Inside line -- Clive Chapman

Classic Team Lotus

What did you feel about the Jim Clark meeting at Hockenheim?

It was the organisers’ initiative to name the event after Jim Clark and invite his three sisters, Bob Dance and myself to attend. Classic Team Lotus was at the meeting running three TGP cars. It was a magic moment. The organisers took the trouble to have a re-dedication service. The memorial stone has been moved so that it is accessible to anyone visiting the circuit. Its original location has now reverted back to forest. It was a very special occasion and it was good that Jimmy’s sisters were there. I hope it will become an annual event and we would certainly support it.

What does Clark’s memory mean to Classic Team Lotus?

We have Jimmy’s 32B Tasman car in the collection and that’s the most evocative memory of Jim Clark in Classic Team Lotus. The cars provide an emotional focus, particularly for the mechanics who worked with him. He played such a vital part in Lotus history.

What is Classic Team Lotus doing this season?

We ran three cars in TGP at Hockenheim and will generally be running three or four cars at most TGP rounds this year. The works collection is 25 cars, and we also look after about a dozen customer cars. We will be at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and hope to be at the Goodwood Revival. We’re also keeping an eye on Grand Prix Masters and it would be nice to be a part of that. But it’s really all down to what the customers want to do.