FORUMula1.com - F1 Forum

[iPod]

British racing car manufacturer Lola is considering re-entering Formula 1 next year after confirming that it has committed to a full technical, operational and financial evaulation of the project.

The Huntingdon-based company has a long history of building F1 cars and last appeared with a short-lived and unsuccessful works team at the start of the 1997 season.

However, in the wake of the FIA announcing last month its plans for teams to be able to compete in F1 under a £30 million budget cap, Lola executive chairman Martin Birrane now believes the time is right to consider a return.

"The announcement that 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," he said.

"Providing world-class engineering excellence, 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 F1 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 motor sport, including F1. 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."

AUTOSPORT understands that Lola is in talks with Cosworth for a supply of V8 engines for next year, and that it could face competition for the available grid slots from a number of other prospective teams, including the USF1 project.

Lola has already appointed engineering personnel to evaluate the possibility of an F1 return, and already has an F1-standard windtunnel, computational fluid dynamics capability and a seven-post dynamic chassis rig in its factory.

Cant help but think that the Cost Cutting/Capping idea is actually doing a world of good for the sport. What are your thoughts?

[EwanM]

I wonder if they'll qualify this time.

[scotty]

On paper a full grid is definitely good for the sport - there'll be more opportunities for young talents, increased competition on track etc etc etc... Whether that'll actually work in practice, well i guess we'll just have to wait and see. It's no good if we just have 6 cars extra going around 4 seconds off the pace!

What i would like to know is what parts of the 'capped' cars will be allowed more technical freedom.

[cap-dude]

So we have US GP almost certainly joining us next year. Lola are interested, and it seems likely they'll join. There were rumours of Hyundai joining, with interest in the Korean GP set for next year. We know Prodrive are keeping a keen eye open.

The grid is looking very good next year. Personally, these cost cuts are a great thing. F1 was a black hole for money, with Bernie being the only man really making a profit. But now with the budget caps, teams aren't forced over-spend. There's much more chance of them making a profit, therefore F1 is more viable for teams.

[Gilles 27]

They'll probably just make a car for someone else to take the credit for like Ford or Aston Martin...

Seriously though, I would love to see Lola back

[Selcouth_Feline]

It's no good if we just have 6 cars extra going around 4 seconds off the pace!

I think it would be quite fun I remember being really sad when they introduced the 107% rule.

[8-ball]

Cutting costs has been an idea that I have always been in favour of. In principle Max has got it right but I don't agree some his cost cutting measures. Anything that allows teams to enter F1 and run it like a business (i.e. make a profit) is good. So I am keeping my fingers crossed that Lola come back

[Frosty]

The major problem I have with current cost cutting proposals is A the bigger teams could never go from £300Million budgets one year to £30 million budgets the next and B the idea of a two tier F1 is just stupid in my opinion! can you really expect a team like McLaren to go from 1100 personnel one year to getting rid of 850 of them. Then you have the driver contracts to consider Lewis's contract is £15 million a year Kimi is paid over £20 million a year. A big F1 team can do hardly anything with £30 million! The FIA need to up the budget cap and make driver salaries separate!

[7UpJordan]

It would be nice to see the legendary marque back in F1. Would they enter just as Lola like they did in 1997 or through somebody else like the Beatrice sponsored Lola's that Carl Haas entered in the mid 80's or Gerard Larrousse's team?

[Denthúl]

The major problem I have with current cost cutting proposals is A the bigger teams could never go from £300Million budgets one year to £30 million budgets the next and B the idea of a two tier F1 is just stupid in my opinion! can you really expect a team like McLaren to go from 1100 personnel one year to getting rid of 850 of them. Then you have the driver contracts to consider Lewis's contract is £15 million a year Kimi is paid over £20 million a year. A big F1 team can do hardly anything with £30 million! The FIA need to up the budget cap and make driver salaries separate!

It would never be £30 million. Max is just playing games with the teams and trying to get them to put forward a proposal that closely matches his actual goal.

I would like to see two new teams next year. Having 24 cars on the grid again would be good fun

[Jensonb]

That's too funny for words.

[EwanM]

Get 3 new teams. Have our first full grid in over a decade.

[Gaz]

Get 3 new teams. Have our first full grid in over a decade.

YEAAAAAH

[Jensonb]

Get 3 new teams. Have our first full grid in over a decade.

In theory

[cap-dude]

I think the £30 million is just an inductory rate. The rate is set up to look appealing to a new team. But whenever the new team signs the contract, the costs go up and it's too late to pul out. Classic buisness plan.