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LOLA RECORD ITS BEST EVER FINISH IN THE LE MANS SERIES
On Sunday 14 September 2008, Lola sportscars ended the 2008 Le Mans Series in fine style at Silverstone with the Huntingdon-based constructor celebrating its best ever finish when the Charouz Lola-Aston Martin came home in 2nd place. Silverstone saw the climax to a stunning debut season with the Lola B08/60 LMP1 Coupe for the Charouz Racing System team. Following a podium place at Barcelona in April and a superb 8th overall at the Le Mans 24 Hours in March,the V12 powered Lola fought with the newly crowned diesel powered Audi’s during the Silverstone 1000kms, eventually finishing a creditable runner up in the 195 lap race, that was attended by over 50,000 people during the weekend. German driver Stefan Mucke, started the race and ran a close 4th in the early stages. The Lola-Aston Martin stayed in touch with the leading runners who soon fell away after hitting trouble due to various accidents. After the team cleverly took the opportunity to fill up with fuel during a safety car period, Jan Charouz took over and led the race for a time before losing out to one of the Audi R10’s at the next pit stop, again conducted under a caution period. However, Charouz lapped competitively and remained right behind the title contender, showing the eye catching pace of the Lola that has consistently proved to be the only true challenger to the works Audi and Peugeot teams this season. Jan Charouz, who at just 21 has proved to be one of the up and coming young talents of the LMS, even survived some contact with a GT car. “We not only confirmed the fact that we are fastest petrol car today but we also beat three turbo diesels as they made various mistakes,” said a delighted Jan Charouz at the end of the race. “We put in consistent lap times and it was a very important result for us. One slower car damaged the bodywork when I was overtaking him but fortunately it was not a serious problem. It was one of the biggest races for me and I am very happy.” Lola also celebrated a podium position in the LMP2 class with the Quifel-ASM Lola B05/40-AER taking third position. Olivier Pla showed some searing pace in the Portuguese run Lola, starting the race and completing a memorable triple stint, running in contention with the podium positioned cars in the early stages. Miguel Amaral took over the driver responsibilities in the middle portion of the race and despite a collision with the Embassy run LMP2 car of IRL driver Darren Manning, he handed back over to Olivier Pla. The Frenchman came home in 4th place in class but the impressive Quifel-ASM team were elevated to 3rd place when the other Embassy car of Jonny Kane and Warren Hughes was penalised for exiting the pit lane on a red light. The podium marked another excellent result for Antonio Simoes team who now will look forward to the 2009 season and a fresh challenge in sportscars.
Speedy Racing Team Sebah had a disappointing end to a race that had promised so much throughout the weekend. Proving to be the second quickest LMP2 entry during the race, the Lola B08/80 was placed a close second in class and a brilliant 5th overall at one stage until an accident took it out the 1000kms event. Xavier Pompidou qualified the Lola LMP2 Coupe third on the LMP2 grid and got a fantastic start to sit a comfortable 2nd in the opening two hours. However, in the third hour Pompidou tangled with the GT Lamborghini driven by Roman Rusinov and hit the wall at Woodcote Corner. “I do not understand why he did not let me overtake him,” said an angry Pompidou after the race. “I flashed the light for half a lap but he (Rusinov) was ignoring the blue flags, he touched me four times before we arrived on the straight lane. I am really disappointed and it is really a shame, as we were heading for a very good result.”
2008 has seen Lola sportscars claim to be the fastest customer proposition on the grid in LMP1. In LMP2 the Speedy Racing Team Sebah Coupe has also been the only consistent threat to the Porsche Spyders. With Lola engineers now entering an intense period of improvements and updates at its Huntingdon based headquarters, both existing and new teams to Lola will now be looking forward to an even more successful 2009 racing season. The next sportscar action for Lola is at the Petit Le Mans 10 hour race at Road Atlanta on October 5. Another new LMP2 Coupe will be racing there with the BK Motorsport Mazda team in action SILVERSTONE 1000kms RACE RESULT Pos Cl Drivers Car Time
Not Classified:
A landmark occasion for Lola Cars at the Le Mans 24 Hours Charouz Racing System Lola-Aston Martin finishes 9th overall Lola LMP2 Quifel-ASM Team finish class in 4th position
During the build up to this year’s race, Lola Cars landmark achievement was honoured when company owner and Executive Chairman, Martin Birrane received the prestigious ‘Spirit of Le Mans’ trophy. Off track tributes to Lola’s golden anniversary also saw Great Britain’s longest- serving manufacturer of racing cars featured as the central theme of the official parade, which took place in the town centre of Le Mans on the Friday before the race. On track, a grand total of seven entries; three in the LMP1 class and four entries in the LMP2 entries took the start of the world’s toughest endurance race. This was the marque’s largest entry since 1979. All eyes were on the Charouz Racing System Lola-Aston Martin (pictured above), which finished Thursday’s qualifying session in 6th position to claim the highest place for a petrol powered entry and in so doing beating one of the Audi R10 diesel sportscars. The sleek Lola Coupe design took its impressive qualifying performance in to the race with Stefan Mucke lapping quickly in the opening hour. Holding 6th place in the early stages, the German handed over to Jan Charouz who suffered the misfortune of an accident early in his first stint at the Dunlop chicane. The young Czech Republic driver