If Lola enter F1, will it affect their sportscar projects?

[Gingers4Justice]

With Formula One needing so many resources, it will surely affect the sportscar area? If Lola go, they will surely be missed, and the quality of worldwide LMP entries will surely suffer - and their will be less variety. Thoughts?

[Bramzel]

I don't think so. F1 would be the showroom for their technology; they make money with their other programmes, they're a commercial company after all.

[AX lover]

Last time they entered F1 they went bankrupt...

[Audi Racer]

It should help them actually. Look at the Acura P1. It has some F1 like elements and going through turn one with the splitter hitting the asphalt it resembled and F1 car going through Eau Rouge at spa. I wonder would they dare let AER develop an F1 engine. I'm sure theyre capable but i would imagine they would hand there Prototype engine program over to Mazda.

[deggis]

Originally Posted by Audi Racer

I wonder would they dare let AER develop an F1 engine.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/74698

Cosworth deal (likely).

[Paradise City]

The announcement is a big surprise from Lola but seems serious. They know all about their own previous problems, even Reynard's woes and wouldn't have made their declarations if they felt they couldn't do it and some more.

It will effect their other operations to a degree (it can't but not) but only to a certain degree.

[The Badger]

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

With Formula One needing so many resources, it will surely affect the sportscar area? If Lola go, they will surely be missed, and the quality of worldwide LMP entries will surely suffer - and their will be less variety. Thoughts?

Of course it will effect their sportscar activities . I would hate to see that as they have their roots in sportscars .

Unless AMR contract them to build a chassis for them , as purly an outside 3rd party constructor , much like Dallara's relationship with Audi .

F1 has a nasty habit of eating up resources all around it .

[knighty]

my gut feel would be yes - it would affect the LMP programmes........but it all depends on how much resource they would throw at an F1 programme while their LMP programmes are quite significant on both sides of the pond.

Also just to clarify something......anyone entering F1 should talk to Frank Williams first......use a privateer engine = sponsors run a mile......buy a manufacturers engine = the sponsors que up........this was the very reason he dropped the cosworth engine in favour of a Toyota.

[dj choc ice]

my gut is saying that AMR will step in, David Richards did say something about wanting Aston Martin in F1 not that long ago so for some reason i am imagining a Lola-Aston Martin F1 collab, seems convenient but could just be me.

However, F1, like Badger said, has a nasty habit of eating up all the resources around it so i wouldnt be surprised if it affects Lola's sportscar side of things, we shall wait and see though, last time they entered F1 sponsored by Mastercard i think, they went bust, a bit of an irony considering who their sponsor was.

[the sniper]

Originally Posted by dj choc ice

my gut is saying that AMR will step in, David Richards did say something about wanting Aston Martin in F1 not that long ago so for some reason i am imagining a Lola-Aston Martin F1 collab, seems convenient but could just be me.

I'd say any AMR effort will be lead by Prodrive. I see Lola going it alone, or supplying a current GP2 team.

[juicy sushi]

i sincerely hope lola isn't foolish enough to do this on their own dime. unless they've got someone else paying all the bills (up front) then it would be extremely silly to attempt this. the budget-capped rules are only proposed, and the current teams must agree to accept them (i seem to remember they haven't accepted them yet). in addition, as everyone has said, competing in f1 is a bit of a resource hog. i think that their other product lines and businesses would suffer were they to enter f1, and the company as a whole would suffer...

[deggis]

World Motor Sport Council is supposed to the decision on 2010 regulations next week (29 April). Of course all of these new teams (Prodrive & USF1) are based on the premise that the regulations will go ahead.

[The Badger]

Originally Posted by dj choc ice

has a nasty habit of eating up all the resources around it so i wouldnt be surprised if it affects Lola's sportscar side of things, we shall wait and see though, last time they entered F1 sponsored by Mastercard i think, they went bust, a bit of an irony considering who their sponsor was.

If I was a potential Lola customer , I would be seriously considering my options concerning chassis choice .

Would I want a chassis with a half an effort behind it , which is what it will be unless you have the might of Ferrari behind you and a shed full of wedge .

Lola would be better off investing in a car that can challange Audi & Pug & Acura and supporting their loyal customers , who keep throwing money in their direction for a decent car , but no world beater , yet .

