02/02/12

SEVEN LOLA LMP CARS CONFIRMED FOR 2012 LE MANS 24hrs

Following the publication this afternoon of selected entries for the 2012 FIA World Endurance Championship, Lola Group are pleased to announce that there will be at least seven Lola LMP cars at this year’s Le Mans 24 hours, the 80th edition of the great race. In 2012 the Le Mans 24 hours is also a round of the new and prestigious FIA World Endurance Championship. Lola designed and built LMP models will be racing on four continents this season with some of the best professional privateer teams in the world.

Two Lola B12/60 LMP1 Coupe cars sports cars from Rebellion Racing and Dyson Racing will race at Le Mans in June, while two Lola B12/80 LMP2 Coupe entries from Gulf Racing Middle East and one from the Lotus sponsored Kodewa team are entered in the LMP2 class.

Reigning American Le Mans Series champions Dyson Racing will be assisted technically and commercially at the Le Mans 24 hours by Status GP, who will themselves run a Lola LMP2 Coupe in selected 2012 events. Status GP and the Austrian Jetalliance team also have LMP2 Lola entries in the official reserve list.

Lola owner and Executive Chairman, Martin Birrane commented: "2012 is shaping up to be a very exciting year for Lola and indeed endurance racing in general. I have always believed in this exhilarating and challenging form of racing and it is very satisfying to see all our of R&D effort and expense come to fruition with such a number of Lola LMP cars on the grid in the FIA World Endurance Championship. I would like to compliment the FIA and the ACO for their vision in ensuring that 2012 and beyond will be an exciting spectacle for sports car racing competitors and fans alike."

Lola have been working flat out since last autumn on significant aerodynamic and mechanical development upgrades on its LMP1 and LMP2 designs. An exhaustive CFD and wind tunnel programme will ensure that both cars look very different to their 2011 predecessors. Further technical details of the 2012 Lola LMP range will be released later this month.

The FIA World Endurance Championship begins with the Sebring 12 Hours on March 17, followed by the first European race at Spa-Francorchamps on May 5.