managed to get the badly damaged Lola B08/60 Coupe to the pits where it lost significant time during repairs. Some terrific work by the Charouz team ensured that a tenacious fight back took place and by the chequered flag the blue and white Lola LMP1 Coupe finished a fighting 9th overall, in what was its first ever appearance at the 24 Heures Du Mans. Also taking the chequered flag at 15.00 hrs on Sunday afternoon was the Quifel-ASM Lola of Guy Smith, Miguel Amaral and Olivier Pla. The AER engined Lola encountered paddle shift problems during the race but the well drilled ASM squad reverted to a manual shift system. This meant that the car fell back to 4th in the LMP2 class but the experience of former winner Smith paid off and the team demonstrated their resilience to hold on to the position for their first Le Mans 24 Hours finish in three attempts. Undoubtedly the only challenger to the Porsche LMP2 Spyder on pace throughout the weekend was the all-new Lola B08/80 LMP2 Coupe of Speedy Racing Team Sebah. The Judd powered car was in a comfortable 3rd place in LMP2 after a relatively trouble free first half of the race, with only a puncture and some electrical issues hindering its rapid progress. At 04:30 hrs the rain was making the track conditions very tricky. With the greasy surface, Xavier Pompidou lost control of the Lola Coupe and crashed at Indianapolis corner. The 33 year-old managed to limp back to the pits but the car stopped just where the pit-lane leaves the main circuit. Just after this the Corvette Racing C6.R driven by Johnny O'Connell tried to come into the pits, but failed to avoid the Speedy Racing Team Sebah. The Anglo-Swiss team finally made it to the pits, but the LMP2 Coupe’s courageous assault of the Le Mans 24 Hours was over after the engine was damaged in the attempts to get the car back to the pit lane, having completed a thrilling 194 laps around the 8.72 miles circuit. Additional Lola runners who encountered race ending problems included the Kruse Schiller Mazda Lola (lap 147 -transmission problem), Charouz Racing (Cytosport) Lola-Judd (lap 146 - engine failure), RML entered Lola-MG (lap 100 –accident damage), and Chamberlain Synergy (lap 87 - engine). The Audi Sport team with drivers Allan McNish, Tom Kristensen and Rinaldo Capello were the overall winner’s of the 2008 Le Mans 24 Hours. Lola sportscars will next be in action in Europe at the Nurburgring 1000kms on August 17.In the US, the next American Le Mans Series event takes place at Lime Rock on July 12th ALL-NEW LOLA COUPES STUN SPORTSCAR WORLD AT BARCELONA LOLA COUPE POWER
The Charouz Racing System Lola B08/60, powered by Aston Martin, rocked the sportscar world with its pace during both qualifying and the race where it competed with the Audi and Peugeot diesel powered cars. Qualifying in fourth place, Stefan Mucke (pictured) soon surged through to third position overall in the early exchanges after overtaking Minassian’s Peugeot. The German driver then proceeded to hold on to the leading pair of Pedro Lamy’s Peugeot and the Audi R10 of Allan McNish. The Michelin shod Lola then drove a trouble free and impressively quick six hour race with Mucke’s team mate, Jan Charouz, also doing a superb job at the wheel to clinch third place overall. The only incident during the event for the Charouz team was when Mucke made brief contact with the GT Ferrari of Rob Bell at the quick final right hand corner on to the pit straight. However, the Lola showed it was strong as well as fast and continued untroubled, eventually setting its fastest lap of the race at 1m35.531s. This time was just over two tenths of a second slower than the second placed Audi R10 diesel. “Simply fantastic, I do not think that other words are needed,” said Stefan Mucke. “It is unbelievable how everything worked. Our team was good even during our debut season but we have moved forward. I did not have any single problem during the race, the Lola was working faultlessly. I can not wait for the next race at Monza!” The Speedy Racing Team Sebah squad were just as impressive in LMP2 with Xavier Pompidou starting their first ever LMP2 event from second on the grid. The Judd engined Lola, which comfortably double stinted its Michelin tyres throughout the race, led the class at the midway stage. However a small delay after an incident with the Team Modena Aston Martin GT1 car and a separate brief clash with the Lamy/Sarrazin Peugeot meant that the Van Merksteijn Porsche eventually took the spoils. With a fastest race lap identical to the Porsche driven by former Grand Prix star Jos Verstappen the Lola B08/80 LMP2 showed some searing pace despite having just two days of serious testing under its belt. Andrea Belicchi and Steve Zacchia joined Pompidou on the driving strength and the latter of this trio was enthused by his new Lola mount, saying: “Compared to cars I have driven recently this is fantastic, the levels of grip, and the speed through the corners, are wonderful. I’m just now beginning to explore the real limits.” Speaking of the success in the race, Lola Executive Chairman, Martin Birrane said: “My sincere congratulations to Charouz Racing System and Speedy Racing team Sebah on their excellent debut performances at Barcelona yesterday. By happy co-incidence the Charouz Lola Coupe was the 50th sportscar to be sold during my ownership, so that is a nice story for us as we celebrate our 50th year as a constructor. The results were a testament to our long-term vision in global sportscar racing and to the top class technical capabilities at our base in Huntingdon, UK.” “It was an enormous boost to find the V12 Aston Martin engine mated so well to the Lola B08/60 Coupe chassis. To be mixing it among the manufacturer cars already bodes very well for the rest of the season. Looking further ahead the effects of a potential diesel engined Lola Coupe on the sportscar grid can be imagined and we sincerely hope that this can become a reality sooner rather than later.”
