Lola's F3 future

John Weed · 27 Sep 2003, 19:21 (Ref:732347)

I wonder why Lola has taken De Oliveira off the seat for Robie Keer. Robbie has won the title and is definitely a exceptional driver, but for Lola would be clever to get a driver as De Oliveira. Last time at Donington the guy jumped in the car at the last second, learned the track in qualyfing and did a very fine job. He was up to ninth in the first wet race after being puncted from "up and down" Salignon and finished 12th in the second race doing very competitive lap times. I would love to see this guy doing the british F3 next year.

Russfeld · 27 Sep 2003, 19:32 (Ref:732359)

Because they're developing the car. Put a proven winner who has experience with that team and is a Brands expert instead of a guy who's more potential than results.

John Weed · 27 Sep 2003, 19:52 (Ref:732369)

well, I think opinions may vary very much in things like this, but I do believe that De Oliveira is the driver who would bring a real progress, as he is very experienced in F3. Robbie has probrably got his sights set for something different.

**FIRE** · 27 Sep 2003, 20:33 (Ref:732387)

De Oliveira is winner of the German F3 Championship.

Russfeld · 27 Sep 2003, 20:51 (Ref:732394)

Which isnt even half as competitive as the 2002 British series. Plus Kerr's been doing the development on the car, knows Brands, knows ADR, etc. This is more about making the car fast than going fast in the car.

cos · 27 Sep 2003, 21:14 (Ref:732405)

Now that the German F3 series has been usurped by the European F3 championship it's not as high-profile anymore. Kerr is becoming a bit of a Lola specialist this year, he's driven every Lola single-seater in 2003, including their ChampCar.

flor · 27 Sep 2003, 21:40 (Ref:732414)

how long is oliveira in f3, 4 years?

Mr Jinxx · 27 Sep 2003, 22:51 (Ref:732452)

Totally agree with Russfeld - Robbie can win at Brands and has done comprehensively. If he's midfield in the Lola, with Alan Docking, then it's not Robbie's fault and it's not Alan's fault, it's the car's fault, and Robbie will be giving some pretty good feedback as to how to improve it. Robbie and Brands and ADR is the perfect combination to develop a car.

Mr Jinxx · 27 Sep 2003, 22:52 (Ref:732453)

But D'Oliveira was a great bowler though

cop · 28 Sep 2003, 02:21 (Ref:732538)

Sorry Mr. Jinx but ADR has been mid pack all season. Davidson is on pole with another team. This just shows that the team has a problem because with 4 different drivers and two different make cars they constantly end up mid-pack. Time for change at ADR. Didn't Courtney dominate until his crash mid season last year?

cop · 28 Sep 2003, 02:37 (Ref:732541)

Sorry Davidson is second.

**bella** · 28 Sep 2003, 22:28 (Ref:733319)

it's more about making a point about the car really isn't it? one that clearly didn't work, robbie seemed to be just as if not slower than de olivera (sp).

John Weed · 29 Sep 2003, 00:08 (Ref:733384)

I totally agree with you, when Oliveira drove the car he had come at the last minute and actually just drove the car in first qualyfing without previous experience from both the car and the track. Robbie had tested the car for at least 4 times before he raced it and he knew Brands very well as well. It looks pretty clear that De Oliveira has definitely shown a better performance under the circunstances. well done Joao Paulo

climb · 29 Sep 2003, 06:57 (Ref:733644)

One thing is sure: if Not even Robbie succeded in improving Lola performances at Brands, well, getting back to the thread topic, who will be able to do?

Mr Jinxx · 29 Sep 2003, 07:37 (Ref:733671)

You have to think there must be something fundamentally wrong somewhere. Robbie and ADR know how to set a car up fundamentally for Brands, in order to win a race by a country mile (whatever that might be), so why midfield at the weekend?

Mathias · 29 Sep 2003, 12:47 (Ref:734022)

Well, the answer to that one is that the Lola is currently sh*te (no offence, guys)! Which is why it was so important to Lola to get someone as talented and technically minded as Robbie to test it in Britain and continue the work he's been doing with it, er, everywhere else in the world.

