Next week, the 2020 Formula 1 World Championship is finally due to get under way with the Austrian Grand Prix. To mark that occasion, we have today taken a closer look at four Grand Prix cars from the Cosworth DFV era. The earliest and most successful is undoubtedly this Lotus 49B Cosworth. The featured example was one of a pair originally built for the Tasman series but upon its return to Europe, it was converted to full Grand Prix specification and raced by the likes of Graham Hill, Richard Attwood and Jo Bonnier. More recently, chassis R8 was acquired at auction by ace Formula 1 designer Adrian Newey, who has since raced and shown the car at a variety of events.
Of a similar vintage is this McLaren M14A, which was raced during the difficult 1970 season by Denis Hulme. It was also campaigned by Jackie Oliver and Peter Gethin before it was converted into a F5000 car. Back in F1 configuration, M14A/2 is today part of the fabulous ROFGO Collection.
One of the most successful Grand Prix cars fielded by the Fittipaldi team was the F7 of 1980. It was derived from the final Wolf design as that team had been absorbed at the end of 1979. Two were converted Wolf chassis, but the featured example was the only one built from scratch. It has recently been restored and campaigned at the 2018 Monaco Historic Grand Prix.
One of the very last Cosworth DFV cars to win a Grand Prix is the Williams FW08C and the example represents the very last of the line. It was not actually raced in period as it was earmarked for a customer's 1985 F3000 campaign that ended prematurely. Today part of the Williams Heritage Collection, chassis FW08-12 remains as the last DFV-engined racer built by the British team.

Enjoy the links:

1980 Fittipaldi F7 Cosworth

1969 Lotus 49B Cosworth (R8)

1970 McLaren M14A Cosworth (M14A/2)

1983 Williams FW08C Cosworth (FW08-12)