The Lotus Story Part 1 - The Creation of the Chapman Legend

Through the images we review with Fernando a career of success but also of suffering. An icon who has touched glory although it has not been easy to fight with the best. But the Asturian's is, without a doubt, a career marked by an unbreakable passion for Formula 1. A passion that never went away and that today is more alive than ever.

A decade on from its auspicious start the company had run into problems and by 1960 company founder Colin Chapman was increasingly aware that a reversal of fortune depended on a change of course. The result? The Lotus 18 followed by a race version designed and built in collaboration with Keith Duckworth. Not only was this the start of an association with Cosworth but also the debut of Scottish driver Jim Clark. The company was to enjoy new success in the Formula Junior Class; the Elite a role in GT racing; and a new GP car debuted at Argentina with Innes Ireland. Neville Hay recounts the events of these three intensive years in the Lotus story. All the major races and personalities of the era are featured, including Moss and Surtees at the 1960 GP de Monaco, 1960 Le Mans 24 hour, Dutch GP debut of the Lotus 25, 1962 Goodwood Easter meeting, British, German and South African GP. You also hear from major players of the era - Duckworth, Ireland, Wagstaff, Surtees, Moss, Taylor and Lovely.

The years from 1963 to 1968 were perhaps the truly golden years for Colin Chapman and Lotus, for this was a period when the skill and ability of the late, great, Jim Clark brought the team some of the most prized awards in motorsport. In 1963 and 1965 Lotus triumphed over BRM and Ferrari, with Clark winning the championship despite a strong challenge from Graham Hill, John Surtees, Jackie Stewart and Lorenzo Bandini, as well as Brabham and Gurney. Across the Atlantic a similar revolution was underway in Indy Car racing. Ford made its entrance at Indianapolis, where the Americans claimed a disputed win and Clark took the honours for Lotus at Milwaukee. In this compelling programme, the third volume in this exciting Lotus Story, we continue the full and fascinating history of one of Britain’s best-loved motor racing teams. We feature Clark’s battle against the surprising Brabham resurgence and the strengthening of the link between Lotus and Ford with the Mark 1 Lotus Cortina.

Colin Chapman’s Team Lotus were the technological front-runners of the Seventies and Lotus enjoyed many more GP successes with racing legends Rindt, Fittipaldi, Peterson, Ickx and Andretti. Volume Four in the Lotus Story details the development of the Type 72 - the most successful GP car of all time until 1986 (when McLaren’s TAG Turbo MP4/2 took over its record), the lighter and stronger John Player Special 9, the aerodynamic Lotus 78, which showed the way ahead in producing a true ‘grounds-effect’ car and the ‘Black Beauty’ Lotus 79, a genuine classic whose innovative technology - building upon that of the Lotus 78 - totally redirected the course of all racing car design. Rindt was the 1970 World Champion, Fittipaldi 1972 Champion and Andretti lifted the crown in 1978 for Lotus and these successes brought the team a further three Constructors Championships. After this success in the Seventies, a downwards trend followed which Senna, Mansell and others could not reverse.

Through exclusive interviews and archival footage, this documentary traces an intimate portrait of seven-time Formula 1 champion Michael Schumacher.

A promotional film for the Ford Company detailing the introduction of the Cosworth engine into Formula 1 in conjunction with Lotus.

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Click for full movie details & trailers.

Click for full movie details & trailers.

The story of the forgotten godfather of modern Formula 1—Jack Brabham—and a son's quest to defy the odds in the competitive world of international motor-sport once more.

Ronnie Peterson nicknamed “Superswede” was the fastest formula 1-driver in the 70s who never became a world champion.

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Race summaries, analysis and interviews with F1 drivers... Get to the heart of the F1 paddock thanks to Canal+ !

Race summaries, analysis and interviews with F1 drivers... Get to the heart of the F1 paddock thanks to Canal+ !

Race summaries, analysis and interviews with F1 drivers... Get to the heart of the F1 paddock thanks to Canal+ !

Race summaries, analysis and interviews with F1 drivers... Get to the heart of the F1 paddock thanks to Canal+ !

A recap of the 2023 Formula 1 World Championship season by Canal+. This 74th edition of the event was totally dominated by Dutch driver Max Verstappen and his team, Red Bull Racing. By becoming World Champion for the 3rd year in a row, Verstappen is gradually building his legend and that of motor sport. During the season, only Carlos Sainz Jr and Sergio Perez challenged his ultra-dominance, but Mad Max was too strong and too determined to be stopped in his relentless ascent.

Race summaries, analysis and interviews with F1 drivers... Get to the heart of the F1 paddock thanks to Canal+ !

Race summaries, analysis and interviews with F1 drivers... Get to the heart of the F1 paddock thanks to Canal+ !

Race summaries, analysis and interviews with F1 drivers... Get to the heart of the F1 paddock thanks to Canal+ !