They say that behind every great man there's a great woman, and that was certainly the case for Lotus genius Colin Chapman, given the remarkable contribution of his wife Hazel to the legendary marque's success.
Hazel Chapman passed away at 94 on Tuesday and was described by Lotus Cars managing director Matt Windle as "the rock upon which the Lotus foundations were built".
A former racing driver in her own right and a shrewd businesswoman, Mrs. Chapman yielded her power and influence on all the company's fronts, whether it was Lotus Cars or Team Lotus, assuming a matriarchal role withing the organization while her husband focused on his engineering brilliance in the racing world.
Towards the end of her life, Hazel Chapman's keen interest in Lotus Cars remained intact, and following a long-standing tradition, she signed off the 100,000th Lotus road car in 2018 prior to its unveiling to the public.
Hazel Chapman, 1927 - 2021