I expect to get shot for saying this , but its true . Lola build a good car , but its not brilliant .

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by The Badger

If I was a potential Lola customer , I would be seriously considering my options concerning chassis choice .

Would I want a chassis with a half an effort behind it , which is what it will be unless you have the might of Ferrari behind you and a shed full of wedge .

Lola would be better off investing in a car that can challange Audi & Pug & Acura and supporting their loyal customers , who keep throwing money in their direction for a decent car , but no world beater , yet .

I expect to get shot for saying this , but its true . Lola build a good car , but its not brilliant .

I would agree with this. I would be dubious of Lola splitting their attention from Sports Car production/development to chase F-1. It has already been seen that they have finite resources working on the cars. The scramble to re-work the aero for this season. If something comes up, with their attention divided, where will the Sports Car program stand in the pecking order? It is a concern that would be on my mind, with the level of competition in Sports Cars at the moment!



L.P.

[juicy sushi]

bagder and horndawg i agree completely. if lola were to go through with this, or even now as they do initial design work (as i'd assume they'd be starting now if they want a car ready for next year), i'd be looking elsewhere (zytek or oreca) for a customer car...

[Félix]

The news release I read says: "Lola has appointed key new staff to the project and allocated some of its top engineers to this stage of the evaluation". That means the sportscar guys, like Julian Soles (there since the EX257) probably have nothing to do until the LM rules change in 2011. What else is Lola doing these days anyway? They don't have A1 or Nippon or CART anymore. They're out of F3 too and I don't see any other formula they could enter soon. The only thing I can see is consultancy and fabrication for various outfits (including F1) and maybe their sportscar-club racer (B0x-90 series)

[The Badger]

They are massive in defense contracts I believe .

[JAG]

Lola are a business, they aren't going to pony up £30m out of their own pocket, it will be backed by a sponsor or manufacuer, both of which are thin on the ground.

I would imagine they have spare capacity after their Champ Car, A1 GP and F3 business dried up, this is just another opportunity.

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by JAG

Lola are a business, they aren't going to pony up £30m out of their own pocket, it will be backed by a sponsor or manufacuer, both of which are thin on the ground.

I would imagine they have spare capacity after their Champ Car, A1 GP and F3 business dried up, this is just another opportunity.

If they have such spare capacity then how come there was such a delay in getting the new aero built and filling orders?


L.P.

[ger80]

Not sure, but it would look much better if they would be succesful in F3 before entering F1

[Mal]

These sudden announcements are about F1 politics - it is all timed to try and push through the new regulations.

It also sends out signals to potential sponsors to get in touch. I dont see them going ahead without outside funding, but how to they get that without announcing a programme.

Lola's sportscars business is purely a customer programme and a successful one at that. All the time they feel they can continue to make money out of a sportscar programme they will probably continue to build the cars - unless they get to the situation where an F1 programme can make more money.

[Gingers4Justice]

thanks for your replies.

If we do lose Lola from LMP racing I'm sure that Courage or some other team will fill that slot.

Juno have said for a while they want to do LMP2, so perhaps they could become the new Lola?

[JAG]

Lola are a racing car constructor, that's their business, they want as many contracts as possible.

F1 would be another contract, but only possible if funded by an outside business.

Likewise Prodrive will be interested in F1, but these companies are out to make money, not subsidise a program like a manufactuer or wealthy benefactor.

It's all pie in the sky at this stage anyhow, it's looking likely the UK will be left without an F1 GP, with the powers that be putting up all many of obstacles to finally rid themselves of an historic event.

[deggis]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/74947

WMSC decided yes on budget cap. This will surely raise Lola's chances to actually apply. Altough FOTA is still resistant.

2010 championship entries will be published June 12 (just before Le Mans).

[JAG]

You think so, I would say at a stroke they've cut any interest in half.

The cap is no longer £30m but £40m, engines, driver pay and marketing aren't included, so your looking at a £50m-£60m budget to have any chance of competing.

You can also take any 2010 entry list with a pinch of salt, prospective entrants will take up any grid slots, then look to finance them.

For £60m you could run a multi year factory LMP program on both sides of the Atlantic.

You could see Lola designing a car for someone else, they're a constructor not a race team.