<< Prev Page 2 of 2 While still recovering from a heavy shunt in a Formula 1 race at Spa, Stirling Moss was the first to test the Type 19. Despite not at full strength, Moss managed to break the Silverstone sports car lap record by over a second. With Moss behind the wheel, the Type 19 made a victorious competition debut at Karlskoga in Sweden. Local racer Joakim Bonnier borrowed the prototype and at 253 km/h broke the Swedish record for the flying kilometre.
Following the stellar debut of the prototype, orders for the Lotus 19 quickly piled up. For the 1961 season a total of only twelve cars were produced due to the short supply of FPF engines. Among the customers were the UDT Laystall team, who ran their pale-green liveried machine with considerable success in Europe for the likes of Moss and Cliff Allison. Most of the other cars were sold to the United States.
In the United States, Dan Gurney was among the 19's most prominent drivers, regularly beating much more powerful opposition. His most famous victory in the Arciero Brothers Lotus 19 came early in 1962 when he crossed the line in the Daytona 3 Hours with a seized engine. With a large enough lead, he could park the car on the top of the banking with a few seconds to spare. He then either used gravity or the starter motor to complete the final metres.
Many of the Lotus 19s that raced in the United States were later fitted with more powerful V8 engines to keep them competitive. The 17th and final Lotus 19 was built specifically to house Ford's small block V8. Dubbed the 19B, it featured reinforced and slightly widened suspension. As the 'Pacesetter Special' it was raced by Gurney with some success. These continuously upgraded machines were raced well into the mid 1960s.
Preoccupied with producing and racing single seaters, Lotus did not immediately replace the highly successful Type 19. When they did, with the Type 30 and subsequent Type 40, the results deterred the British company from ever trying again. This leaves the remarkably little known Type 19 as the last of the great Lotus sports racers. Due to their long racing careers, only very few survive today in relatively original condition, although more do exist than were ever built by Lotus. << Prev Page 2 of 2
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While still recovering from a heavy shunt in a Formula 1 race at Spa, Stirling Moss was the first to test the Type 19. Despite not at full strength, Moss managed to break the Silverstone sports car lap record by over a second. With Moss behind the wheel, the Type 19 made a victorious competition debut at Karlskoga in Sweden. Local racer Joakim Bonnier borrowed the prototype and at 253 km/h broke the Swedish record for the flying kilometre.