Kammala jumla mai zuwa: Kodayake bai yi nasara ba a cikin Formula Two, Kauhsen ya yanke shawarar shiga Formula One a cikin, kuma bayan ya kasa tabbatar da yarjejeniyar don gudanar da motocin Kojima da aka yi amfani da su a cikin
1977 Japanese Grand Prix, Kauhsen ya shafe 1978 yana tsara tsarin kansu. Da yake kawo mai zane Klaus Kapitza daga Ford, Kauhsen ya shirya gina kwafin Lotus 79, motar da ta mamaye gasar 1978 saboda amfani da tasirin ƙasa. Baya ga shasi, Kauhsen ya sayi ragowar abubuwan haɗin daga masu samarwa, gami da injin Cosworth DFV wanda yawancin ƙungiyoyin ke amfani da shi a lokacin, da kuma tsohuwar akwatin gearbox mai saurin biyar daga Hewland. Bayan da aka shirya bin bin amfani da tasirin ƙasa da Lotus ya yi a lokacin, gwajin farko na samfurin ya bayyana mahimman batutuwan ƙira; masu zanen kaya sun kasa yin la'akari da tsayin hawa na motoci yayin dakatarwa da hanzari, yana dakatar da tasirin ƙasa yana aiki daidai. Wadannan matsalolin sun tilasta wa tawagar sake tsara dukkan motar, ta kawo direbobi Patrick Nève da Harald Ertl don haɓaka sabuwar mota tare da iyakantaccen kuɗin da ke akwai a cikin watanni kafin a fara kakar Formula One.