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The 1966 Season
Hailed as the "return to power" the 1966 season saw the start of the new 3 litre formula.
Some teams were more ready than others and as a consequence a wide
variety of engines and chassis were used ranging from Ferrari's new
purpose built 3 litre V12 (312) to modified 65 season engines which
were bored out to 2 litres.
There were also various 4 cylinder Climax engines plus a 2.4 litre V6 (246) Ferrari based on the "Dino" engine.
Lotus
Colin Chapman's "Team Lotus" was another team without a 3 litre engine
so they were forced to use last year's Climax V8 modified and bored out
to 2 litres. This was fitted into the Lotus 33 chassis also from the
1965 season.
Eventually a deal was done with BRM to use the H16 engine which was
fitted into the all new Lotus 43 chassis but unfortunately the Lotus
Team suffered the same fate as BRM with this complex and overweight
engine which rarely finished a race.
One exception to this was the United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen
where Jim Clark who was Chapman's number one driver managed to hold the
car together long enough to cross the line in first place giving the
H16 its only win in 1966.
Lotus also supplied cars to privateer "Reg Parnell Racing" who entered
a Lotus 33 chassis powered by a BRM 2 litre V8 and driven by Mike
Spence.
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