The deft touch of Keith Duckworth wafts Lotus out of doldrums and forges final link in Ford’s total performance armor. It is almost a law of racing that a new design never wins the first time out.

Helping it get there will be pneumatic valve closing, as seen on Formula 1 V10s of the early 2000s, one of which was the Cosworth 3-litre V10 that powered the very first Red Bull F1 car.

Former F1 engine supplier Cosworth achieved a record revenue of £100m during 2023 “despite challenging market and supply chain conditions”. The manufacturer, which is a supplier to the likes ...