REIGNING CHAMPIONS SCORE POINTS FOR TITLE DEFENCE
powerplant over the winter and the team expects continued improvements at the next race in Monza on April 27th. Chamberlain Synergy returned to the LMS for their fourth consecutive season in a Lola with Bob Berridge and Gareth Evans finishing 9th in the LMP1 class. Driving the AER powered Lola, the team were forced to pit to repair a legalising panel but managed to do this in just under a minute. The Hugh Chamberlain led team took the chequered flag despite driver Evans battling illness during the race as well as further delays caused by gear selection problems. Quifel-ASM showed their pace all weekend with former GP2 front runner Olivier Pla making an impact in his first sportscar race. The Portuguese team started the race well but lost time due to accident damage to their rear tie- rod which necessitated a replacement. However, Pla and team mate Miguel Amaral completed the race and finished 9th in class. Kruse-Schiller Motorsport arrived at Barcelona with very little testing time achieved in their ex Fernandez Racing Lola B07/40-Mazda. Hideki Noda started the race for the popular German team but persistent water leaks ensured that he and his team mate Jean De Pourtales were forced to retire from the race in the fourth hour of the six hour enduro. All of Lola’s sportscar entrants will be back in action at Monza in three weeks time. With more running time gained from the opening race of the season the new Lola Coupes expect to be quicker on the flat out sweeps of the famous Italian Grand Prix venue.
RACE RESULT
NOTES • The Charouz Lola B08/60 LMP1 Coupe and the Speedy Racing Team Sebah Lola B08/80 LMP2 Coupe were the 50th and 51st sportscars to leave the Lola factory since Martin Birrane took over the company in 1997. • Lola will have more entries at Le Mans this year than any other current constructor. The Huntingdon marque will also have its largest entry at La Sarthe since 1979 when Lola’s competed in the 24 Hours. • While the Barcelona event was on at the weekend, Lola engineers were running a windtunnel programme at Lola’s state-of-the-art windtunnel in Huntingdon. The sessions are centred around the Coupe model and will carry on until the end of the week. • While the Lola name is synonymous with motor sport throughout the world, it is a well kept secret that the company’s winning technology stretches across the Defence and Aviation industries. The secret of the multi-faceted Lola is a reflection of sensitive nature of these territories. • From developing state-of-the-art technology for winning Le Mans cars to building the entire shell for military Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, how do the contrasting industries of motor sport, defence and aerospace find a common denominator in Lola? The highest level of security, cutting-edge technology, managing multi million pound budgets and working to pressurised lead times all work hand-in-hand within these specialist industries.
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A
highly creditable 4th place in LMP2 was the all-new RML MG-Lola LMP2
Coupe of Tommy Erdos and Mike Newton.(right) After just a few
hours of testing at Snetterton last week the familiar red, white and
blue liveried sportscar used the race weekend as an extended test but
were very happy with the way the car ran on its way to more points,
ensuring that the reigning LMS champions finished equal 4th in the LMP2
points standings. Running without any significant technical
problems all weekend, the MG-Lola will now enter an intense
winter of testing to ensure that that it will be in prime position to
re-capture the LMP2 title in 2009. “Developing what is in effect a new
car, does take time,” said an excited Mike Newton over the weekend at
Silverstone. “But we’re gathering the data, and learning more and more,
and that is what we will carry forward from this weekend. Preparing for
next season was always our main objective behind being here.” 
Kruse
Schiller scored their second consecutive finish at Silverstone and
grabbed 2 points after being classified 7th in LMP2. Hideki Noda(pictured
left) and Jean De Pourtales ran cleanly all race in the Mazda
powered Lola B05/40 to add to their points tally gained at Spa in
May. The German run team are also looking to race at the forthcoming
Petit Le Mans and Laguna Seca races in the American Le Mans Series to
ensure they have more miles under their belts before a full campaign in
2009. 
The
76
The
new Lola LMP Coupes made stunning debuts at the Barcelona Le Mans Series
race on Sunday with each of the Huntingdon built LMP cars securing
podium positions.
The
reigning champions in LMP2, RML scored points with a 4th place in class
as Mike Newton and Tommy Erdos recovered from a problematic practice
session. The MG powered Lola has had significant updates added to its