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Lola test day notes

Lola sextet start Le Mans attack Lola sportscars got set for the world famous Le Mans 24 Hours during the official test day yesterday. Six Huntingdon built LMP racers will compete in the 75th running of the great race on June 16-17, three each in ...

Lola sextet start Le Mans attack

Lola sportscars got set for the world famous Le Mans 24 Hours during the official test day yesterday. Six Huntingdon built LMP racers will compete in the 75th running of the great race on June 16-17, three each in the LMP1 and LMP2 categories. The test day offers the teams a chance to get familiar with the classic 8.48 mile track just 10 days before qualifying for the race begins. Yesterday, Lola teams set about getting Le Mans rookie drivers 'at one' with the circuit and working on putting more miles on the Lola's many different chassis/engine combinations.

LMP1 SWISS SPIRIT GET SET TO SHOW HAND IN QUALIFYING

Swiss Spirit arrived at Le Mans with just one race behind them at Valencia in April. However, the potential of the Lola chassis and Audi engine, combined with the super efficient team brought a fine 3rd place on their first event. This result showed that this package is certainly one to watch at La Sarthe this year. After a brief installation lap in the morning session, Marcel Fassler handed the car over to Iradj Alexander-David who at once familiarised himself with the demands of the Le Mans track in what was his first time in a prototype. Jean Denis Deletraz, who has been instrumental in putting this project together along with team principal, Fred Stalder and team manager, Yann Cazaboun, also completed a useful number of laps. The only frustrating point of the day came at the end of the test when the team were denied some fast laps on new rubber by a lengthy red flag period that curtailed the test.

"We got all our programme completed except for the last few laps to see just what outright pace we had," confirmed Marcel Fassler. "The car felt good initially and everything looks positive for the real test which will be in qualifying."

CHAROUZ BED IN DRIVERS

Charouz Racing System also concentrated on giving their drivers as much running as possible on Sunday. The Judd powered red, white and blue Lola B07/17 has made a sensational start to its first season in sportscar competition with the teams trio of drivers of Alex Yoong, Stefan Mucke and Jan Charouz scoring a brilliant 2nd place at the Valencia 1000kms. Yesterday, the trio were recorded as setting a best lap of 3m36.2, however a glitch in the timing meant that a true quick lap of 3m34.8 was actually not officially registered. The team though are confident that they can go significantly quicker in a few weeks time.

"We will go much faster that is for sure," said Stefan Mucke. "We made some good changes and progress. As it was my first time at Le Mans for myself and also Jan (Charouz) I was also still finding the braking points and getting to know the track."

"The Lola feels very nice in the fast corners but we are still finding the limit for the car and taking some of the downforce off," continued Mucke. "We have a great team behind us and Frank Coppuck is a great engineer with some good plans on what we are going to do next week."

Both Alex Yoong and Jan Charouz completed full programmes during the day, with Charouz leaving the track immediately after the test to sit an exam at London University!

CHAMBERLAIN SATISFIED WITH FRUITFUL TEST

Chamberlain Synergy kick started their third consecutive Le Mans with a Lola chassis in fine style with the AER powered LMP1 Lola lapping quickly in the hands of Bob Berridge during the day. The Hugh Chamberlain and Dave Lampitt led squad had a fruitful days running with Bob's team mates Peter Owen and Gareth Evans getting a good amount of laps in the yellow Lola.

The team will be looking for a strong finish this year after changing to Michelin rubber during the off season. A best time of 3m36.567s indicated that the Oxfordshire based team could be fighting for a top ten position come qualifying.

LMP2 QUIFEL ASM LOOKING GOOD

The Portuguese Quifel ASM team finished the day 3rd fastest in the LMP2 category with their AER turbo charged Lola B05/40. Posting a time of 3m40.613s the team were quietly satisfied with their days work, although like the rest of the Lola runners they did not go for an all out 'soft tyre' fast lap. Miguel Amaral and Miguel De Castro have proven to be a great team alongside fellow LMS regular Angel Burgueno, but as was the case in 2006 Warren Hughes completes the driver line up at La Sarthe this year. The former works Lola-MG racer set the quickest time yesterday and believes that the Antonio Simoes owned team is in a good position for this year's race.

"It's all very promising and our pace is good," confirmed Hughes. "The car is nice and easy to drive and feels more stable than last year. We have a lot more to come but we did some very useful work with the Dunlop tyres today. I am very encouraged with how things have gone and can't wait for next week to arrive."

RML START LMP2 HAT TRICK PLAN

Double Le Mans LMP2 champions, RML started an historic campaign for a hat-trick of titles over the weekend with Andy Wallace joining team regulars Mike Newton and Tommy Erdos. After claiming first place in both 2005 and 2006, the Wellingborough based team are priming their Lola-AER package to go for an unprecedented third win.

With AER power and Michelin rubber, the patriotic red, white and blue Lola will be fighting the new Zytek LMP2 car and its fellow Lola's for LMP2 honours this year. As usual the team conducted a precise programme for the duration of the day, ensuring that Andy Wallace reacquainted himself with the car, after 12 months away driving in the ALMS.

BINNIE IN THE HUNT FOR ANOTHER PODIUM

Binnie Motorsports put themselves in a good position to equal or perhaps better their terrific 2006 runners up position at Le Mans. The Anglo-American team of Bill Binnie, Allen Timpany and Chris Buncombe finished up 5th fastest in LMP2 with the teams newcomer, Buncombe setting a fastest of 3m43.867s on what was his very first visit to the track.

This was some 12 seconds faster than the Zytek engined Lola went in the 2006 version of the test day. Using Kumho tyres, the team managed to complete a full test programme with all three drivers reporting good handling of the car, particularly through the daunting Porsche Curves.

COMING SOON: NEXT GENERATION LOLA

All of Lola's entries in this years Le Mans 24 Hours now await 'Le Mans week' which kicks off next Monday with the traditional scrutineering in the Place De Jacobins in Le Mans town centre. As well as supporting their teams at Le Mans this year, Lola will also be revealing more details on their much anticipated B08/60 LMP Coupe. The design will be the first customer available Coupe LMP and is currently being built at Lola's HQ in Huntingdon, UK and is scheduled to be tested this winter.

-credit: lola

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