THE LOLA T280
All pictures copyright Lola Heritage unless otherwise stated.
The Ecurie Bonnier entered T280 at the 1972 Brands Hatch 1000 kms, a round of the World Sportscar Championship... (Picture courtesy of Peter Collins)
In 1972 Lola built two designs of sports car in addition to the Can-Am T310, these were the T280 and the T290. The two designs were virtually identical, an aluminium monocoque chassis with a front suspension comprising double wishbones, coil springs over dampers and an anti-roll bar, at the rear reversed lower wishbones, top links, twin radius rods, coil springs over dampers and anti-roll bar. The notable difference was that the tub terminated at the roll hoop and the engine, gearbox and rear suspension were mounted to a tubular steel frame, by changing this frame different engine/gearbox combinations could be used. In the case of the T280 the 3-litre Ford DFV and a Hewland DG300 gearbox were fitted and for the T290 a 2-litre FVC and Hewland FG 400 was the usual choice.
The T280 was commissioned by Jo Bonnier who had arranged sponsorship with the Karl von Wendt racing team to compete in the World Championship for Makes but, when this fell through, Bonnier was forced to find an estimated £100,000 (over one million pounds at today's prices) to fund the project himself. The T280s, entered by Ecurie Bonnier, frequently showed that the car was fast, frequently qualifying in the top five and setting fastest laps at Buenos Aires and Le Mans. However unreliability and the tragic fatal accident to Bonnier at the Le Mans 24 Hours when he hit a slower car understandably left the season as a case of what might have been.
Year(s) of Construction: 1972
Total Built: 5 - NB Chassis HU280/5 was used to rebuild HU280/2 (Bonnier's Le Mans car)
...where, driven by Chris Craft and Gérard Larrousse, seen here leading eventual winner, the Ferrari 312P of Mario Andretti and Jacky Ickx... (Gerald Swan)
1972 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP OF MAKES
| DATE | RACE/VENUE | DRIVERS | QUALIFYING | RESULT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9th January | Round 1 - 1000 km Buenos Aires | Gérard Larrousse/Chris Craft Reine Wisell/Gérard Larrousse/Jo Bonnier (DNS) |
6th 5th |
7th - 6th in class DNF |
| 6th February | Round 2 - Daytona 6 Hours | Reine Wisell/Jo Bonnier/Gérard Larrousse (DNS)/Nestor Garcia-Veiga (DNS) Gérard Larrousse/Chris Craft(DND)/Nestor Garcia-Veiga (DND) |
4th 7th |
NC DNF |
| 25th March | Round 3 - Sebring 12 Hours | Gérard Larrousse/Jo Bonnier/Reine Wisell | 8th | 6th - 4th in class |
| 16th April | Round 4 - 1000 km Brands Hatch | Reine Wisell/Gérard Larrousse (DNP)/Jo Bonnier (DNS) Chris Craft/Gérard Larrousse (DND) |
6th 5th |
DNF DNF |
| 25th April | Round 5 - 1000 km Monza | Gérard Larrousse/Hughes de Fierlant (DND) Reine Wisell/Jo Bonnier |
5th 4th |
DNF DNF |
| 7th May | Round 6 - 1000km Spa | Gérard Larrousse/Hughes de Fierlant | 4th | 5th - 4th in class |
| 11th June | Round 9 - Le Mans 24 Hours | Jo Bonnier/Gijs van Lennep/Gérard Larrousse Hughes de Fierlant/Gérard Larrousse/ Jo Bonnier/Mario Cabral (DNS)/Jorge de Bagration (DNS) |
5th 9th |
DNF DNF |
| 25th June | Round 10 - 1000 km Zeltweg | Gérard Larrousse/Vic Elford (DND) | 2nd | DNF |
| 22nd July | Round 11 - Watkins Glen 6 Hours | Reine Wisell/Gérard Larrousse (DND) | 2nd | DNF |
...it qualified fifth but retired in the race. (Picture courtesy of Peter Collins)
T280 SIGNIFICANT RACE WINS
1972
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19th March | Le Mans – 4 Hours | Jo Bonnier/Hughes de Fierlant | Non-Championship event. |
| 7th May | Bourbach le Haut - Côte de Bourbach le Haut | Nello Chelli | |
| 21st May | Angoulème - Côte d'Angoulème | Nello Chelli | |
| 18th June | Estoril - Estoril Inauguracao | Carlos Gaspar | Sports Cars |
| 9th July | Vila Real - XIX Circuito de Vila Real, Campeonato Nacional de Velocidade (Táca VII Centenário de Vila Real) | Carlos Gaspar | Winner of the S3.0 Class |
