Lotus 78 and 79: The Ground Effect Cars - Tapa blanda

The Lotus 78 was the car that started the ground effect revolution in Formula 1. By means of ducts and flexibile skirts, the air that passed under the car was used, literally, to suck it to the ground. It created a sensation and revived the british team's fortunes. Its succesor, the 79, was a true 'wing car', and beautiful too, though it made its debut in a field that had already been transformed by the 78.

John Tipler is a freelance motoring writer and historian who contributes to numerous motoring magazines and has written many books on the subject. His extensive backgound in the motor industry includes spells in the John Player Motorsport Press Office, and at the Motor Industry Research Unit. His interest spreads across many makes and models, but he is inevitably drawn towards sporting cars, classics, and motorbikes. Resident - Norfolk