Yesterday British-based racing-team Lola put an end ...

Published on 06 November 1996 by Verstappen Info Page

Yesterday British-based racing-team Lola put an end to all the rumours and confirmed its return to Formula 1 in 1997. The new car will be ready in february 1997 just in time to enter the season-start in Australia. Some of the engineers working for Lola are already employed in Formula 1. The team is backed by Mastercard with a 4 year sponsorship deal and Brett Trafford, marketing director for the Lola F1 team has declared that the total budget for the team is around 30 million pounds sterling. Brett Trafford further declared that Lola, which retired from F1 in 1993, has always thought seriously about returning to Formula 1 because it offers them stability and the technical developments have a positive effect on their other motorsport activities. Lola realizes that its return to F1 will be difficult and that the time scale is short.

At first the team will be using the Ford Cosworth ED V8 Customer engine but they have embarked on a five-year project, with a 10 million pounds sterling budget, to build a new Formula 1 engine. Lola last contested in Formula 1 in 1993 with the BMS Lola Ferrari. The team, founded in 1958 by current boss Eric Broadley, has a long history in motor racing. The team has won 5 Indy Cars titles and has been active in Formula 3000 and Le Mans 24 Hours racing. Lola has only scored one victory in Formula 1 at the Italian GP in 1967.

The team hopes to name at least one driver within the next two weeks. Jos Verstappen is one of the possibilities. The team has previously been showing interest in Jos and just after the last Grand Prix in Japan there have been talks between the team and Huub Rothengatter. Other options for Jos (Jordan, Tyrrell, Sauber and Flavio Briattore) are still open. We all hope that Jos' seat will be announced before Speed & Design, starting November 13, in Utrecht.