| 15th October | Rouen - 1000 km de Paris | Gérard Larrousse/Jean-Pierre Beltoise | Non-Championship event - First Overall and Winner S3.0 Class |
1974
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd March | Brands Hatch - BARC | Jeremy Lord | Round 1 of the Tricentrol Sports GT Championship |
| 31st March | Silverstone - (BARC N Thames Centre) | Jeremy Lord | Round of the Tricentrol Sports GT Championship |
| 15th April | Thruxton - BARC Easter Monday Meeting | Jeremy Lord | Round of the Tricentrol Sports GT Championship |
| 27th May | Silverstone - BRDC | Jeremy Lord | Round of the Jaybrand Formule Libre Championship |
| 3rd August | Aintree - Aintree CC | Jeremy Lord | Sports GT Cars |
| 11th August | Brands Hatch - BARC EMI/Radio Luxembourg Pop Day | Jeremy Lord | Tricentrol Sports GT Championship |
| 26th August | Castle Combe - BARC | Jeremy Lord | Tricentrol Sports GT Championship |
| 27th October | Thruxton - BARC | Jeremy Lord | Tricentrol Sports GT Championship |
1976
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11th July | Silverstone - AMOC | Jeremy Lord | Goddard and Smith Trophy Race for GT and Sports Cars |
The Ecurie Bonnier mechanics work on one of the two Bonnier T280s at Brands Hatch, the second was driven by Reine Wisell and Gérard Larrousse and also retired. (Gerald Swan)
1983
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25th September | Brands Hatch | Ray Mallock/John Cooper | Thundersports - Round 7 |
2008
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19th-20th April | Donington - Masters/HGPCA | Leo Voyazides | Prototype 70s - Winner of Class D |
2009
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9th-10th May | Donington Park National - Donington Masters Classic | Leo Voyazides | Prototype 70s with Touring 70s - First overall and Winner of the DE Class - Race 1 |
| 9th-10th May | Donington Park National - Donington Masters Classic | Leo Voyazides | Prototype 70s with Touring 70s - First overall and Winner of the DE Class - Race 2 |
2010
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30th-31st May | Brands Hatch - Masters Festival | Leo Voyazides | Interserie Revival - Winner Class D |
| 6th June | Monza - 58° Coppa Intereuropa Storica | Michel Quiniou | Classic Endurance Racing - First Overall and Winner Class PR02 |
2011
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd September | Donington Park - Masters Racing Club | Leo Voyazides | Proto 70's incl Invited MSP Cars - Race 1 - Winner Protos Class |
| 4th September | Donington Park - Masters Racing Club | Leo Voyazides | Proto 70's incl Invited MSP Cars - Race 2 - Winner Protos Class |
2012
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9th-10th June | Imola - Classic | Michel Quiniou | Classic Endurance Racing - Race 2 - First Overall and Winner Proto 2 (1973-1979) Class |
| 13th October | Donington Park - Masters Racing Club | Leo Voyazides | CanAm Interserie Challenge - Race 1 - Winner DeC Class |
2013
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6th-7th April | Imola - Classic | Michel Quinou | Classic Endurance Racing - Race 2 - First Overall and Winner PR2 Class |
| 26th May | Brands Hatch - Masters Festival | Leo Voyazides/Simon Hadfield | CanAm Interserie Challenge - Winner DeC Class |
2016
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22nd May | Silverstone International Trophy | Voyazides/Wolfe | Pre 80 Endurance - Winner Class SP4 |
A cutaway drawing of the T280.
Detail sketch of the T280.
The T280 at Gatwick Airport...
...ready for transportation to Jo Bonnier.
The Franco Meiners/Alex Caffi T280 at the Le Mans Classic. (Picture courtesy of Peter Collins)
Carlos Barbot's T280 at the Monza Classic... (Picture courtesy of Peter Collins)
...and the Spa 6 Hours. (Picture courtesy of Jon Bunston)
Another shot from Spa. (Picture courtesy of Jon Bunston)