Lola LC88

The Lola LC88 was a race car that the French team Larrousse Calmels began in the 1988 Formula 1 season. It was powered by a naturally-aspirated Cosworth. The revised Lola LC88B had a Lamborghini engine and appeared at a race in the season 1989.

Technology

The Lola LC88 was developed by the British racing car manufacturer Lola Cars on behalf of the Formula 1 teams Larrousse Calmels. Responsible engineer was Ralph Bellamy. The LC88 corresponded largely in technical terms the predecessor model LC87, which was based in turn on a Lola - car for the junior F3000 series. The LC88 was different from the 1987 car in the first place by a modified front suspension, which is now used pushrods. Furthermore, the wheelbase was slightly prolonged. Lola finally modified the panel of the roll bar. An engine cover as already not used in the previous year throughout; in most races the engine was exposed. Power was supplied as the LC87 Cosworth DFZ an eight-cylinder naturally aspirated engine, which was prepared by Heini Mader Racing Components. The power transmission is made via a six-speed gearbox from Hewland.

Lola made ​​in the course of the season overall been five chassis. Two of them were rebuilt in late 1988 for the inclusion of a Lamborghini engine.

Racing activities in 1988

1988 was the second season of the French racing team Larrousse. Unlike the year before, he set in 1988 throughout two cars a. A vehicle was driven at all the races of Philippe Alliot. The second car went to Yannick Dalmas, who, however, was ill in the autumn of 1988 and replaced in the last two races by Aguri Suzuki and Pierre -Henri Raphanel.

The car proved to be efficient as not sufficient. Neither driver was able to enter with him a championship point. The best results were two seventh places of Dalmas at the Grand Prix of Monaco and the United States. Alliot fell eight times out, Dalmas only four times, but Dalmas once missed - the Grand Prix of Canada - the qualification.

The poor performance of the LC88 meant that his designer Ralph Bellamy was released at the beginning of the year of Lola.

The chassis were used during the year as follows:

LC88B: tags with Lamborghini engine

In the summer of 1988 it was the team manager Gérard Larrousse managed exclusively to obtain a newly developed twelve-cylinder engine of Lamborghini Engineering for the upcoming season. After the last race of the 1988 season two LC88 chassis for receiving the Italian engine were rebuilt. The changes in the engine environment were considerable; also the wheelbase has been changed.

The first test drive with a system equipped on the Lamborghini engine LC88 found two months later than planned on 12 December 1988 held at the Misano racetrack. Here the cars still used the Hewland gearbox, which, however, soon proved to be too weak. A private, lying transversely six-speed transmission of Lamborghini was first used during testing at the Circuit Paul Ricard in late February 1989.

The mostly as LC88B (according to other sources: LC88D ) called car was a transitional model that was not designed for racing. During the development work had been changed a lot, so Alliot the LC88B designated as " installed ". He was long, bulky and overweight. One observer summed up the characteristics of the LC88B as follows: "The car made ​​no impression, except when weighing. "

As the development of the new Lola LC89, which was tailored to the Lamborghini engine, delayed until the March 1989 into the team at the opening race of the season in Brazil, had to compete with two LC88B the features the Lamborghini engine and gearbox were. Pilots were again Alliot and Dalmas. Only Alliot managed to qualify to the LC car. From the last place on the grid as possible, he finished the World Championship race in 12th place

At the following race, the Grand Prix of San Marino, the LC88B was replaced by the newly developed LC89.

Results

1988: Lola LC88 -Cosworth DFZ V8

1989: Lola LC88B - 3512 Lamborghini V12

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