F5000 Lola

Lola T190

After the relatively unsophisticated T140-142 series, Lola moved to a monocoque F5000 design for 1970. The T190 had a very short wheelbase, and few drivers could make it work until a lengthened version was developed later in the season.

Although the Lola T142 had been numerically dominant in 1969, it had been unable to challenge the monocoque Eagle, McLaren and Surtees cars.

For 1970, Eric Broadley started again and produced a lower, slimmer and lighter machine: the monocoque T190. A full 7.5 in shorter than the previous season's McLaren M10A and 2.5 in narrower, the Lola was priced a good 10% more than rival designs from Leda, Lola and McLaren.

In the first half of the season, Ron Grable did very well in the US series, winning two races and taking four pole positions, but in most other hands the T190 was off the pace, still well behind the lightly revised McLaren and Surtees designs. Mike Hailwood made some progress in the UK series but it was only when Frank Gardner starting developing his car with a longer wheelbase that the Lola became a more competitive proposition.

In May, Gardner tried an increase from 88 to 91 inches, but in August he was more radical, increasing the wheelbase to 97½ inches, widening the track and lowering the nose, and beat Gethin first time out in the revised car. Gardner was amongst the quickest for the rest of the season, and his changes were adopted into the 1971 production T192, which had a 100-inch wheelbase.