Much was expected of the Chris Murphy designed Type 109.
A sole car was entered for Johnny Herbert in the Spanish Grand Prix.
The Canadian Grand Prix saw Herbert in the 109 much faster than Zanardi in the 107C.
Magny Cours in France for Round 7 saw Zanardi driving a 109 in addition to Herbert.
The British Grand Prix at Silverstone saw Zanardi out-qualify Herbert for the first time in 1994. The Italian with 19th on the grid with the Englishman 21st.
Qualifying for the German Grand Prix gave Herbert his best grid position of the year so far with 15th, while Zanardi was 21st.
Hungary saw Zanardi again outqualify Herbert, Johnny having the indignity of being slower than a Simtek.
Philippe Adams was signed to drive the Lotus No. 11 at Spa.
Between the Belgian and Italian Grand Prix, many things happened.
In the context of Team Lotus� performance previously in 1994, the Italian Grand Prix was like winning the World Championship.
There were serious thoughts that Herbert could end up on the podium, but these were extinguished by one man.
Eddie Irvine had a bad qualifying session and was desperate to make up ground at the start.
The day after the Italian Grand Prix, Lotus applied for administration to try and organise their future.
But in Portugal, things didn�t work out that way.
In the run up to the European Grand Prix at Jerez in Spain, the administrators advised the return of Alessandro Zanardi who was much more experienced than Adams.
Even though he had never driven the 109 previously, Bernard rose to the challenge well, only 500ths of a second slower than Zanardi.
The Lotuses lined up 21st and 22nd and both finished the race, Zanardi 16th and Bernard 18th.
Even though he had driven well in Jerez, Bernard was replaced by Finn, Mika Salo for the Japanese Grand Prix.
The final round of the 1994 season was the Australian Grand Prix.
Salo and Zanardi stayed on for what would be Team Lotus� last Grand Prix.
Team Lotus was bought from the receivers at the end of 1994 by David Hunt, but to date one of the most successful Grand Prix teams in history hasn�t returned to the grid.
Problems in first qualifying meant that his ultimate time in the faster second session was compromised.
He lined up 22nd, one place in front of Zanardi and retired after a spin on Lap 41.
He lined up 17th on the grid and gave the 109 its first finish with 8th place.
Although he qualified in the same position he had in the previous round in the 107C, his time was much more competitive.
Herbert meanwhile qualified 19th.
In the race, Zanardi posted the first retirement on lap 19 when his Lotus caught fire.
Herbert though had an inspired charge, which saw him only inches from scoring Team Lotus first point of 1994. He had to settle for 7th.
As in France, Zanardi was the first retirement, after only 4 laps when his engine called it a day.
Herbert meanwhile finished a distant 12th.
Any hope that the race might give Team Lotus their first points of the year was over by the end of the first lap, with both Herbert and Zanardi retiring after separate accidents.
The Lotuses lined up 22nd and 24th.
In the race, Herbert retired with electrical problems and Zanardi finished 13th and last, 5 laps down on the leaders.
The Belgian Touring Car driver had bought a seat alongside Johnny Herbert to try and ease some of Lotus� debt problems.
It was clear that Adams hadn�t been chosen for his speed when he ended up 26th on the grid, 12 seconds behind the leaders.
Herbert had things slightly better with 20th.
Herbert got to the end of the race, though 12 and last, while Adams retired after 15 laps.
A new engine from Mugen-Honda had allowed Herbert to go 3 seconds faster in testing at Silverstone and would certainly be used at Monza.
While Zanardi would be driving the second car at his home Grand Prix.
Team Lotus were also on the brink of �10 million bankruptcy.
In first Qualifying, Herbert lined up 6th, though saying that the car could definitely go quicker. It did and the Lotus rolled up to grid position 4 on the Sunday afternoon.
At the start, Herbert had a good get away and closed in on Damon Hill in 3rd. It was clear that Herbert would be in front by the chicanes, except it didn�t happen like that.
He rushed down to the first corner too fast, missed the braking point and drove straight into the Lotus, beaching it on the kerb.
The race was stopped and Herbert had to start in the spare car with the old engine.
Even worse was that he had to start from the pit lane.
The car ran until the 13th lap when the alternator failed.
Zanardi meanwhile had use of the old engine, but still qualified 13th, only to retire on the first lap with a puncture.
The performance at Monza had given them a chance of salvation.
If progress could be maintained and Mugen-Honda engines could be retained for 1995, then Team Lotus would be an attractive proposition for a buyer.
In first Qualifying, Herbert spun and needed a push start, so was disqualified.
In second Qualifying, the best he could manage was 20th.
Philippe Adams returned for his second race of the season and went one better than in Belgium with 25th on the grid.
Both Lotuses finished the race, but Herbert was 12th and Adams was 17th and last.
Herbert was also busy.
Unknown to Lotus, he had been testing for the Ligier team and signed for them to drive at Jerez.
The previous Ligier driver Eric Bernard was then told to report to the Lotus team bus when he arrived in Spain, to his surprise!
Salo qualified 25th, with Zanardi a reasonably good 17th.
Again both Lotuses finished with Salo a very impressive 10th and Zanardi 13th.
In Qualifying, Zanardi was a respectable 14th and Salo improved on his Suzuka position with 22nd.
The race though heralded a double retirement, a sad end to a glittering career.
