Lola think of return to F1

Grim.

from crash.net

The Lola Group has revealed that it has begun work on a project that aims to see the company return to Formula 1 in 2010 for the first time in more than a decade – following the ill-fated venture back in 1997 that led to its financial ruin.

The Huntingdon-based concern – founded just over half a century ago by Eric Broadley – made the announcement in the wake of the FIA's resolution to introduce an optional cost cap for teams from next season onwards, decreed following the landmark meeting of the World Motor Sport Council in Paris last month.

The Lola Group has since launched a full technical, operational and financial evaluation of what would be required to successfully compete in the top flight in F1's revolutionary new 'low-cost' era, with the governing body's ultimate aim being to bring annual budgets down to somewhere in the region of £30 million. Last season Honda is reputed to have spent some £147 million on its Brackley-based operation, for a meagre return of just 14 constructors' world championship points.

A statement from the illustrious Cambridgeshire concern underlined that 'subject to the publication of both the technical and cost-capping regulations for 2010, [Lola] is in discussions with a number of parties with a view to creating a Lola-designed, manufactured and developed car for the FIA Formula One World Championship.

'Lola has appointed key new staff to the project and allocated some of its top engineers to this stage of the evaluation. Lola is extremely well-positioned to respond quickly to this opportunity, having already at its disposal an F1-standard wind tunnel, latest CFD and FEA and a seven-post dynamic chassis rig.'

Over four decades from the 1960s to the 1990s, Lola developed machines that went on to compete in F1, making its debut at the pinnacle of the sport when it supplied its Lola Mk4 model to Reg Parnell's Bowmaker-Yeoman Racing Team, driven by John Surtees and Roy Salvadori – with the former putting the car on pole position on its very first appearance in the 1962 Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort. Honda Racing, the late Graham Hill's short-lived team Embassy Hill, Haas Lola/Beatrice, Larrousse and BMS Scuderia Italia were other recipients of Lola chassis' up until 1993, but the initial level of success was never replicated.

The fundamentally-flawed, 1998 MasterCard-Lola T97/30 was the final nail in the coffin, with the cars of International F3000 graduates Vincenzo Sospiri and Ricardo Rosset failing to qualify for the curtain-raising Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne after embarrassingly lapping more than eleven seconds off the leading pace. With the sponsors rapidly pulling the plug, they would go no further and the company went into receivership, before being rescued by Martin Birrane – the same man who now intends to give F1 another go.

“The announcement that Formula 1 teams may opt for a prudent, financially responsible 'cost-capped' regime from 2010 has resulted in us deciding to fully evaluate the opportunity to develop a car to compete in the FIA Formula One World Championship,” Lola's executive chairman contended.

“Providing world-class engineering excellence and offering high-quality solutions governed by a tightly-controlled financial regime has been part of Lola's DNA over the last decade. The current necessity for Formula 1 to adopt a responsible approach in times of economic uncertainty has created the ideal conditions for us to consider developing a car for the world championship.

“Lola possesses the technical resources, capability and know-how to develop cars capable of competing at the very highest levels of international motorsport, including Formula 1. We are therefore embracing the WMSC's timely announcements and assessing a relevant programme for F1 with a view to making a formal entry in the coming weeks.”

Last month, the sport's commercial rights-holder Bernie Ecclestone evoked a grid of 26 cars in 2010, claiming that three new teams had stated their intention to join the fray.

Outside of F1, Lola's rich heritage includes the production of championship-winning and one-make formulae for Champ Cars in America, Formula Nippon in Japan, F3000, Formula 3 and A1GP. It currently produces the race-winning LMP1 and LMP2 sportscars competing in both the Le Mans Series and American Le Mans Series.

Sabre0001

Grim. wrote: »

thought id get this tread going rather than keep posting new treads every time there's news relating to f1 and its workings

Isn't that the point of the 'Motorsport' sub-forum? A thread per point means there can be discussion...especially on what you find interesting rather than wading through topics. Also, I find your tagline and this thread very disappointing


On the subject of the news article, it is good to see more interest. Although teams often say it and it can take some time to see any movement thereafter.

