In 1983, the Lotus F1 team journey into the unknown, as they have to overcome the loss of ground-effect aerodynamics and | dG1fSERwVjFwblI0d00
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Short filmTranscript
00:00The models have served their purpose. Now attention is focused on the finished car.
00:05All that has gone before can be considered a pregnancy.
00:09A racing car is born when the engine bursts into life for the first time.
00:20The first man to sit at the controls is not Elio De Angelis, but his faithful mechanic, Nigel Stepney.
00:26Well, it all seems to work. Just wait until we get some wheels on it, and then we'll really show them.
00:42Martin Ogilvie is on hand to see the new baby, and allows himself a smile, as does Peter Warr.
00:48It's hot, isn't it? Well, it warms up, doesn't it?
00:50What's the vibration like? It's incredible, isn't it? Very smooth.
00:54The flat underbody, demanded by the new rules, is fitted.
01:03Champagne time. Martin pops the cork, and Elio practices champagne spraying in readiness for his first victory of the season.
01:13After the bubbly, it is down to the last few laborious finishing touches.
01:18Making the body fit on snug and tight is usually the final task on a new racing car.
01:23It is something of an anti-climax after the excitement of the engine bursting into life, but it has to be done.
01:29The new 93T's bodywork is soon fitting around the chassis like a glove.
01:36Finally, the nose section, and the car is complete.
01:43There is a great deal at stake with this machine, and the responsibility for its success rests with Peter Warr.
01:53There have been a few teething troubles with the car, but now Elio is really growing in confidence.
02:14It is almost the end of the day, and already his lap times are approaching those of the Austrian Grand Prix winning car.
02:23The omens are all good. Out on the track, the car looks and sounds impressive. Elio explains.
02:40I found it very nice to drive this car, because you have a lot more power to control.
02:47This is for a driver's point of view. It is very good.
02:50Now, at the end of the day, I am sure that this car has a lot of potential.
02:54Today was a basic running. We did some laps just to make sure that everything was working.
03:00I think we did also, to start with, a good time, because 7.2 with the race compound is not bad around here.
03:08So I think it is very promising, the car.
03:11We have to establish whether this suspension, this chassis, the engine and everything together is something that is going to work or not, first of all.
03:21And then maybe we can turn up the boost and put the qualifier for the last day.