carlos Reutemann Jochen Rindt Ayrton Senna John Surtees Derek Warwick Alex Zanardi
World Champions	Mario Andretti Jim Clark Emerson Fittipaldi Graham Hill Jochen Rindt

Cars
Formula One cars	12 16 18 21 24 25 33 43 49 56B 63 72 76 77 78 79 80 81 86 87 88 91 92 93T 94T 95T 97T 98T 99T 100T 101 102 107 109 112
Formula Two cars	12 16 18 32 35 41 44 48 59 69
Formula Three cars	22 31 35 41 55 59 69
Formula Junior cars	18 20 22 27
Formula Ford cars	51 59 61 69
Formula 5000 cars	68 70
Tasman Series cars	32 39 67
Indianapolis 500 cars	29 34 38 42 56 64 96T
Sports racing cars	15 17 19 23 30 40 47 53

Formula One titles
Drivers' titles	1963 1965 1968 1970 1972 1978
Constructors' titles	1963 1965 1968 1970 1972 1973 1978