The primary time Lotus competed in a Method 1 race was on the 1958 Monaco Grand Prix. 5-time Monaco GP winner Graham Hill piloted the race automotive, and whereas Lotus didn’t convey residence the win, the automotive made a robust displaying.
Formed like a scorching canine bun with an open mouth on one finish, the streamlined 1957-58 Lotus-Climax Kind 12 chassis ‘353’ holds an vital a part of racing historical past. And it’ll quickly cross the public sale block in the identical nation the place it made its F1 debut, at Bonhams’ “Les Grandes Marques à Monaco.”
Bonhams|Automobiles
Calling it “one of the crucial traditionally important of all British Method 1 Grand Prix automobiles,” Bonhams anticipates robust demand for this legendary racecar. Lotus founder Colin Chapman designed the single-seat Kind 12 in 1956 with a watch on coming into Method 1 in 1958. Bonhams says that solely seven of those skinny racers have been in-built 1957, and 5 grew to become works entries.
Later, the Kind 12 was bought to Maria Theresa de Filippis, an Italian racing driver and the primary girl to race in Method 1. After that, it was owned by a number of racers and was delivered to Australia, the place it was lovingly restored to operating situation.
The Lotus is only one automobile in a solid of superstars on the Monaco occasion, the place the public sale home will function a number of automobiles with spectacular pedigrees. A kind of is a Monte Carlo Rally-winning Delahaye 175 S, which may command greater than $700,000 on the sale. If I had the means, I’d get the 1971 Maserati Ghibli with lower than 22,000 miles on the odometer.
Bonhams expects the Lotus to promote for between $315,000 and $424,000 at public sale on Could 10.
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