THE LOLA T89/50
All pictures copyright Lola Heritage unless otherwise stated.
Érik Comas took two wins in the DAMS T89/50, Éric Bernard in the second DAMS car is third in this picture.
The T89/50 followed on from the T88/50 that had taken three wins in the European F3000 Championship and four in the All-Japan series. The new car was an evolution by designer Mark Williams on his previous year's model
It was generally a positive year for Lola with the T89/50 taking five wins from eight races in Japan and Hitoshi Ogawa winning the All Japan Series. The new car additionally took third and fourth in the final standings with all the leading cars using the Mugen Honda V8 engine. In Europe things were tougher with Lola winning three rounds to the six of Reynard and one of March, Érik Comas finished the year on 39 points, the same as Jean Alesi but Alesi won the Championship with his three wins to the two of Comas. As well as the T87/50's runner-up spot in the standings its drivers Éric Bernard and Eric van de Poele finished third and fifth. Europe saw the split between engines more equal with the top three cars using the Mugen Honda but the Judd and Ford Cosworth V8s also taking wins during the year.
The T89/50 unusually had a chassis number 13 constructed but it was sold to Japan where the number 13 has no superstitious connotations.
Year(s) of Construction: 1989
Total Built: 22
An autographed picture from Philippe Favre in the GA Motorsports car.
T89/50 CHAMPIONSHIP WINS
YEAR |
CHAMPIONSHIP |
WINNER(S) |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | All-Japan Formula 3000 Championship - | Hitoshi Ogawa | Lola T89/50 - also raced a T88/50 |
T89/50 SIGNIFICANT RACE WINS
1989
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5th March | Suzuka | Kazuyoshi Hoshino | Round 1 of the All Japan Formula 3000 Championship |
| 4th June | Jerez | Éric Bernard | Round 4 of the FIA Formula 3000 International Championship |
| 29th July | Sugo | Takao Wada | Round 5 of the All Japan Formula 3000 Championship |
| 13th August | Fuji | Kazuyoshi Hoshino | Round 6 of the Al Japan Formula 3000 Championship |
| 24th September | Le Mans Bugatti Circuit | Éric Comas | Round 9 of the FIA Formula 3000 International Championship |
| 24th September | Suzuka | Hitoshi Ogawa | Round 7 of the All Japan Formula 3000 Championship |
| 22nd October | Dijon | Éric Comas | Round 10 of the FIA Formula 3000 International Championship |
| 5th November | Suzuka | Masahiro Hasemi | Round 8 of the All Japan Formula 3000 Championship |
Canadian Stéphane Proulx in the GA Motorsport T89/50. (Picture courtesy of Peter Collins)
1989 F3000 Championship runner-up Eric Comas in the T89/50 at Brands Hatch. (Picture courtesy of Peter Collins)
A T89/50 modified for Interserie racing.
