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The Lola B06/10 is a Le Mans Prototype developed by Lola Cars International for use in the LMP1 class of the American Le Mans Series, Le Mans Series, and 24 Hours of Le Mans. It was developed in 2006 as a replacement for the Lola B2K/10 as well as the MG-Lola EX257. It shared much of its mechanical elements and design with the LMP2 class Lola B05/40, which was developed the year prior.
Due to similarity in the new regulations between LMP1 and LMP2, Lola was able to easily develop an all new LMP1 car based on their existing and successful B05/40 LMP2. Sharing most of the design elements evolved from the MG-Lola EX257, the B06/10 would bring them to a larger scale meant for larger engines than the LMP2 class allowed. This would include increased cooling and air management, as well as the ability to carry much larger engines as well as turbochargers.
Although the nose of the B06/10 is nearly identical to the B05/40, among the most noticeable differences is the use of larger brake ducts between the fenders and raised nose than those seen on the B05/40. Instead of NACA ducts, large squared off openings would be used to collect more air, even if it increased drag. The sides of the car would also include larger openings for the radiators, while extra vents were used to draw away heat and unnecessary air. Unlike the B05/40 though, inlets for the turbochargers would be moved from their position next to the cockpit, to a new position integrated into the rear wheel fenders, partially because two intakes were necessary on the B06/10 while only a single was needed on the B05/40.
For engines, the B06/10 was specifically designed around the use of either the Advanced Engine Research (AER) P32T twin-turbocharged 3.6 Litre V8 or the Judd GV5 naturally aspirated 5.0 Litre V10. While the GV5 has yet to be used, an upgraded GV5.5 S2 5.5 Litre V10 was put into use by Charouz Racing Systems in 2007. [1] Swiss Spirit have also installed an Audi twin-turbocharged 3.6 Litre V8 for the 2007 season, with assistance from Audi Sport.
Like the B05/40, the B06/10 has been continually upgraded by Lola. For 2007 aerodynamic improvements nearly identical to those seen on the B05/40, which included the replacement of the two large ducts between the fenders with a large single duct in a slightly raised nose. This has led to some of the cars to be named B07/10, while the older cars tend to keep the B06/10 name. Some modification to the design of the B06/10 was necessary for Swiss Spirit's Audi V8 to be able to be used, although it was minor.
In 2006, three B06/10s would be sold to two teams. Dyson Racing would run two cars in the American Le Mans Series while Chamberlain-Synergy would run a single entry in the Le Mans Series, as well as at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Dyson's AER-powered cars would struggle in the ALMS, taking no wins yet finishing second to the dominant Audi R10. Chamberlain-Synergy would see similar results, tying for second in the Le Mans Series with no wins as well, beaten by the dominant Pescarolo Sport team. In 2007, Dyson sold their two B06/10s, with one being bought by Team Cytosport for select rounds of the ALMS, while the second was originally sold to Velocity Motorsports. Intersport Racing bought the car from Velocity to use for the final two races of the ALMS season. Chamberlain-Synergy on the other hand retained their car, and were joined by the Charouz Racing Systems Judd-powered entry and Swiss Spirit's Audi-powered car for the Le Mans Series and 24 Hours of Le Mans.
In 2008, the use of the B06/10 greatly declined. Swiss Spirit folded after the 2007 Le Mans Series season. Charouz moved to the Lola B08/80 for the whole of the 2008 Le Mans Series season and only using their B06/10 at the 24 Hours At Le Mans. Chamberlain-Synergy continued to race their Lola in the Le Mans Series, but they scored no points. They later sold their car to an American Team, Autocon Motorsports. In America, Intersport Racing continued to race their B06/10's to one class victory due to the disqualification of an Audi R10. Before the 2008 Petit Le Mans, they purchased the Charouz chassis, but the chassis was written off during a late race crash.
In 2009, only Autocon Motorsports and Intersport Racing use the B06/10s. Autocon continued to use the Chamberlain-Synergy chassis from last year. Intersport converted an old Lola B05/40 chassis into a B06/10 chassis in order to race in the 2009 American Le Mans Series season.
In 2011, Autocon Motorsports resurrected the B06/10 to race in the 2011 American Le Mans Series season. However, the team only participated in a partial season and the car almost always ran last in the LMP1 category unless one of the other teams ran into mechanical problems.
Lola Cars International Ltd. was a British race car engineering company in operation from 1958 to 2012. The company was founded by Eric Broadley in Bromley, England, before moving to new premises in Slough, Buckinghamshire and finally Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, and endured for more than fifty years to become one of the oldest and largest manufacturers of racing cars in the world. Lola Cars started by building small front-engined sports cars, and branched out into Formula Junior cars before diversifying into a wider range of sporting vehicles.
Judd is a brand of racing car engines built by Engine Developments Ltd., a company founded in 1971 by John Judd and Jack Brabham in Rugby, Warwickshire, England. Engine Developments was intended to build engines for Brabham's racing efforts, and became one of the first firms authorised by Cosworth to maintain and rebuild its DFV engines, but has since expanded into various areas of motorsport.
