THE LOLA T90/50
All pictures copyright Lola Heritage unless otherwise stated.
The T90/50 (and trailer hitch) at the Lola factory.
1989 had been a reasonably successful year for Lola in F3000 with the T89/50 taking five wins from eight races in Japan and Hitoshi Ogawa winning the All Japan Series while in Europe Lola won three rounds with Érik Comas finishing runner-up.
The T90/50, like the T89/50, was designed by Mark Williams and a lot of work was done on the aerodynamics for the new car resulting in redesigned sidepods together with new front and rear wings that produced a lot more downforce. The downside was a less drivable car that was more difficult to set up which caused problems for some of the less experienced drivers.
The chassis was constructed from an upper and lower autoclaved carbon fibre sections bonded and riveted together, this allowed the chassis joint line to be nearer the neutral axis of the car and the edge of the lower section to be radiused. The cockpit was designed to be more comfortable with the driver sitting lower to aid the aerodynamics. Tall narrow narrow entry sidepods were fitted improving cooling and aerodynamics and the body was all-enveloping with an engine cover and integral airbox. The whole car was both smaller and lighter than its predecessor.
The front suspension featured an extended wishbone base to reduce specific loading with pushrod operated Koni spring/damper units mounted longitudinally across the top of the chassis moulding accessed via a hatch. The rear suspension had a stiffer fabricated steel upright with an improved rocker pivot design and rocker ratio and a revised driveshaft design to deal with increased loadings.
The car was a winner from the start being victorious in the opening rounds of both the Japanese and European Championships and going on to win all ten rounds in Japan with Kazuyoshi Hoshino taking the Championship whilst in Europe it was seven wins and Érik Comas as Champion. The story continued in Japan in 1991 with the T90/50 winning six more races and giving Ukyo Katayama the Championship.
Lola sold an amazing thirty-nine cars with twenty-four of the T90/59s going to Japan and the other fifteen racing in Europe. Competition came from the Reynard 90D that won four races in Europe but was unsuccessful in Japan. The only other manufacturer was Leyton House (formerly March) who fielded a handful of cars in both Championships without success. As for engines it was the Mugen Honda V8 that ruled the roost in Japan winning all rounds and the top seven positions in the final standings, in Europe it was seven wins to Mugen Honda and four wins to the venerable Ford Cosworth DFV V8.
The chassis was priced at £75,000 (£162,000 in 2019) with Lola's black box intelligent instrument system available at an extra £12,000 (£26,000 in 2019).
DIMENSIONS
Front Track: 67ins (170cms).Rear Track: 61.4ins (156cms).
Wheelbase: 103.5ins (262.8cms).
Weight: 540kgs (1190.5lbs).
Year(s) of Construction: 1990
Total Built: 39
The Allan McNish DAMS-run car.
T90/50 CHAMPIONSHIP WINS
YEAR |
CHAMPIONSHIP |
WINNER(S) |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | FIA F3000 International Championship | Éric Comas | Lola T90/50-Mugen |
| 1990 | All Japan F3000 Championship | Kazuyoshi Hoshino | Lola T90/50-Mugen |
| 1991 | All Japan F3000 Championship | Ukyo Katayama | Lola T90/50-Cosworth DFV & Lola T91/50-Cosworth DFV |
One of the two DAMS cars.
T90/50 SIGNIFICANT RACE WINS
1990
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4th March | Suzuka | Kazuyoshi Hoshino | Round 1 of the All Japan Formula 3000 Championship |
| 15th April | Fuji | Kazuyoshi Hoshino | Round 2 of the All Japan Formula 3000 Championship |
| 22nd April | Donington 200 Gold Cup | Érik Comas | Round 1 of the FIA Formula 3000 International Championship |
| 13th May | Nishinihon | Keiji Matsumoto | Round 3 of the All Japan Formula 3000 Championship |
| 19th May | Silverstone International Trophy | Allan McNish | Round 2 of the FIA Formula 3000 International Championship |
| 27th May | Suzuka | Keiji Matsumoto | Round 4 of the All Japan Formula 3000 Championship |
| 17th June | Jerez | Érik Comas | Round 4 of the FIA Formula 3000 International Championship |
| 24th June | Monza | Érik Comas | Round 5 of the FIA Formula 3000 International Championship |
| 22nd July | Grand Premio del Mediterraneo - Enna | Gianni Morbidelli | Round 6 of the FIA Formula 3000 International Championship |
| 29th July | Sugo | Mauro Martini | Round 5 of the All Japan Formula 3000 Championship |
| 12th August | Fuji | Kazuyoshi Hoshino | Round 6 of the All Japan Formula 3000 Championship |
| 19th August | Brands Hatch | Allan McNish | Round 8 of the FIA Formula 3000 International Championship |
| 2nd September | Fuji | Kazuyoshi Hoshino | Round 7 of the All Japan Formula 3000 Championship |
| 23rd September | Le Mans Bugatti Circuit | Érik Comas | Round 10 of the FIA Formula 3000 International Championship |
| 23rd September | Suzuka | Kazuyoshi Hoshino | Round 8 of the All Japan Formula 3000 Championship |
| 28th October | Fuji | Volker Weidler | Round 9 of the All Japan Formula 3000 Championship |
| 11th November | Suzuka | Kazuyoshi Hoshino | Round 10 of the All Japan Formula 3000 Championship |
One of the DAMS cars at the Lola factory with two other T90/50 tubs in the background.
