Lotus GroupThe Lotus Test Track started its life as Hethel Airfield, the American Airforce (USAAF) constructed the facility in 1942 which lead to a string of American Squadrons who each contributed to the rich military heritage of what is today the home of Group Lotus Plc. The former control tower now houses the offices of Lotus Racing and the Lotus Driving Academy
The North and South track combined have been redeveloped to FIA standard, providing a totally new and improved circuit facility ideal for road car engineering, motorsport vehicle development, testing and customer experiences. The 2.2 miles of 12 metre wide tarmac encompasses a series of corners, hairpins and straights to enable the user to cover every aspect of driving; high speed, medium speed, slow speed, changes of direction at a steady state, deceleration and acceleration; all integral in the development of our Lotus product. Interestingly, the main straight overlays the original World War 2 runway that is utilised daily for brake testing and drive-by monitoring. A steering pad sits in the heart of the circuit and enables the engineers to develop the final characteristics of the Lotus DNA that is ingrained in our performance cars.
Lotus legend, Nigel Mansell, officially opened Group Lotus’s revised and restored Hethel test track - with a roar from the 1980 Essex-Lotus 81B in which he started his glorious Formula One career more than 30-years-ago.
Mansell then led a convoy of seven stunning racing cars from the Lotus stable, including the innovative 1980 Type 88 twin-chassis car – which the rule makers never allowed to race; the Lotus Type 125 car driven by fellow F1 legend Jean Alesi; and a brace of 2011 Formula One cars piloted by F1 drivers Vitaly Petrov and Bruno Senna.