Fernández Racing was a Mexican motor racing team that competed in the American Le Mans Series, Champ Car, the IRL IndyCar Series, and the Rolex Sports Car Series. The team was co-founded by Adrian Fernández and Tom Anderson in 2001.
The 2006 American Le Mans Series season was the 36th season for the IMSA GT Championship, with the eighth as the American Le Mans Series. It was a series for Le Mans Prototypes (LMP) and Grand Touring (GT) race cars divided into 4 classes: LMP1, LMP2, GT1, and GT2. It began March 18, 2006, and ended October 21, 2006 after 10 races.
Advanced Engine Research, Ltd. is an auto racing engine manufacturer based in Basildon, Essex, England. Established in 1997, AER has developed winning engines for a number of high-profile international race series in sports car, prototype racing, rallying, touring car, and open wheel racing. They have designed engines derived from road car platforms, but their emphasis is on clean sheet designed engines with a focus on electronics and turbochargers. Their engines have raced in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the World Endurance Championship (WEC), the European Le Mans Series (ELMS), the United SportsCar Championship (TUSC), GP3, British Touring Car Championship (BTCC), Nissan/Renault World Series, Grand-Am, Paris Dakar and FIA Sportscar Championship. They have worked with a number of manufacturers including Mazda, Ford, Hyundai, MG/Rover, Nissan, and Toyota. In 2012, AER developed and built Formula One turbo test engines to current rules and in July 2012, AER was chosen as engine partner and supplier to the new GP3 racing series. They currently supply engines for the Indy Lights series.
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The Lola B98/10 was a Le Mans Prototype built by Lola Cars International for use in the International Sports Racing Series, American Le Mans Series, and 24 Hours of Le Mans. It would be the first international sports car built by Lola since they briefly left the sport in 1992 following the Lola T92/10. It would be succeeded in 2000 by the Lola B2K/10.
The Lola B2K/10 was a Le Mans Prototype developed in 2000 by Lola Cars International for use in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, American Le Mans Series, Grand American Road Racing Championship, and Sports Racing World Cup. It was a replacement for the previous Lola B98/10 and shared some elements with its smaller variant, the Lola B2K/40.
The Lola B2K/40 was a Le Mans Prototype developed in 2000 by Lola Cars International as a cheaper, smaller, and lighter alternative to the similar Lola B2K/10. Although specifically designed to compete in the SR2 class of the Sports Racing World Cup and Grand American Road Racing Championship, it would later be adapted to the LMP675 and LMP2 classes for the 24 Hours of Le Mans and American Le Mans Series. This design was replaced in 2005 by the Lola B05/40 and would last be used in competition in 2006.
The Lola B05/40 is a Le Mans Prototype built by Lola Cars International for use in the LMP2 class for the American Le Mans Series, Le Mans Series, and 24 Hours of Le Mans. Developed in 2005, it was intended as a replacement for both the Lola B2K/40 and the MG-Lola EX257. It shares various structural elements with the larger LMP1-class Lola B06/10.
The Lola B08/60 is a Le Mans Prototype built by Lola Cars International. It is the first closed-cockpit sports prototype built by Lola since the 1992 T92/10. It started competition in 2008, with Aston Martin being among the first customers for their entry into the LMP1 category in Le Mans Series, albeit entering under Charouz Racing System banner.
The Panoz LMP-1 Roadster-S was a Le Mans Prototype built for Panoz in 1999. The car was a successor to the Esperante GTR-1 which had competed in the Grand Tourer categories internationally. Following competition in the American Le Mans Series and at the 24 Hours of Le Mans until 2001, the car was replaced by the Panoz LMP07.
The Reynard 02S was a Le Mans Prototype race car built by Reynard Motorsport in 2002. Intended to replace the failed Reynard 2KQ prototype, the 02S would end up becoming the final new design from Reynard as the company went bankrupt prior to the project's completion.
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The Lola-Aston Martin B09/60, also known as the Aston Martin DBR1-2, is a Le Mans Prototype sports car built by Lola Cars International and co-developed with Prodrive for use by Aston Martin Racing. It is the first prototype to bear the Aston Martin name since the AMR1 in 1989. Aston Martin's internal name for the car, DBR1-2, refers to the specific DBR1 chassis which won six races in 1959 en route to clinching the World Sportscar Championship as well as that year's 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Champion Racing was a sports car racing team based in Pompano Beach, Florida, USA. Founded in 1994 by Dave Maraj, a former rally driver from Trinidad, as the motorsport wing of the Champion Motors car dealership, the team has campaigned various Porsches and Audis in North American road racing series. Champion Racing's extensive record includes a win at the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2005, and 5 straight American Le Mans Series LMP1 championships, 2 as a private team and 3 as a factory team under the name Audi Sport North America.
Intersport Racing is a former American auto racing team founded by Jon Field. The team was based in Dublin, Ohio. They previously operated two Oreca FLM09 sports cars in the American Le Mans Series. At current, the company has transitioned into diet supplements.
