Colin Chapman was one of the greatest innovators in motor sport's history, but he did more more than just motor sport.Born May 19, 1928, Richmond, Surrey, England
Died 16 December, 1982
Colin Chapman studied structural engineering at University College, London, which led to the RAF and a stint with the British Aluminium Co. He was best known for his eponymous Formula 1 team which won 7 World Championships and the Indy 500 between 1962 and 1978; he was an accomplished racing driver himself.
During that time his lightweight mid-engined cars redefined motor racing; amongst his innovations were monocoque design, stressed engine/gear box construction, the introduction of aerodynamics into the sport and he led the team who “discovered” ground effect while working on wind tunnel models at Imperial College. Lotus was testing active suspension when he died.
He was also largely responsible for the creation of Cosworth, the legendary engine design and manufacturing company, as well as nurturing many of the defining talents of the British motor sport scene.
Chapman was a businessman who introduced major sponsorship into racing, set up Lotus Cars in 1952 to design, modify and manufacture relatively affordable leading edge sports cars, as well as building boats (he believed that changing the way they were built would enable Lotus to make them more efficiently); the company still leads the way in innovative automotive design and manufacture today.
No comments:
Post a Comment