With the forthcoming European GP at Valencia marking the 500th occasion on which a Lotus has graced a World Championship grid the Classic Team Lotus Festival held at Snetterton on 20 June really was all about the cars and the men who made them.

Clive Chapman pulled off an amazing feat in bringing together an example of each model raced by Team Lotus in Formula 1 from 1957-1994, some thirty-five Types in total, from Type 12 to Type 109. What’s more, with car owners from all over the world responding to the call there were multiple examples of some.

The new Lotus F1 team came along too, third driver Farouk Fauzy demonstrating a brand new T127 en route to Valencia, the huge crowds waiting for autographs amply demonstrating the enthusiasm that exists for Lotus, particularly here in Norfolk.

After Hazel Chapman cut the ribbon to formally open the static display, the cars were lined up on the grid for a photoshoot, following which many of them took to the track, a tribute to Jim Clark leading the way, comprising of his 1963 World Championship-winning Type 25, Tasman 32B and the first DFV-engined 49 that won on its’ debut in Zandvoort in 1967.

Wowing the crowds in one of the later groupings were Fauzy again and Heikki Kovalainen in JPS Types 72 and 77 respectively as their demo turned into something of a race! Jarno Trulli was a little more sedate in an ex-de Angelis Type 91, whilst Mike Gascoyne fulfilled a boyhood ambition by getting behind the wheel of a Gold Leaf 49B that he so admired whilst at school not so far from the Hethel factory.

In fact many dreams came to fruition at Snetterton, not the least for Clive Chapman who described it as “the best day of my life”. It was a fantastic, unique occasion – can it ever be repeated?