Lola into administration!

[Simmi]

So does anyone know what this 'bombshell' bad news for sportscars is that GG and Dagys have referred to. Apparently more on Monday...

[alexkiller8]

Originally Posted by Simmi

So does anyone know what this 'bombshell' bad news for sportscars is that GG and Dagys have referred to. Apparently more on Monday...

pescarolo 03 and luxury racing withdraw for le mans?
won't be a surprise sincerly.

[Speed-King]

Lola shutting down? (As reported by Murphy the Bear)

[FordCosworthPanoz]

Originally Posted by Simmi

So does anyone know what this 'bombshell' bad news for sportscars is that GG and Dagys have referred to. Apparently more on Monday...

Dagys is usually positive, so If it's a "bombshell" it must be something really major.

My Guesses

Pescarolo 03/Luxury will miss Le Mans.
Audi or Toyota will pull the plug after 2012.
ELMS officially dead.
A major GT or LMP manufacturer pulls out/closes down.
FIA/ACO problems with WEC.
ALMS problems.

[CTD]

Probably the Pescarolo / Luxury Racing dispute. Wasn't that supposed to go to court one of these days?

Really fearing that Lola will close (having hopes for an internship at them in a few years). But i do not see it coming, as i haven't any trouble full news from them.
When a company closes, it always starts with layoffs or cut downs. I haven't heard any this yet. Besides Lola produces products for both the Military and Aero industry, where the first is a big money business.

The Porsche program shut down perhaps!?

[Simmi]

Pescarolo/Luxury isn't a bombshell.

I'd thought about ELMS and also Porsche/Ferrari pulling out of GTs.

I think Lola issues is the most likely. Don't want to hear any bad news, especially when I'm just settling down to watch a six-hour race.

[CTD]

Originally Posted by Simmi

Pescarolo/Luxury isn't a bombshell.

I'd thought about ELMS and also Porsche/Ferrari pulling out of GTs.

I think Lola issues is the most likely. Don't want to hear any bad news, especially when I'm just settling down to watch a six-hour race.

Personally i don't believe the rumors about Lola.
Why has none except Murphy mentioned the rumor. If something is about to go down, others will start the get the word. Such a big story don't go secret for long, if a decision is made.

Besides:
http://www.lolacars.com/content.asp?...ge=Recruitment
Seems weird that a company in trouble would hire new employees

[alexkiller8]

bombshell meaning may change depending on different point of view. Ferrari and porsche aren't full directly involved in GT racing (support official teams is different to have a work team) their main aim is to produce gt2/gt3 cars to sell to customers, really doubt they will retire. I agree with CTD, before a big fire you can sniff the smell of smoke.

[Simmi]

Maybe other news outlets not reporting on the situation out of respect for Lola. Perhaps Lola want to make the announcement? Who knows?

I agree it would be strange. In addition to CTD's link I'm sure they tweeted on the same day as Murphy's initial tweet that they would be taking on interns for 2013 or something similar.

[Speed-King]

Besides:
http://www.lolacars.com/content.asp?...ge=Recruitment
Seems weird that a company in trouble would hire new employees

Restructuring. Shutting down the money-pit that is the racing side of things and focusing on the military component?

Not saying that that's the case, but that's a scenario in which the hiring and the bad sportscar news could happen at the same time.

[CTD]

Originally Posted by alexkiller8

bombshell meaning may change depending on different point of view. Ferrari and porsche aren't full directly involved in GT racing (support official teams is different to have a work team) their main aim is to produce gt2/gt3 cars to sell to customers, really doubt they will retire. I agree with CTD, before a big fire you can sniff the smell of smoke.

Well, your post did bring something to my mind.
The GTE Pro class is becoming more close and therefor expensive (Ferrari and Corvette pushing hard), Porsche has fallen a bit behind and is starting a big LMP1 program. Therefor a Porsche GTE program closure could be likely, not to swamp Porsche Motorsport.

[CTD]

Originally Posted by Speed-King

Restructuring. Shutting down the money-pit that is the racing side of things and focusing on the military component?

Not saying that that's the case, but that's a scenario in which the hiring and the bad sportscar news could happen at the same time.

Originally Posted by Lola

We are looking for pre-preg Laminators with extensive experience in laminating structural parts within the motorsport and aerospace industry

But i have been wrong before (Peugeot)

[gwyllion]

I have no reason to doubt that the Pescarolo 03 will be at Le Mans. One of the Judd engineers recently tweeted that he was working on the Pescarolo engine.