Grim.

Isn't that the point of the 'Motorsport' sub-forum? A thread per point means there can be discussion...especially on what you find interesting rather than wading through topics. Also, I find your tagline and this thread very disappointing

damn you found my one weakness yes my retardedness /shakes fist



yes my one weakness <_< >_>

vectra

Could this happen??
I would like to see him get a break :cool:

A1GP driver Adam Carroll is still hoping to become a Formula 1 driver one day. On Wednesday Lola Racing Cars has said they might want to enter the sport as of next season, which could be a perfect match for Carroll as Lola is owned by country fellow Martin Birrane.

Adam Caroll and Team Ireland is currently leading the A1GP championship ahead of next week's round at Brands Hatch. After bringing his A1GP season to a successful end Carroll eyes a role in Formula 1 next seeason. "I'm looking at my options for next year," Carroll told Irish newspaper The Independent. "This has been a great season, but I'm also looking at other opportunities and there may be options for me in F1, especially with new teams expected to come into the series."

Grim.

aston martin now thinking of entering

http://www.crash.net/Formula+One/News/145702/1/aston_martin_set_for_f1_entry_david_richards_hints.html

Following the announcement less than 24 hours ago that Lola is evaluating a return to Formula 1 after more than a decade away, David Richards has become the latest to throw his name into the hat for a potential 2010 entry – in a move that would see the iconic Aston Martin brand in the top flight for the first time in history.

The new optional budget cap announced last month by the FIA has attracted a wealth of attention, with as many as eight interested parties in occupying the three spaces on the grid that look set to make up a field of 26 cars next year, as recently evoked by the sport's supremo Bernie Ecclestone.

What's more, in support of this initiative, Formula One Management (FOM) chief executive Ecclestone is understood to be willing to offer a £30 million incentive to guarantee there are three extra teams in 2010 – as the threat of more manufacturers following Honda's lead in pulling the plug on their F1 projects in such uncertain times remains all-too real.

It is those very same economic circumstances, though, that have forced F1's rule makers to act and to set about drastically cutting costs within the sport – one that has traditionally been the most glamorous and expensive in the world. The budget cap is one such move – and one that has proved attractive to smaller teams and organisations like that of Richards.

Whilst it has long been assumed, however, that an entry by the British entrepreneur would be in the guise of his independent Prodrive operation – which flirted seriously with a £45 million graduation in 2008, and was indeed granted the twelfth and final spot on the grid before the customer car row stopped the bid in its tracks – the team would instead go under the name of legendary British marque Aston Martin, synonymous in recent years with sportscar glory courtesy of back-to-back GT1 class victories in the Le Mans 24 Hours.

Richards has a proven record in F1, though, having led BAR-Honda (now Brawn GP) to its most successful season ever back in 2004, and being credited with rescuing current world championship leader Jenson Button's career from the mire. He also acted as team principal of Benetton-Renault in 1998.

“This is a great time to come in,” the 56-year-old is quoted as having said by The Times. “If budgets are capped to a sensible level, everybody will benefit. Instead of Formula 1 being a contest of the teams with the most money, it will become a championship for engineers with ingenuity and great drivers who can show their skill, as it was years ago.

“Nothing is decided yet, but the key to all of this is the financial reality that the budget cap will bring. Take a £300 million budget and, in reality, all you really need is a tenth of that. Things just got hopelessly out of control. What Max [Mosley, FIA President] has come up with is not just eminently sensible but crucial to the survival of the sport. This way, new teams can become involved at a sensible price and with a chance of being competitive.”

Richards already boasts state-of-the-art facilities in both Banbury and at Fen End in nearby Warwickshire, as well as a reputed 142-strong workforce, and talks are in the pipeline with Middle Eastern backers. Moreover, commercial rights-holder Ecclestone is said to be willing to donate £7 million to each new team making the jump, in addition to £3 million each for a season's travel costs.

