THE LOLA T644
All pictures copyright Lola Heritage unless otherwise stated.
The T644 at the Lola factory.
Although no-one knew it at the time, the Autosport advert below trumpets the new T740, the T664 would be the last Formula Ford 1600 to leave the Huntingdon factory. Recent seasons had been good for Lola the T440, the T540, the T640 and the T642 had seen Lola winning the Formula Ford Festival, several UK Championships and numerous races in the UK, Europe and the US but the company decided to concentrate on the more "senior" categories in the future.
The T644, as can be seen from the Press Release below, featured very few changes from the T642 which may account for its relative lack of success, although it did win the Formula Ford Festival (for the second year running) and the E.F.D.A. European Formula Ford 1600 Championship which comprised four races in each of four regions, the top contenders from each region meeting in a grand finale at Zandvoort.
All in all it was a mixed year for the T644, only the EFDA Championship but a lot of race wins especially the Festival at the end of the year. The wins fell away in the second half of the year when Mark Blundell switched to a Reynard in July but it wasn't a bad way for Lola to say goodbye to Formula Ford 1600 after fourteen years and 633 cars.
Year(s) of Construction: 1984
Total Built: 28 (18 to E spec)
T644 CHAMPIONSHIP WINS
YEAR |
CHAMPIONSHIP |
WINNER(S) |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | E.F.D.A. European Formula Ford 1600 Championship | Gerrit van Kouwen | Lola T644E-Ford |
T644 SIGNIFICANT RACE WINS
1984
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th March | Silverstone - BMRMC | Mark Blundell | Mixed Scratch Race |
| 7th May | Snetterton | Mark Blundell | Round of the BP Dunlop-Autosport Star of Tomorrow Formula Ford 1600 Championship |
| 13th May | Snetterton | Mark Blundell | Round of the BP Champion of Snetterton Formula Ford 1600 Championship |
| 20th May | Donington | Gerrit van Kouwen | Round of the BP P&O Ferries Formula Ford 1600 Championship |
| 27th May | Snetterton-BARC | Mark Blundell | Round of the BP Champion of Snetterton Formula Ford 1600 Championship |
| 2nd June | Snetterton -BRSCC | Mark Blundell | Round of the BP Champion of Snetterton Formula Ford 1600 Championship |
| 3nd June | Mallory Park - BRSCC Midland Centre | Mark Blundell | Round of the BP Dunlop-Autosport Star of Tomorrow Formula Ford 1600 Championship |
| 3nd June | Mallory Park - BRSCC Midland Centre | Mark Blundell | Round of the BP BRSCC Star of Mallory Formula Ford 1600 Championship |
| 3rd June | Lydden Hill - Astra MC | Eugene O'Brien | Round of the Tankerton Garage Formula Ford 1600 Championship |
| 10th June | Brands Hatch - HSCC/BHRC | Gerrit van Kouwen | Round of the BP BRSCC Star of Mallory Formula Ford 1600 Championship |
| 17th June | Lydden Hill - BARC | Mark Blundell | Round of the BP Superfind Junior Formula Ford 1600 Championship |
| 22nd July | Brands Hatch | Gerrit van Kouwen | John Player Special Trophy Race Round 6 of the RAC Formula Ford 1600 Championship |
| 15th September | Zandvoort | Gerrit van Kouwen | Winner of the E.F.D.A. European Formula Ford 1600 Championship Final |
| 29th September | Brands Hatch - BHRC | Gerrit van Kouwen | Round of the Townsend Thorenson Formula Ford 1600 Championship |
| 14th October | Brands Hatch - BRSCC | Gerrit van Kouwen | Round of the Townsend Thorenson Formula Ford 1600 Championship |
| 4th November | Brands Hatch | Gerrit van Kouwen | Formula Ford Festival and World Cup (Part of the England team) |
Gerrit van Kouwen at the Formula Ford Festival.
