Lola F3 Cars

[Dan Rear]

As a spinoff from the Lola T460 site, what about the, roughly, equivalent F3 cars.

IIRC there was a T350 in 75, due to be raced by Neve after his Lola FF success in 1974. Then the T470 of 1976, a few of which I think went to France ? Next the T570s, again some in France, plus Aposkitos, and "Our Nige" later in Britain in 77. Then came the T670 in 78, Arie Luyendijk I seem to remember, and in 79, the ground effect T770. Blanchet had a works one of the latter, some to Europe too I think. The Blanchet car, slightly updated looked OK the next year early on, until the Argos then RT3s started to get sorted, as well as the Marches.

Anyone remember any of these, or have any stories of them. As I remember none were any good, why did Lola bother, as it must have cost them something to make them, yet they never sold many against the March/Chevron/Ralt opposition of the time.

A few years later, 81 or 82 -ish, I remember MN reporting on late season Lola F3 tests of something called the T870. Didn't Dumfries, Bailey and maybe others test it. Don't think it ever raced though did it, again why did they bother ? I can only think that with CanAm/Sporstcars dying, Broadley felt he had to look for new markets.

Does anyone recall any good F3 Lolas ever ! As usual I'm very happy to be corrected on any/all of this.

Dan

[Andrew Kitson]

I recall that Mike Blanchet had a whole string of 7th place finishes, don't know why I remember that, think it was '79. I think despite being a works car with SDC sponsorship, it suffered from lack of development.

[Dan Rear]

Chris

This is the one, anything interesting to add here !!!

[spearce]

Our Nige went quite well in the T570, given that he only had a few end of season outings in it. Much better than in the F3 Puma that he also tried ..........

[Ted Walker]

The Nigel Mansell car is alive and well and for sale.Call Martin Cowell on 01432 760098 (its NOT expensive)

[Frank de Jong]

Arie Luyendijk's racing team Holland car was after a few races exchanged for a Ralt like his buddies Rothengatter and Lammers had (quite a trio, wasn't it? Indy-, Le Mans and F2 winners there).
The Lola link of Luyendijk cam from his Super Vee days, he was the 1977 championship with a second-hand car.
RTH switched to Argo's in 1979, without much success.

[Dan Rear]

Frank, I assume that was in 1978 from the Huub/Jan point, Jan did very well in his Ralt as I recall.

Wasn't Arie's RTH team-mate later Rob Leeuwenberg, I remember them in the Argo JM3s in 1979. Marlboro backed them IIRC, as you say, not too successfully !

[Frank de Jong]

The Huub/Jan period was 1978 indeed.
Rob Leeuwenburgh was Arie's partner (with a limited program). He was a succesful FF2000 racer but at the time of his F3 debut already 28 years old. He quit racing not long after his F3 adventure.

[fines]

Often forgotten is that Peter Sauber made his entry into single-seater racing with three Toyota-engined T670s in 1979, to be driven by experienced Beat Blatter and F3 novices Edy Kobelt and Max Welti. That trio totally dominated the Swiss series, finishing 1-2-4 in the points and winning ten of the thirteen rounds, although at one race Blatter crashed his Lola in practice and won in a borrowed March/Toyota 783 instead. With the Lola he won the first five circuit races and one hill climb on his way to a comfortable title; Kobelt took two hill climbs and Welti one. The three missing events (all hill climbs) were won by Louis Maulini (2 in a Ralt/Toyota RT1) and Bruno Eichmann (Argo/BMW JM3).

That should rank as Lola's finest hour in F3!

[cirrus]

I don't think the Lola corporate heart was ever truly behind F3, and who can blame them - they were doing very nicely in the lucrative F5000 and sportscar markets.

I can remember the Greek driver, George Aposkitis, buying a new Lola F3 from the factory in the mid seventies. Despite the car being sold as brand new, there were several items on it that had clearly been....erm......previously enjoyed.