The second generation Ground Effect car, the Type 79 made its debut at the 1978 Belgian Grand Prix, and what a debut it was. Pole position and a lights to flag victory for Andretti.
The next round of the championship was the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.
At the start, Peterson was involved in an accident with James Hunt and broke both his ankles.
The team was devastated, as they had again lost one of the finest drivers in Formula One.
As if that wasn�t enough for Swedish motor racing, Gunner Nilsson died a month later; suddenly Sweden�s two best drivers were dead.
The result at Monza proved to be a controversial one.
Jean-Pierre Jarrier joined him for the last two races of the season.
Andretti and Peterson ended the season 1st and 2nd in the Drivers Championship, with Team Lotus the Constructors Champions.
1979 saw numbers 1 and 2 emblazoned on the Lotus cars.
John Player Special had now left as sponsors, replaced by Martini and Essex Petroleum.
Clearly the Ground Effect principle had caught on and many others teams had developed in over the winter.
The first 4 races saw three points finishes for both Andretti and new team-mate Carlos Reutemann.
A new car was introduced for Andretti at the Spanish Grand Prix. The Type 80 was wingless as it was thought that the car should obtain its downforce from its underside profile, but this didn�t work as well as expected and the 80 only scored one 3rd place.
Andretti returned to the 79 from the British Grand Prix onwards, but only scored one 5th place during the rest of the season.
Reutemann fared better, using the 79 all season; he scored 2nd place in Spain, 4th in Belgium and 3rd in Monaco, though otherwise he didn�t figure.
Rebaque raced a 79 at 9 events in 1979, though only had two top 10 finishes.
Lotus slipped to 4th in the Constructors Championship, with Reutemann 6th and Andretti 10th in the Drivers Championship.
Reutemann quit Lotus at the end of 1979, though Andretti stayed on, hopeful that Colin Chapman could turn his team around.
The second race in Spain was even more impressive. Pole position, fastest lap and win for Andretti with Peterson in his first race in the 79 a strong 2nd.
The Swedish Grand Prix saw another pole for Andretti, but ultimately he retired; though Peterson claimed 3rd place.
The French round at Paul Ricard saw Lotus back to winning ways with another 1-2, Andretti taking the victory.
The British Grand Prix at Brands Hatch saw a double retirement for Team Lotus, though Peterson claimed pole position.
The German Grand Prix returned Lotus to winning ways with victory from pole for Andretti.
Peterson won the next round in Austria from pole position and also set the fastest lap.
Pole and race victory in Holland fell to Andretti, with Peterson taking 2nd place.
There was much optimism at only a Lotus driver could now take the Drivers Championship.
Andretti qualified on pole, but Peterson didn�t have as much luck and would have to start the race in the spare 78.
He was initially thought to be ok, but the next day he was dead due to blood clots from his ankles reaching his heart.
Andretti finished first on the road, but both he and second placed Gilles Villeneuve were penalised 60 seconds for jumping the start. This dropped Andretti to 6th place, his last point of the year.
Both scored a pole position and a finish, but no points.
The 79 continued for the early part of the season.
Andretti scored two 5th�s and a 4th, while Reutemann claimed and 2nd, 3rd and 5th.
