One of the most iconic cars in Formula 1 history will be recreated in a special edition. Memento Exclusives has confirmed that it will produce only ten full-scale replicas of the Lotus 97T, the model used by Ayrton Senna and Elio De Angelis in 1985.
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The project is carried out in partnership with Classic Team Lotus and represents Memento Exclusives’ first initiative focused on a historic car. Unlike modern replicas, usually built from CAD data, the 97T will be developed with references directly linked to the original model.
Classic Team Lotus provided archive materials that had never been used for this purpose, including hand-drawn sketches, original construction documents, and historical data. The replica will also use many of the same materials and techniques employed in the 1985 car, with participation from people who worked on the original project.
Each of the ten units will have an individual chassis plate, formally registering it within the Team Lotus archive. Classic Team Lotus, located in the team’s former factory in Hethel, is also currently responsible for licensing, restoration, maintenance, and operation of the brand’s historic cars.
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The Lotus 97T marked a return to results for Team Lotus, three years after Colin Chapman’s death. With Gérard Ducarouge as technical director and the traditional John Player black and gold livery maintained, the car won three races in the season, two with Senna and one with De Angelis, as well as securing seven pole positions in sixteen races.
Clive Chapman, director of Classic Team Lotus, highlighted the significance of the project: “The interest, excitement, and emotion that the Lotus 97T generates are extraordinary. Having it captured forever is exactly what we like to do at Classic Team Lotus, preserve and celebrate,” he said. Chapman added that Memento Exclusives is ‘going above and beyond’ to achieve a high level of attention to detail and accuracy in the recreation.
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