And a country mile is one that seems a lot longer than a normal mile, cos there aren't as many pubs and stuff to stop in as there are in the city. That's what I reckon.

Mathias · 29 Sep 2003, 12:48 (Ref:734025)

...er, and Robbie's the best person to help sort out the Lola, though I'd much rather see him racing, to be honest.

**bella** · 29 Sep 2003, 13:05 (Ref:734043)

there IS something fundamentally wrong with the lola. it's built like a year 10 design technology project. they should have given up on racing it and just stuck it out in testing all this year.

er, i just thought of something. makes adam carrol's performances in that car at the beginning of the year all the more impressive doesn't it? especially since it could be considered to be 'developed' a bit more now.

climb · 29 Sep 2003, 13:08 (Ref:734049)

Mathias,
ok, Robbie had no other chance this year, so ebverything comung out for him is to be accepted, but i think that not only does he deserves to race, but also to run a car that respect his skilled-driver profile, whcih doesn't seem to be the case of Lola F3

Mackmot · 29 Sep 2003, 22:19 (Ref:734649)

Robbie told me that the Lola team were concentrating on aero grip too much and wouldnt listen to him when he said that it needed better mechanical grip. Apparently as soon as you turn in it just understeers away from him.

Mathias · 30 Sep 2003, 12:26 (Ref:735249)

Quote:

Originally posted by climb
Mathias,
ok, Robbie had no other chance this year, so ebverything comung out for him is to be accepted, but i think that not only does he deserves to race, but also to run a car that respect his skilled-driver profile, whcih doesn't seem to be the case of Lola F3

Climb, mate, I wasn't intending to imply that Robbie didn't deserve to race, but that, if you were a chassis manufacturer, you'd want someone with a proven race & development record like Robbie to do your development work, rather than some unknown bloke.

**bella** · 30 Sep 2003, 17:50 (Ref:735620)

it depends on their mental ability really, and their ability to understand and engineer their own car. i'm not saying robbie's daft or can't drive, quite the opposite.

flexible-flyer · 30 Sep 2003, 19:58 (Ref:735773)

i think if anything this thread tells us for sure (apart from the fact the chassis sucks!!!) is that adam carroll is a promising talant....

climb · 1 Oct 2003, 14:12 (Ref:736732)

Mathias,
your thought was very clear, i just meant that he deserves something more: an F3 champion should become tester of an upper formula, IMO, like F3000 or F1.
Winning the british titlethe brilliant way Robbie did last year, and then getting back to the field as lemon-tester is undoubtedly an undeachievement.
Once said that, i agree 100% with you that Keerr is a good person to help Lola, but iMO he's too good to do it.

mooneyda · 1 Oct 2003, 15:51 (Ref:736848)

Quote:

Originally posted by flexible-flyer
i think if anything this thread tells us for sure (apart from the fact the chassis sucks!!!) is that adam carroll is a promising talant....

We all know what an excellent talent Carroll is, no doubting that!!! But i disagree with the fact that the chassis sucks!!!
It ran very well on limited testing and developement for Sweeney on a very limited budget! It's just going to take a team to actually stick with it for a season with a good developement driver who can totally understand whats under his backside and knows what's needed to get it working to it's best possible potential.
Sweeney were doin some very good thing's until they ran out of money from what i remember in the earlier part of the season. Watch that Lola-Dome go next year!!! Might surprise a few..

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
AER V8 Turbo for Dyson's New Lola's in 2006	19dodge	Sportscar & GT Racing	13	11 Nov 2005 03:47
The Future.........????	AndyF	National & Club Racing	54	4 Jul 2003 23:41
My tip for the future	schanche	Rallying & Rallycross	2	20 May 2003 15:18
Future Tourer Future	Crash Test	Australasian Touring Cars.	13	17 Jul 2002 23:01
Lola's in the championship's	Geva racing	Sportscar & GT Racing	1	4 Feb 2001 17:02