Today in Motorsport: 19 years ago, MasterCard-Lola entered F1, then left.

[The Chosen One]

After only one weekend at Melbourne in 1997, F1's season opener, the new MasterCard-Lola team withdrew from the sport forever.

this kills the Lola

 

[Scuderia Paul]

This 'Today in Motorsport' thread idea of yours is very good but would be better if you updated a main thread instead of having separate ones for each installment.

 

[catamount39]

This 'Today in Motorsport' thread idea of yours is very good but would be better if you updated a main thread instead of having separate ones for each installment.

Yeah that'd be a cool idea, and would be quite the thread!

 

[Bo]

Does anyone know if the team wear was destroyed or stored somewhere, and if so, is still in circulation? I'm sure there must be a few shirts or jackets out there. It's always been a personal goal of mine to get myself some genuine MasterCard Lola team wear.

 

[TenEightyOne]

This 'Today in Motorsport' thread idea of yours is very good...

True, but "Today" is the wrong word, I think he means "this day" or "this date"

 

[-Fred-]

I always found it funny how the car never actually did any testing (aside two runs down a runway) and were shipped to Australia. And then they were 10-12 seconds off the pace and everyone was shocked.

 

[TheBook]

Weren't they pressured into starting a year early, too?

 

[DK]

Weren't they pressured into starting a year early, too?

Yep, Lola wanted to start in '98 but MasterCard were impatient, and then when it emerged how much off the pace Lola were, they abandoned them.

 

[UnkaD]

Yep, Lola wanted to start in '98 but MasterCard were impatient, and then when it emerged how much off the pace Lola were, they abandoned them.

This is very upsetting to think about. Makes me think of ignorant client stories I hear from a friend of mine.

 

[Telstar]

At least they had a decent livery.

 

[-Fred-]

That is often the problem with massive sponsors that have little to no involvement in sports, they expect results from the get-go, and they'll push for the brand recognition as fast as possible, most of the time too fast.

 

[VXR]

At least they had a decent livery.

Yeah, one of the more eyecatching get-ups from a decade known for them.

 

[TRGTspecialist]

Does anyone know if the team wear was destroyed or stored somewhere, and if so, is still in circulation? I'm sure there must be a few shirts or jackets out there. It's always been a personal goal of mine to get myself some genuine MasterCard Lola team wear.

Did a quick search which turned up an old F1 Rejects thread (archived on GP Rejects now), scroll down and you can see some members found an eBay listing for a Lola sweatshirt + cap. So there's at least a couple of items of clothing that still exist


.....oh I also found this website which claims to have team-issue caps, shirts and trousers, but I have no idea if it's genuine (the shirts and trousers don't even have any images attached =/ ).