17 May 2009

Lola pressing ahead with entry into F1

6:38 am on 17 May 2009

Lola is pressing ahead with its plans to enter a team in Formula 1 next season although it is dependent on the introduction of cost-cutting measures.

The racing car constructor, which last raced in 1997, has submitted an application to take part in F1 in 2010.

A statement on their website says the budget cap is prudent, considering the backdrop of global economics, it also takes into account the need for new teams to be able to compete credibly against established entrants.

The FIA is proposing a voluntary 100 million dollar budget cap for next season, although a number of teams are opposed to it.

The cap will give teams operating within it greater technical freedom, but some believe a two-tier championship will be created.

Lola has spent the past decade building chassis for a wide range of single-seater categories including the Formula 3, A1GP, Formula 3000 and Formula Nippon championships.

The company already has an F1-standard wind tunnel, computational fluid dynamics capability and a seven-post dynamic chassis rig in its factory.