Paul Jeffrey
Premium
Lola Cars founder Eric Broadley has passed away today aged 88.
Renowned as one of the most innovative racing car designers of his generation and the brains behind one of the most legendary motorsport constructors in the form of Lola, Broadley passed away today after leaving a lasting mark on the world of international motorsports.
Famous for his success in Formula One, IndyCar and Sportscar racing, Broadley's designs have been responsible for the success of some of motorsports most revered characters throughout several generations of the sport and across multiple disciplines of racing.
Beginning life with the humble Lola Mk1 in 1958 and ending with the ill fated Formula One effort of 1997, Broadley's unique style and affection for innovation can be seen littered throughout the history of his Lola company. Victories in the top tier of open wheel racing followed with the fledgling Honda team, following up by huge amounts of success 'over the pond' in IndyCar with numerous victories in the main series and the jewel in the crown Indy 500 events.
Beating some major American names the likes of Penske and Reynard, Lola chassis secured an incredible 11 CART Championship titles from 1984-2006, providing winning machinery to talented drivers such as Nigel Mansell, Bobby Rahal, Al Unser Jr, Cristiano da Matta, Paul Tracy and Sebastien Bourdais, as well as racking up numerous wins and developing into one of the most established and important teams in US motorsports.
However success and participation were not restricted to just Formula One and IndyCar for Lola and Broadley, with forays into the world of Formula 5000, Formula Two, Formula 3000 and Sportscar racing, where the talented designer had greater freedom to express his creative tendencies.
Sportscar racing would however remain the first love of Broadley and a place where much of the British designers success came. Some of the most iconic cars of the 60's and 70's came from the pen of Broadley and Lola, with the stunning Mk6 forming the basis of the design adopted by Ford in creating the hugely successful GT40 that went on to dominate GT racing and Le Mans for several years.
Broadley sold Lola to Martin Birrane in 1999 and has since remained active in motorsports, albeit from a distance as he enjoyed the final years of his retirement.
RaceDepartment offers its sincerest respect and condolences to friends and family of one of the most prolific contributors to the world of international motorsports.
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