The Lola-HPD run by RML finished the 1000kms race in 4th place to be crowned 2010 team champions. Mike Newton and Tommy Erdos also scooped the driver’s title after a stellar season that has seen a win at Portimao and two other podium positions. It is the second time that the familiar red, white and blue Lola has taken the LMS silverware, following on from the 2007 success.
Tommy Erdos started the race for RML and despite a scare in the second hour after contact with a GT car, the Brazilian handed over to team mate Newton, who consolidated the result needed for the Wellingborough based team to place 4th and take both drivers and teams titles. Ben Collins, who joined the team at Portimao in July, completed the final two stints to trigger wild celebrations on the RML pitwall.
The #009 Aston Martin Racing Lola LMP1 of Stefan Mucke and Sam Hancock took a well earned 4th place overall while the #12 Lola Rebellion of Nico Prost and Neel Jani scored more points to ensure that they consolidated 5th place in the LMP1 drivers’ championship. The #13 Lola of Andrea Belicchi and Jean Christophe Boullion ran 5th in the early running but lost time in the pits with a clutch problem.
Signature Plus completed a very successful first season with their Lola LMP1 as they finished in 6th place after a faultless race for Pierre Ragues, Frank Mailleux and Vanina Ickx.
Drayson Racing showed searing pace during the Silverstone 1000kms with Jonny Cocker and Lord Paul Drayson making their mark in what was their race debut with the green Lola-Judd in the UK. Cocker took part in a spirited battle with the Rebellion Lola's in the early exchanges before handing over to owner/driver, Paul Drayson.
Despite losing a wheel and suffering damage to the car after running over an exhaust pipe, the British team scored a hard fought 8th position in LMP1. Drayson Racing now travel back over the Atlantic to take part in the 13th Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta on October 2.
MIK Racing (formerly known as Racing Box) came home 5th and 7th with their brace of Lola-Judd LMP2 cars, KSM recovered well from an early collision with a Formula Le Mans car to claim 8th in LMP2, with Jonathan Kennard impressing once again with rapid pace. The RLR Lola-AER of Barry Gates, Rob Garofall and Simon Phillips also recovered from early incident and held 9th in LMP2 until a late transmission problem forced them to retire.
After announcing a range of new LMP packages to suit the 2011 regulations and a freeze on spare parts prices until next April, Lola now focus on more development of its prototype designs to ensure more success for its growing portfolio of customers for next season’s Le Mans Series and Le Mans 24 Hours.
Please click here for a full image gallery
