Colin Chapman's previous attempts at producing a Formula 1 car had been a complete disappointment. Despite being technically advanced, extreme lightness led to numerous structural failures. In 1960, Chapman decided to start with a clean sheet of paper, assessing the basic requirements for a contemporary Formula 1 car, and identifying how to achieve them in the most straightforward, uncomplicated way. The result was one of Chapman's greatest creations - the Lotus 18 - a trendsetting, rear-e...

This is the story of a Grand Prix formula that no British constructor wanted but became one that they would almost totally dominate. It has remained largely overlooked due to the perception that the cars were underpowered and hence unspectacular. Such a perception ignores the significant technical developments that took place that are now taken for granted, such as monocoque chassis construction. It saw the career of Stirling Moss came to a premature end but in his absence the rise to prom...