Aside from Aston Martin and Lola, the budget cap has also elicited interest from the Peter Windsor and Ken Anderson-headed US GPE creation, as well as Northampton-based private engine company Cosworth, which could return to the grand prix grid for the first time since 2006.

It is expected that Mosley will push through his radical budget cap proposal next week, with the £30 million limit to be officialised and to cover the cost of both chassis' and engines.

EvilMonkey

Did the FIA not set a max limit of 22/24 cars for a GP years ago? If both of these follow through and USGP come in in 2010 dose that mean at least one team currently running is pulling out next year? Who would that be? Mercedes aren't too happy at the minute could they pull the plug on McLaren? Even if they did there's a good chance they would survive. Who else is likely to pull out? Of course these new teams may not materialise or the FIA could allow more cars.

/puts tinfoil hat on!
Actually thinking about it is this a preemptive move by the FIA or more likely Bernie to have other options waiting to replace anyone that threatens to leave over the proposed budget caps for 2010? Are these teams serious or a smokescreen to disrupt FOTA even more?

amacachi

EvilMonkey wrote: »

Did the FIA not set a max limit of 22/24 cars for a GP years ago? If both of these follow through and USGP come in in 2010 dose that mean at least one team currently running is pulling out next year? Who would that be? Mercedes aren't too happy at the minute could they pull the plug on McLaren? Even if they did there's a good chance they would survive. Who else is likely to pull out? Of course these new teams may not materialise or the FIA could allow more cars.

/puts tinfoil hat on!
Actually thinking about it is this a preemptive move by the FIA or more likely Bernie to have other options waiting to replace anyone that threatens to leave over the proposed budget caps for 2010? Are these teams serious or a smokescreen to disrupt FOTA even more?

Last I read there was a limit of 26 entrants to a GP, less for Monaco. There's 7 or 8 teams supposedly trying to get in, so some are going to be disappointed.

dsmythy

amacachi wrote: »

Last I read there was a limit of 26 entrants to a GP, less for Monaco. There's 7 or 8 teams supposedly trying to get in, so some are going to be disappointed.

At least the quality of the newcomers is guaranteed.

amacachi

dsmythy wrote: »

At least the quality of the newcomers is guaranteed.

Wouldn't go that far, all comes down do the car design. I'd love if it was like the old days with guys turning up with a really smart idea and flying around then breaking down. :P

RayM

I think, under one of the old Concorde Agreements, they had a limit of 12 teams, but I'm unsure what the limit is today.

The 1989 entry list:

McLaren
Tyrrell
Williams
Brabham
Arrows
Lotus
March
Osella
Benetton
Dallara
Minardi
Ligier
Ferrari
Lola
Coloni
EuroBrun
Zakspeed
Onyx
Rial
AGS

Twenty teams. With smaller garages (again, in keeping with cost-cutting), they could easily allow a similar number in future seasons. Perhaps, just to make qualifying a bit more exciting (and avoid having 40 cars piling into the first corner), only the fastest 26 drivers could start the race.

Grim.

out of curiosity can one car teams enter?

smooch71

If they slash the budget like they say they will, you'll probably see a lot of GP2 teams making the step up, along with Lola, Prodrive, Aston Martin(!) etc.

The budget they're talking about is c. 30 million. Surely that wouldn't even cover Kimi's salary!

Will Formula 1 become a shadow of it's former self with cheap second rate drivers and will Bernie and Max get their wish of F1 becoming a spec series?

smooch71

Grim. wrote: »

out of curiosity can one car teams enter?

I don't think so.

amacachi

smooch71 wrote: »

If they slash the budget like they say they will, you'll probably see a lot of GP2 teams making the step up, along with Lola, Prodrive, Aston Martin(!) etc.

The budget they're talking about is c. 30 million. Surely that wouldn't even cover Kimi's salary!

Will Formula 1 become a shadow of it's former self with cheap second rate drivers and will Bernie and Max get their wish of F1 becoming a spec series?

