Lotus to bring Jim Clark’s record-breaking Type 25/R6 to FOS 2019

In pride of place on the manufacturer’s stand will be Jim Clark’s Lotus Type 25/R6 Formula 1 car, in which he set a record 1m 20.4s lap of the old Goodwood Motor Circuit in 1965. Due to changes in the circuit’s configuration, the lap time has never been and never will be beaten.

“Lotus’ connection to Goodwood is long and strong, and this year, with the theme being Record Breakers, it is fitting that we remember the remarkable and unbeatable lap by Jim Clark”, commented Lotus CEO Phil Popham.

“This heritage is our bloodline, but our focus is on the future and this will be reinforced by something new and extra special during the Festival.”

Alongside the 25/R6 will be the current Lotus range of Elise, Exige and Evora cars, plus the recently unveiled Lotus Evora GT4 Concept race car, which will be racing in the global GT series in 2020. A second Evora GT4 Concept will be running on the Goodwood hillclimb, driven by former British GT Champion and Lotus’ Director of Vehicle Attributes, Gavan Kershaw.

Joining the concept the hill will be six classic Lotus, including Stirling Moss’ 1961 Monaco-winning Lotus 18/912, which will be driven by Classic Team Lotus boss and the son of Lotus founder Colin Chapman, Clive Chapman.

Fast forward to 1978 and the Lotus 79/2 was one of the cars in which Mario Andretti campaigned and won the F1 Championship thanks, in part, to its high-downforce, ground-effect Venturi profiled underbody. This car, which recently won the ‘Innovation Category’ award at the London Concours, will be driven by British GT driver Lee Mowle.

The final classics to wind their way up the hill will be two Lotus 72s, the most successful F1 car in the history of motorsport. Following a restoration by Classic Team Lotus, one Chassis 5 will be united with its 1972 Championship winning driver Emerson Fittipaldi, while multiple Le Mans winner Jacky Ickx, who raced a Lotus 72 in the 1974 and 1975 seasons, will drive another.

Clive Chapman commented: “This year’s contribution from Classic Team Lotus will be one of the most special for a long time. I am absolutely delighted that Damon, Emerson and Jacky will be reunited with the cars with which they have so much connection. And of course, I will fulfil a lifelong ambition to drive the Stirling Moss’ Lotus 18 – and if the weather is good, we can remove the side panels to recreate Monaco 1961!”

Lotus will also be supporting the Jim Clark Trust, and offering Goodwood visitors the chance to win a unique Jim Clark Lotus Evora special edition, designed in tribute to Clark's 1960’s famous red and silver Elan.

Officially the 100,000th Lotus road car ever built, the Evora Special Edition will be up for grabs in a £20-a-ticket draw, and will come with a spare tailgate signed by all 20 F1 Drivers from the 2019 season.

All money raised goes towards supporting the Trust’s new museum in Duns, Scotland, which is where Clark’s 25/R6 will live after its visit to FOS.