Lola T97/30
Vincenzo Sospiri driving the T97/30 during the qualifying session at the Australian Grand Prix | |||||||||
| Category | Formula One | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constructor | Lola | ||||||||
| Designer(s) | Eric Broadley (Chassis) Chris Saunders (Aerodynamics) | ||||||||
| Predecessor | Lola T93/30 (BMS Scuderia Italia) Lola T95/30 (test car only) | ||||||||
| Successor | Lola B10/30/Lola MB-01 (never raced) | ||||||||
| Technical specifications | |||||||||
| Chassis | Carbon fibre/aluminium honeycomb monocoque | ||||||||
| Suspension (front) | Inboard pushrod/bellcrank-actuated double wishbones | ||||||||
| Suspension (rear) | As front | ||||||||
| Length | Unknown | ||||||||
| Width | Unknown | ||||||||
| Height | Unknown | ||||||||
| Axle track | Unknown | ||||||||
| Wheelbase | Unknown | ||||||||
| Engine | Ford ECA Zetec-R 75-degree V8 | ||||||||
| Transmission | Lola 6-speed sequential | ||||||||
| Weight | 520 kilograms (1,150 lb) | ||||||||
| Fuel | Texaco | ||||||||
| Lubricants | Pennzoil | ||||||||
| Tyres | Bridgestone | ||||||||
| Competition history | |||||||||
| Notable entrants | MasterCard Lola F1 Team | ||||||||
| Notable drivers | 24. Vincenzo Sospiri 25. Ricardo Rosset TD. Andrea Montermini | ||||||||
| Debut | 1997 Australian Grand Prix (Did not qualify) | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| Teams' Championships | 0 | ||||||||
| Constructors' Championships | 0 | ||||||||
| Drivers' Championships | 0 | ||||||||
The Lola T97/30 was the car with which the MasterCard Lola Formula One team attempted to compete in the 1997 Formula One season. It was driven by Vincenzo Sospiri, the 1995 Formula 3000 champion who had previously served as a test driver for Benetton, and Ricardo Rosset, who moved from Footwork.
However, the team's tenure in F1 was brief. The T97/30 was the first Lola chassis to compete in the sport since the uncompetitive T93/30 that had been used by BMS Scuderia Italia in 1993. The T97/30 had initially planned around an entry for the 1998 season. However, due to pressure from main sponsor MasterCard, the car was rushed into service a year before the initial plan. The T97/30 proved to be a slow and underdeveloped car in comparison to those being used by other teams, failing to qualify with either Sospiri or Rosset at its only attempt(s) which was the opening round of the 1997 season in Australia before the team and cars were withdrawn from the next race in Brazil. Neither the T97/30 nor the team would be seen again competing at a Grand Prix thereafter as Lola withdrew from the 1997 championship due to financial and technical difficulties having only competed (and performed very poorly) in one race weekend. As of January 2024, the T97/30 is last Lola chassis to compete at a Formula One World Championship Grand Prix weekend.