1991
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd March | Suzuka | Ukyo Katayama | Round 1 of the All Japan Formula 3000 Championship |
| 24th March | Autopolis | Akihiko Nakaya | Round 2 of the All Japan Formula 3000 Championship |
| 14th April | Fuji | Kazuyoshi Hoshino | Round 3 of the All Japan Formula 3000 Championship |
| 26th May | Suzuka | Ukyo Katayama | Round 5 of the All Japan Formula 3000 Championship |
| 11th August | Fuji | Kazuyoshi Hoshino | Round 7 of the All Japan Formula 3000 Championship |
| 01st September | Donington Park | Fredrik Ekblom | Round 8 of the British Formula 3000 Championship |
| 08th September | Brands Hatch | Fredrik Ekblom | Round 9 of the British Formula 3000 Championship |
| 22nd September | Silverstone | Fredrik Ekblom | Round 10 of the British Formula 3000 Championship |
| 13th October | Donington Park | Julian Westwood | Round 11 of the British Formula 3000 Championship |
1994
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5th August | Kirkistown | Chris Hill | Round 9 of the British Sprint Championship |
| 21st August | Course de Cote St Ursanne-Les Rangiers | Fredy Amweg | European Hill Climb Championship - Round 10 - Winner Group E |
| 24th September | Aintree | Chris Hill | Round 10 of the British Sprint Championship |
1995
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13th May | Ingliston | Chris Hill | Round 2 of the British Sprint Championship |
| 3rd June | Pembrey | Chris Hill | Round 5 of the British Sprint Championship |
| 1st July | Aintree | Chris Hill | Round 7 of the British Sprint Championship |
| 4th August | Kirkistown | Chris Hill | Round 9 of the British Sprint Championship |
| 20st August | Les Rangiers, St Ursanne | Fredy Amweg | European Hill Climb Championship - Round 9 - Winner Group E |
| 8th October | 3 Sisters | Chris Hill | Round 12 of the British Sprint Championship |
Canada's John Jones in the Paul Stewart Racing T90/50.
1996
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11th May | Ingliston | Chris Hill | Round 2 of the British Sprint Championship |
| 27th May | Colerne | Chris Hill | Round 4 of the British Sprint Championship |
| 8th June | Pembrey | Chris Hill | Round 5 of the British Sprint Championship |
| 29th June | Aintree | Chris Hill | Round 6 of the British Sprint Championship |
| 26th July | Kirkistown | Chris Hill | Round 9 of the British Sprint Championship |
| 10th August | Croft | Chris Hill | Round 10 of the British Sprint Championship |
| 18th August | Les Rangiers, St Ursanne | Fredy Amweg | European Hill Climb Championship - Round 10 - First Overall and Winner Group E |
T90/50 HU29 owned by Tony Gauntlett.
2000
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27th May | MIRA | Rodney Eyles | Round 3 of the British Sprint Championship |
| 7th June | Pembrey | Tony Eyles | Round 5 of the British Sprint Championship |
| 18th June | Curborough | Tony Eyles | Round 6 of the British Sprint Championship |
| 1st July | Aintree | Roger Kilty | Round 7 of the British Sprint Championship |
| 8th July | Lydden Hill | Tony Eyles | Round 8 of the British Sprint Championship |
2001
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5th May | Aintree | Tony Eyles | Round 2 of the British Sprint Championship |
| 19th May | Knockhill | Tony Eyles | Round 3 of the British Sprint Championship |
| 3rd June | Pembrey | Tony Eyles | Round 6 of the British Sprint Championship |
| 27th August | Colerne | Tony Eyles | Round 11 of the British Sprint Championship |
2002
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st April | Croft | Tony Eyles | Round 1 of the British Sprint Championship |
| 1st June | Pembrey | Rodney Eyles | Round 3 of the British Sprint Championship |
| 2nd June | Pembrey | Rodney Eyles | Round 4 of the British Sprint Championship |
| 16th June | Curborough | Rodney Eyles | Round 5 of the British Sprint Championship |
| 6th July | Lydden Hill | Rodney Eyles | Round 7 of the British Sprint Championship |
| 13th July | Knockhill | Rodney Eyles | Round 8 of the British Sprint Championship |
2003
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7th June | Pembrey | Tony Eyles | Round 4 of the British Sprint Championship |
| 1st August | Kirkistown | Rodney Eyles | Round 8 of the British Sprint Championship |
2004
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22nd May | Knockhill | Tony Eyles | Round 3 of the British Sprint Championship |
| 13th June | Angelsea | Tony Eyles | Round 4 of the British Sprint Championship |
| 19th June | Llandow | Tony Eyles | Round 5 of the British Sprint Championship |
| 11th September | Pembrey | Tony Eyles | Round 11 of the British Sprint Championship |
| 12th September | Pembrey | Tony Eyles | Round 12 of the British Sprint Championship |
Andrea Chiesa (11), Érik Comas (26) and Allan McNish (33).
Kazuyoshi Hoshino won two rounds of the 1991 All Japan F3000 Championship.
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