Lola Cars: The history and F1 legacy of Eric Broadley’s racing firm

Lola Cars, founded in 1958 by British engineer Eric Broadley, has a complex history in Formula 1. While the company established itself as a premier manufacturer of competition chassis for Formula Junior, Formula 3, and IndyCar, its involvement in Formula 1 has been marked by varying degrees of success and struggle.

Notable milestones include the 1966 Indianapolis 500 victory with Graham Hill and the 1967 collaboration with Honda, which produced the RA300 (also known as the T130 or ‘Hondola’). Although the Honda partnership saw early success at the Italian Grand Prix, Honda eventually took over development independently.

Subsequent F1 efforts, including chassis for Embassy Racing, Beatrice-Lola, Larrousse, and Scuderia Italia, often faced challenges such as excessive weight and poor maneuverability, frequently leaving the cars at the back of the grid. In the mid-1990s, Broadley shifted strategy to develop the T95/30 for his own team.