Driver salaries would almost definitely be left out. As I've said in other threads, sponsors pay Kimi's salary almost directly, if Ferrari had another driver in instead they wouldn't save any money as the driver's pay is almost seperate from the team.

smooch71

So does that meant the budget limit only applies to the design of the car?

I suppose when you factor in all the other expenses, big motorhomes, coporate dos etc, none of that will be effected.

amacachi

smooch71 wrote: »

So does that meant the budget limit only applies to the design of the car?

I suppose when you factor in all the other expenses, big motorhomes, coporate dos etc, none of that will be effected.

The simple fact is we don't know.

Slutmonkey57b

You can guarantee the budget cap won't be nearly as obvious as people think it is.

EvilMonkey

Slutmonkey57b wrote: »

You can guarantee the budget cap won't be nearly as obvious as people think it is.

Definitely and the richer teams will find ways around it anyway. :pac:

amacachi wrote: »

Last I read there was a limit of 26 entrants to a GP, less for Monaco. There's 7 or 8 teams supposedly trying to get in, so some are going to be disappointed.

Whoever gives the biggest backhander wont be disappointed!

amacachi

EvilMonkey wrote: »

Whoever gives the biggest backhander wont be disappointed!

I meant starters of a GP, not entrants. So it would go by qualifying times.

EvilMonkey

amacachi wrote: »

I meant starters of a GP, not entrants. So it would go by qualifying times.

Ah right, Like back in the old days when some people couldn't qualify within 110% of pole.

amacachi

EvilMonkey wrote: »

Ah right, Like back in the old days when some people couldn't qualify within 110% of pole.

107% :P

smooch71

amacachi wrote: »

107% :P

And back in the really old days you had so many cars that they had to pre-qualify.

BenEadir

Caught the tail end of qualifying earlier. Heard Coulthard and EJ talking about cars with the "curves" system being too slow to ever challenge.

Whats the "Curves" system?

Ben

EvilMonkey

BenEadir wrote: »

Caught the tail end of qualifying earlier. Heard Coulthard and EJ talking about cars with the "curves" system being too slow to ever challenge.

Whats the "Curves" system?

Ben

KERS = Kinetic energy recovery system
It uses energy lost while breaking to give the cars an 80bhp boost for 6s a lap.
Its basically a push to pass system implemented in the most retarded way possible.

BenEadir

Oh, OK!! Sounds like a good idea in theory executed badly?

vectra

BenEadir wrote: »

Caught the tail end of qualifying earlier. Heard Coulthard and EJ talking about cars with the "curves" system being too slow to ever challenge.

Whats "Curves"

Ben

Curves=

Coulthard's
Utter
Rubbish
Versus
Eddie's
$hite talk

Slutmonkey57b

Yeah that's one thing Coulthard has been renowned for spouting - ill informed rubbish. Wait, I'm getting my posters confused.

PS: is "Scotracer" on YouTube Coulthard?

EvilMonkey

BenEadir wrote: »

Oh, OK!! Sounds like a good idea in theory executed badly?

Well I'm not a fan of it, they are making something that could easily be implemented in the ECU (push to pass) very complicated and expensive to try and show that F1 trying to be "green" and developing green technology which is bull****.

Then you have some cars using it to pass but other cars dont have it so they cant defend properly but are faster.

It should be better next year when its compulsory at the minute it doesn't really give an advantage because of the weight of the batteries and motor means the cars that use it cant be properly set up and balanced.
I think they will put the power up from 80bhp since its not giving the advantage they expected this year.

mickdw

I thought that the teams were going to be allowed get as much power from the kers system as possible. i.e. after using it on the straight it would be empty and right after the next big brake, you could use it again if enough power has been stored. That would encourage the teams to really develop the system whereas now there is no reason to develop it except to make the system lighter.
It would have been much more interesting if they had a free rein on this. Some teams would then go for extra batteries. more weight and loads of extra kers power while others would do the opposite. The way it is currently is a bit crap