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Arrows' heartbreak and a wild finish - F1's 300th GP

The 300th world championship race came just as the ground effect aero revolution was about to explode. Eventual champion Lotus did win the 1978 South African Grand Prix, but it's best remembered as the race Arrows should've won

What can you say about Colin Chapman that hasn't already been said? A whip-smart visionary with a penchant for the experimental, the success of his various innovations throughout the '60s and '70s led him onto his latest wheeze - ground effects.

Even so, he wasn't the first to ever explore the field of ground effects in F1 - Peter Wright had looked into it during his time at BRM, and he was the perfect man to assist Chapman with turning its performance potential into something tangible.

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Next article Senna hogs the headlines, Lauda's key win - F1's 400th GP

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