The Lotus 97T is perhaps the single place of Formula 1 that was most associated with Portugal: it was in it that Ayrton Senna won for the first time, precisely in the Portugal GP of 1985. You'll be able to see him at the Caramulo Museum.
© Disclosure Caramulo Museum
18/07/2026
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ANDm 1985, Ayrton Senna achieved her first Formula 1 win. He did it in GP de Portugal, at the controls of a Lotus 97T which, for this very reason, was forever linked to Portugal.
The images of that heavy rain race in Estoril ran and continue to run the world. Now, the single place in the emblematic black and gold decoration can be seen live at the Museum of Caramulo – under the exhibition “Magic Formula”, which opens this Saturday (18 July) and is patent until 18 October.
According to Lotus' official website, the single place had up to 862 hp of power, charged by a motor V6 turbo 1.5 liters from Renault (EF15). It is described as “an improved version of Lotus 95T”, with improvements in power, aerodynamics and resistance – in particular at the most robust gearbox level.
The design, which even integrated elements of a project for IndyCar (the Lotus 96T) was signed by a team led by technical director Gérard Ducarouge.
For the first time, the single-place was equipped with carbon brakes. We also opted for a tougher construction, with the deformable nozzle – something that met the safety standards updated at the time.
Aerodynamically of Lotus 97T, the mini-wings on the flanks and vertical fins between the front wheels and the side of the bodywork are highlighted – a design inaugurated by Lotus that would then be followed by other manufacturers.
Back to hits after Colin Chapman
That 1985 Portuguese GP wasn't just important to Ayrton Senna. It was, too, the first time Lotus won a race since the death of its founder and forward figure Colin Chapman december 1982. An indication of what was coming, as he ended up fighting for the top places regularly until the exit of the Brazilian star at the end of 1987.
Then team leader Peter Warr described Lotus 97T at the time: “This is a more robust, improved and developed version of a car that was already good.”.
What won Lotus 97T?
The victory of Ayrton Senna in the 1985 Portuguese GP, for the way it was achieved and for the pilot who signed it, is the most recognized and relevant success from the historical point of view of Lotus 97T.
But he wasn't the only one. In fact, the single-place won twice more (one in the hands of Elio de Angelis, one with Ayrton Senna on board) and recorded another five podiums among his two pilots.
Strong in qualification and with recurring problems resulting in abandons in the races, this bolid has achieved eight pole positions in a season of 16 rounds (five of them consecutively).
In the end, Lotus finished the fourth builder championship and Ayrton Senna finished fourth among the drivers – right in front of Elio de Angelis and 35 points from the champion... Alain Prost.
The cycle of Formula 1 so-called: new year, new single-place. And the Lotus 97T gave way to 98T for the 1986 era – the one that was the last of the team's original era to equip a Renault engine before the move to Honda in 1987.