Colin Chapman F1 Designer Profile & Career Stats

Formula 1 Designer

Colin Chapman †

15th in all-time ranking

6
Constructors' Titles
4
Drivers' Titles
65
Grand Prix Wins
87
Grand Prix Poles

Designer Profile

Country United Kingdom
Date of BirthMay 19th 1928
Date of DeathDec 16th 1982
RolesChief designer 4 cars
Technical director 10 cars
Designer 5 cars
F1 Cars19 (1958–1982)
F1 TeamsTeam Lotus, Vanwall, RE, Emeryson
Ranking15th of 273 all-time car designers

Drivers' Titles

Wins per Team

Team Lotus 1958–1982 · 18 cars · 56 wins Vanwall 1955–1960 · 1 car · 9 wins RE 1965 · 1 car · 0 wins Emeryson 1962 · 1 car · 0 wins

Constructors' Titles

Key Career Landmarks

CarLotus 12 1958Lotus 91 1982
Race1955 Monaco F1 Grand Prix1955 MON F1 GP 27 years, 3 days27y, 3d1982 Caesars Palace F1 Grand Prix1982 USA F1 GP 54 years, 129 days54y, 129d
Pole1957 British F1 Grand Prix1957 GBR F1 GP 29 years, 62 days29y, 62d1978 Canadian F1 Grand Prix1978 CAN F1 GP 50 years, 142 days50y, 142d
Win1957 British F1 Grand Prix1957 GBR F1 GP 29 years, 62 days29y, 62d1982 Austrian F1 Grand Prix1982 AUT F1 GP 54 years, 88 days54y, 88d
Podium1957 Monaco F1 Grand Prix1957 MON F1 GP 29 years, 0 days29y, 0d1982 Austrian F1 Grand Prix1982 AUT F1 GP 54 years, 88 days54y, 88d
Constructors' title1958 Italian F1 Grand Prix1958 ITA F1 GP 30 years, 111 days30y, 111d1978 Dutch F1 Grand Prix1978 NED F1 GP 50 years, 100 days50y, 100d
Drivers' title1963 Italian F1 Grand Prix1963 ITA F1 GP 35 years, 112 days35y, 112d1978 Italian F1 Grand Prix1978 ITA F1 GP 50 years, 114 days50y, 114d

F1 cars designed by Colin Chapman19 cars · 1958–1982All F1 cars →

Lotus 91P61982Lotus 91Technical director1 win30 ptsFord engineLotus 87P71981Lotus 87Technical director13 ptsFord engineLotus 80P41979Lotus 80Technical director1 podium4 ptsFord engineP4 · Champion1978–79Lotus 79Designer6 wins112 ptsFord engineLotus 78P1 · Champion1977–78Lotus 78Designer7 wins106 ptsFord engineP41976Lotus 77Technical director1 win32 ptsFord engineLotus 72P7 · Champion1970–75Lotus 72Technical director7 wins107 ptsFord engineP41974Lotus 76Technical director3 ptsFord engineP1 · Champion1970Lotus 49CTechnical director1 win21 ptsFord engineLotus 49BP1 · Champion1968–70Lotus 49BTechnical director7 wins134 ptsFord engineLotus 49P1 · Champion1967–70Lotus 49Technical director4 wins50 ptsFord engineP31969Lotus 63Technical director0 ptsFord engineLotus 33P2 · Champion1964–67Lotus 33Designer5 wins78 ptsClimax engineP2 · Champion1962–67Lotus 25Designer14 wins162 ptsBRM engineP1 · Champion1965Lotus 20Chief designer0 ptsClimax engineP1 · Champion1960–63Lotus 18Chief designer3 wins63 ptsBorgward engineP21958–60Lotus 16Chief designer5 ptsClimax engineChampion1955–60VanwallVanwallDesigner9 wins105 ptsVanwall engineP41958–59Lotus 12Chief designer3 ptsClimax engine
Stats current as of:

Colin Chapman is credited with 19 Formula 1 cars for Team Lotus, Vanwall and RE between 1955 and 1982. Those cars won 65 Grands Prix, 4 drivers' titles and 6 constructors' titles. The most successful was the Lotus 25, with 14 wins. Colin Chapman ranks 15th of 273 in the all-time F1 car designer ranking.

Colin Chapman: Frequently Asked Questions

When did Colin Chapman die?
Colin Chapman died on 16 December 1982, aged 54.