As we enter month two of lockdown, with some easing of restrictions on the horizon, our South Australian correspondent Andrew Stevens has a few ideas to keep you entertained. Read on, and share your own below!

Six Lotus Things to Do While Avoiding Everyone Else

Andrew Stevens

So you’ve polished the Lotus, done a full C Service, attended to all those little niggles that you never had time for and are primed and ready for the return of the monthly runs. You’ve even put new batteries in the remote (you did – didn’t you ? OK – go do it now; we’ll wait). Now how to spend the rest of the social distancing period ?

With a little bit of help, here’s my take on how to survive the COVID period in a Lotusless world.

Tales From The Vault: Team Lotus

Courtesy of Mike Bennett, so you know it’ll be good. F1 Journo Peter Windsor hosts this episode of Tales From The Vault featuring Clive Chapman and Bob Dance and focusing on Team Lotus. How do you fit the whole story into 45 minutes – you don’t, and there are some notable gaps, but it doesn’t matter.

And if you enjoy that, as a bonus, have a look at the Ford Heritage video of the first run of the groundbreaking Lotus 49.

The Bend Simulation

You might be experiencing withdrawal symptoms and your planned practice ahead of the mid-year interstate challenge at The Bend has been thwarted. Or, you might just want to experience a Lotus at The Bend without putting your pride and joy on the track.

Using the Assetto Corsa simulation that is available for Windows, Mac and most game consoles, you can buy The Bend’s track data and hone your skills without ever leaving the house. Head to The Bend’s site for details.

F1: Drive to Survive on Netflix

Season 2 of the Netflix behind the scenes view on the 2019 F1 season, and the events that marked it. This is another brilliant story for those who love F1, or just have a passing interest.

From Daniel Ricciardo daring Netflix to screen him calling them a bunch of @#&!$ (they did), to eavesdropping on the Williams post-Silverstone debrief as George Russell has his say is absolutely priceless.

Each episode follows a particular story line focusing on a team or rivalry, such as Red Bull’s decision to replace Gasly with Albon, or Gunter Steiner inventing a new swear word after dressing down his two drivers following (another) collision between them. If you’ve ever wondered what you don’t read in the press, here it is.

Life of Speed – The Juan Manuel Fangio Story

OK – so this isn’t a Lotus story, and it’s another Netflix production, but the just-released the documentary on the great Juan Manuel Fangio chronicles the life of the guy that most drivers consider to be the best ever.

I only saw Fangio drive once, in a W196 Mercedes. In practice there was a stream of liquid running across the track at the apex of a very fast and scary corner. Fangio didn’t lift but simply slid the car through the slippery stuff with an armful of opposite lock. It was sublime.

Jim Clark’s 10 Greatest Drives

In the early ’60s Jim Clark epitomised Lotus, and had a symbiotic relationship with Colin Chapman. This Autosport video, released on the 52nd anniversary of Clark’s untimely death while driving in the first heat of the Deutschland Trophäe at Hockenheimring in 1968, tries to document and determine his greatest ever drives.

It’s available on Autosport.com, or directly on YouTube.

Ronnie Peterson SuperSwede

This can be hard to find, but the documentary of Ronnie Peterson, who died in September 1978 at Monza in a fiery accident in his Lotus, offers a brilliant insight into a man blessed with phenomenal car control, who won plenty of races for Lotus and played wingman to Mario Andretti.

The trailer can be found on You Tube but you’ll have to pay to watch the full version, available on iTunes or Google Play.