Page 51 - Mar2023

Perhaps you Dream about t he Need for

Speed?

This is your Chance

Bonhams has announced it will sell Mario Andretti's
F1 World Championship winning 1978 John Player
Special Lotus-Cosworth Type 79 at its inaugural sale
at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix this coming November. It
is anticipated that the sale price will be between $6.5

to $9.5 million dollars.
According to t he Bonhams' release, t he L79 was
designed by Lot us engineer and designer Mart in
Ogilvie wit h input from Lot us-founder and t eam
boss Colin Chapman and aerodynamicist Pet er
Wright . It s advanced ground effect s design was
more advanced t han t he rest of t he paddock and
led t o great er grip and handling at high speeds.
Known as ?Black Beaut y,? t he L79 was Lot us?final

const ruct ors? t it le-winning racecar developed
under t he direct ion of Colin Chapman.

?This Lotus 79 encapsulates the very essence of what
the series represents ? innovation, advance, exploring
the boundaries of technology and the insatiable
hunger to win,? says Maarten ten Holder, Managing
Director, Bonhams Collector Cars.

According to automotive journalist David Castro, " Sale information and image courtesy of Bonhams
Mario Andretti can make a strong claim to being the
greatest American racing driver in motorsports history.
He is only driver in history to win the Indianapolis 500
(1969), Daytona 500 (1967) and the Formula 1 Drivers?
World Championship.
Now Older but Wiser? To date he is only the second

American to win a Formula 1 Drivers?championship
It 's been a few decades since my last engine
(Phil Hill won the title in 1961 for Ferrari)."
rebuild. St ory cont inues on page 38
?This car, 79/4 or JPS22 as the sponsors preferred, ticks
every conceivable box,? says Mark Osborne, Global
Director of Motorsport, Bonhams Collector Cars. ?From
its ?Superstar?driver and crown-clinching Grand Prix

success to its JPS livery and pivotal trend-setting
innovation, Mario?s Championship winner from 1978
stands not only as one of the most significant cars of
the 3-litre F1 era, but of Formula 1 itself?.
Dreams for Sale continues on page 52

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