New decade, but not a totally new car. The Type 81 was only a revamped 80 with more conventional 79-style bodywork.
Martini ended their sponsorship after only one season, while ESSEX increased their funding of Team Lotus, with the cars now red, silver and blue stripes.
For Andretti, the season was a disaster, 9 retirements from 14 starts, and only one point, at the final race of the season in the US.
A third 81 in B specification was entered for Nigel Mansell in the Austrian, Dutch and Italian races.
Lotus slipped to 5th in the Constructors Championship, with De Angelis 7th and Andretti a lowly 20th, enough reason for him to quit the team at the end of the season.
For 1981, Mansell joined as No.2 to DeAngelis.
On the driver front, young Roman Elio De Angelis joined Andretti.
De Angelis though impressed. 2nd place in only his second Lotus race in Brazil, 6th place in Austria and 4th in Italy and the US.
Mansell qualified for the first two, but retired both times.
The first race of the season at Long Beach resulted in a double retirement.
Round 2 though gave Lotus a double finish, De Angelis 5th and Mansell 11th.
Round 3 in Argentina gave De Angelis another point with 6th place.
No Lotus cars were entered in the San Marino Grand Prix, though the next round in Belgium proved to be Team Lotus� best race of the season with Mansell 3rd and De Angelis 5th, which proved to be the last race in which the 81 was driven.