Originally Posted by @stephen_wills

Will be working on that on the dyno today, along with new engine for the new Pescarolo LMP1

My guess would also be on Lola or ELMS.

[alexkiller8]

Originally Posted by CTD

Well, your post did bring something to my mind.
The GTE Pro class is becoming more close and therefor expensive (Ferrari and Corvette pushing hard), Porsche has fallen a bit behind and is starting a big LMP1 program. Therefor a Porsche GTE program closure could be likely, not to swamp Porsche Motorsport.

This is true, but porsche released the new generation of 911 cars, is really unprobable that porsche will leave the GTE/ALMS competition that is an amazing showroom for the car. Maybe porsche will reduce the support for teams but i exclude the withdraw from this competition.

[FstrthnU]

How do we know it's *bad* news? It could be something super positive!

[CTD]

Originally Posted by FstrthnU

How do we know it's *bad* news? It could be something super positive!

Originally Posted by Simmi

So does anyone know what this 'bombshell' bad news for sportscars is that GG and Dagys have referred to. Apparently more on Monday...

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by FstrthnU

How do we know it's *bad* news? It could be something super positive!

JD tweeted #notgood

And a bombshell doesn't tend to be good news. Hence the name...

[ubrben]

Sadly I'm told Murphy is on the money this time... :-(

Ben

[Duff_44]

"could be a bombshell to the world of sports car racing", Dagys' exact words.

That's not likely going to be the Pescarolo/Luxury thing or ELMS folding. And I haven't heard any issues with the FIA/ACO arrangement (which is effectively 1 race old since Sebring was an ALMS-run show).

I would think this is one of two things:
1) A major manufacturer is leaving (Audi, Corvette... maybe a supporter like Michelin? Or Porsche LMP1 which isn't off the ground yet.)
2) IMSA/PMG has been sold, declared bankruptcy, or sold off some key elements - like Road Atlanta & Sebring

[gregtummer]

So what did Murphy say?

Lola is leaving?

[Simmi]

Will await the Lola news with baited breath. Really hope it's not completely day done for them. It's going to have heavy implications in the LMP classes.

[alexkiller8]

Originally Posted by Duff_44

"could be a bombshell to the world of sports car racing", Dagys' exact words.

That's not likely going to be the Pescarolo/Luxury thing or ELMS folding. And I haven't heard any issues with the FIA/ACO arrangement (which is effectively 1 race old since Sebring was an ALMS-run show).

I would think this is one of two things:
1) A major manufacturer is leaving (Audi, Corvette... maybe a supporter like Michelin? Or Porsche LMP1 which isn't off the ground yet.)
2) IMSA/PMG has been sold, declared bankruptcy, or sold off some key elements - like Road Atlanta & Sebring

well michelin reduced the presence in motorsport during last years, but is hard that will leave at all; also because races are good experimental lab for high performance tires for supercars. In my opinion until patron tequila sponsorize the ALMS competition, IMSA have still the butt backed talking about money.
Talking about GT, maybe only corvette can take a sabbatical year in 2013 to come back again with a C7R when the seventh generation of road corvette will be released, but is however unprobable, because corvette is one of the manufacter who refuses the GT3 specs in ACO competition, so this mean that GM is still intersted in GTE. Audi withdraw is pure fantasy. The only real bad new for all sport car racing as the sentence may mean is the retirment of lola, that will have consequences also in other competitions like DP.
The absence of pescarolo 03 and luxury cars is a bad new but not a bombshell.
The fold of ELMS isn't a bad new, because in my opinion that champ is dead when has been decided to split with the WEC.

[gregtummer]

From Murphy's tweets:



Today Murphy hears that Lola's been sold, and that "mass" layoffs will occur before the sale closes.




3 May Murphythebear ‏ @Murphythebear
Two days ago, Murphy heard Lola is "close to Administration." (That's the Queen's English for receivership, or bankruptcy.)







3 May Murphythebear ‏ @Murphythebear
A week ago, the Bear told you layoffs were to be expected at Lola.

[CTD]

But again. Is this still only Murphy reporting this!?
If so, i don't believe it. If we have more who report the same, without Murphy as the source, i will start to hold my breath.

[gwyllion]

Murphy has occasionally been right in the past. You might not like this pessimistic tone of his blog/tweets, but he does have credible sources.

ubrben also confirms the Lola rumor.