14th July 2003

Lotus speeds to double honours at Goodwood

Lotus Engineering’s stunning Type 119B gravity racer secured a dominant double victory in a sensational climax to the Goodwood Festival of Speed downhill soapbox challenge yesterday

Twenty-two year old Malcolm Barnett expertly piloted the Lotus Type 119B down the 0.7 mile hillclimb course to successfully complete a victorious weekend for the five-man Lotus team.

The culmination of the ten-month development programme saw Lotus dominate the open-topped ‘Roadster’ category of the competition. Claiming the fastest roadster times for both of the weekend’s runs, the 119B finished over 1.3 seconds ahead of its nearest open-cockpit rival.

"It’s been a tremendous weekend and the whole team is delighted with the victory," said former British cart champion Barnett. "It was a great thrill to collect the trophy, and we’re looking forward to taking the trophies back to Hethel for everyone at Lotus to share in the celebrations."

The event produced its fair share of dramatic incidents over the weekend, with four competitors spectacularly crashing out at speeds of up to 60 mph down the hillclimb course. The Type 119B steered clear of any danger, however, and the team are already considering the next stage of their assault on the soapbox scene, as 24-year old team leader, James Setter explains.

"We’ve been invited to compete again towards the end of the summer, and it seems like a great opportunity to confirm our leadership in British roadster soapbox racing."

The Type 119B also scooped the ‘Best Presented Roadster’ trophy in recognition of the vibrant colour scheme with which they brought energy and colour to the soapbox competition. The striking styling of the state-of-the-art soapbox and the colour co-ordinated team shirts was undertaken by the world-famous Lotus Design studio.