#5 & #15 LOLA B07/10

June 7, 2007 - The Lola B07/10 is a further evolution of the 2006 Lola B06/10. being itself a further evolution of the Lola B04/50 of 2005. The B05/40 was initially designed as an LM P675 car with a weight, motor included of only 675 kg. In 2005 and 2006 LM P675 was no longer allowed by the LMS organising ACO, but hybrid versions were still allowed until the end of 2006. So at Lola they decided to build a non-hybrid version able to receive high cylinder capacity engines and with a minimum weight of 925 kg. That was the Lola B06/10 having been sold to Dyson Racing, using two new cars at the 2006 AMLS, and to Chamberlain Synergy, using the B06/10 at the LMS. Good results were not achieved since Dyson racing could win not one of the ten AMLS rounds (they finished once second and four times as third, but could never seriously compete with the Audi R8 and Audi R10 TDi). At the LMS the Chamberlain B06/10 was dominated in all rounds by the Pescarolo Judd C60 with two fourth places as best result. So Dyson decided to switch in 2007 to the more competitive Porsche RS Spyder, whilst Chamber-lain continues with its AER powered B06/10. 
For 2007 Lola's Julian Sole decided to upgrade the not convincing aero-package of the B06/10. To offer better cooling for the front brakes the front section was raised. The B07/10 was also equipped with a double roll bar, an improved rear wing and larger air intakes for the rear brakes. The road holding of the car was improved a lot. In Europe the new B07/10 of 2007 was sold to Swiss Spirit having no more confidence in their Courage LC90 of 2006 and to the new racing team of Czechia's Jan Charouz.  Swiss Spirit decided to equip its new B07/10 with the turbo charged 3.6-litre Audi 90° V8 motor, as used in the Audi R8. The motor, good for 610 bhp and a 700 Nm torque, is longitudinally mounted in the mid of the car with the paddle-operated 6 speed sequential Lola gear box. Charouz from his side opted for the new 5.5-litre not turbo-charged Judd GV5.5 72° V10 motor, developing 640 bhp, and coupled to the same Lola sequential 6-gang gearbox. Here too the engine is longitudinally mounted in the mid of the car. Already at the Paul Ricard pre-season tests the B07/10 Judd gave full evidence that the car had made seriously progress as compared with the B06/10 of 2006. So it was only waiting that Swiss Spirit should be ready with its Audi powered B07/10 to see if all the good of the new B07/10 could be confirmed.    

RESULTS 2007 - Already at the tests at Le Castelet (Paul Ricard) the Charouz Lola B07/10 Judd realised the third best time: 1'44"766 against 1'44"530 for the Peugeot 908 having TQ-ed. At the Monza 1000-kms the Swiss Spirit B07/10 (absent at the Castelet tests) was still not ready. The Charouz B07/10 qualified again as third, only preceded by the two Peugeots 908. At the eventual race the car struggled lon time in third position but was retired after 138 laps out of 150. At the Valrncia 1000-kms the Swiss Spirit B07/10 Audi appeared at the start and qualified as 8th, just behind the Charuz B07/10 Judd. The last named car finished as second overall, whilst the Swiss car finished one lap further in third position. Such fine results were never realised one year earlier by the B06/10.
At the Le Mans Test Day, on June 3-4, none of the new Lolas B07/10 could really convince. The Audi powered B07/10 realised the eleventh time in 3'35"672, that's 8 seconds slower than the Peugeot 908 Hdi FAP on the pole. The Czech B07/10 came two ranks lower, on thirteenth spot, in 3'36"269. The older Lola B06/10 of Chamberlain Synergy was fifteenth in 3'36"567, what's even not a full second slower than the new machinery. Swiss Spirit and Charouz Racing can only hope that they find the correct set-up for the eventual race two weeks later. Both keep good hope that after their promising outing in Valencia, a good result at La Sarthe remains justified. Wait and see!  [JPVR]

LMP1
engine Lola B07/10 Audi: 90 degree V8 Audi  3,596cc  610 bhp (torque 700 Nm)
engine Lola B07/10 Judd: Judd GV5.5 72 degree 640 bhp (torque 657 Nm) , no turbo
engine weight Lola B07/10 Audi: 180 kg
engine weight Lola B07/10 Judd: 123 kg
turbochargers: Twin Garrett TR3076R (max. 2.94 bar) only on Lola B07/10 Audi
Valvetrain: 4 valves per cylinder DOHC
gearbox: Lola paddle-operated 6 speed Sequential
fuel capacity: 90 litres
weight: 925 kg 
tyres: Michelin (on Lola B07/10 Audi and on Lola B07/10 Judd)