Top three triumph for Lola in LMP2.

Lola managed the impressive feat of securing all three steps of the podium in the LMP2 class at Spa Francorchamps' six hour, 1000km race at the weekend.

The signs looked auspicious for Lola early on in the race as Tommy Erdos ran second overall in the RML Lola, however it was the Chamberlain Synergy/ASM team who were to claim the LMP2 win and fourth overall.

Angel Burgueno/Miguel Angel De Castro and team owner Miguel Amaral celebrated their B05/40's second consecutive win at Spa, and followed on from last year as the now LMP1 trio of Bob Berridge/Peter Owen and Gareth Evans also triumphed for Chamberlain on the Belgian circuit.

There were some nervous moments in the dying stages of the race for the team as Amaral indulged in a couple of spins, one at La Source and the other at Eau Rouge. The Portuguese driver/owner was highly, however, emerged delighted with the Lola and the way his team performed.

"The car was faultless," said a delighted Amaral, "this was our first race and we expected some minor problems but they never really came."

As the Amaral/Burgueno/De Castro took the LMP2 class win, Tommy Erdos and Mike Newton in the RML Lola could not be halted by a puncture in the first hour of the race, although Erdos felt the puncture did cost them dearly overall.

"The puncture early on probably cost us a lap and a half," said Erdos, "I have no idea where we picked it up, I definitely didn't drive over any debris, but the Chamberlain guys drove a very strong race."

An impressive double stint by Mike Newton made sure that when he handed back over to Erdos, the Brazilian was able to make up for lost time and bring the car up to fifth overall and second in class for the AER powered car.
Binnie Motorsport completed the Lola podium hat-trick as Bill Binnie/Sam Hancock and Allen Timpany claimed the cars best ever result in the series.

The Zytek engined Lola B05/40 had undergone a successful test at Donington prior to Spa and it paid off for the team with Hancock turning in some impressive times in the Anglo-American car.

Despite a small alternator problem in the early stages the car came through to claim sixth place overall as well as rounding out the LMP2 podium. It was a result that left team owner and driver Bill Binnie very happy indeed.

Hancock was delighted with the team's second podium, after the first round in Istanbul, but experienced an anxious start, suffering at the hands of the safety car, which was brought out after a multi car incident on the opening lap.

"After the slowness of the safety cars laps everyone's engine temps were soaring, and we were about to blow an engine," stated an alarmed Hancock. "The rising temperature triggered a domino effect in the electronics and the alternator stopped working, but I lost the dash and the gearshift.

"I realised that I could have one or the other, so I chose the gearshift, but we didn't know if the battery was charging," continued Hancock. "As I passed the pits I got one flash of data to the team, and they could see that the battery wasn't charging, so we had to change the alternator.

"I was on a bit of a mission after that. We recovered a lot of ground and Bill was really going for it at the end. We haven't really set the car up too well, we had too much downforce, but the team will have it perfect for Le Mans."