Lola awarded 2004 MIA Business award

Lola Cars International Ltd were recognised as the 2004 Business of the Year at the annual Motorsport Industry Association awards held at the Autosport International Racing Car Show last Thursday.

Leading figures from the UK Motorsport Industry gathered at the NEC to reward the efforts of business achievements during 2004. With MIA members nominating in all seven-award categories, the winners gain the respect and support of their peers within the industry, making the awards a highlight of the business year.

On hand to receive the Business of The Year Award last week was Lola Managing Director - Rupert Manwaring who was delighted to accept the award after a fruitful year that saw success in Formula 3, the production of an all-new LMP2 sportscar and the partnership with A1 Grand Prix.

Lola MD - Rupert Manwaring receives the MIA Business of the Year award from Xtrac's Peter Digby

Manwaring said: "It is an honour for the company to be presented with such an award especially as the voting system means that fellow businesses have recognised our achievements. 2004 was a tremendous year for Lola in an ultra competitive marketplace and the recent finalisation of the A1 Grand Prix contract was not only the largest ever for Lola but I also feel the most significant in terms of future global business potential in new territories."

The A1 Grand Prix organisation announced in December that Lola had been commissioned to construct 50 of the spectacular single seater cars for the series that begins at Brands Hatch on September 18. Lola have already produced several test cars for the project, one of which was in action over the weekend with ex Jordan F1 driver Ralph Firman at the wheel.

On announcing Lola's partnership with A1 Grand Prix, Sheikh Maktoum Hasher Maktoum Al Maktoum said, "We chose Lola because they had the resources and expertise to build just what we wanted: a truly distinctive one-make chassis. The working relationship has been quite exceptional - racing can be a very tough business, so when you find someone you can trust it really does make a difference."

Martin Birrane, chairman and owner of the Lola group was justifiably delighted by the receipt of the award and said. " This is the second time during my ownership of Lola that the MIA have seen fit to honour us with a major award (Lola won the 2002 Export Achievement Award). We have weathered the economic storms of the past three and a half years and are now looking forward to the future with great optimism, as Lola is again firing on all cylinders in its non core and core businesses. I am deeply grateful to the MIA for their recognition of Lola's success in 2004."

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