Driving a Lola T332 Formula 5000 race car at Donington - Autosport Drives

Formula 5000 was originally established in the late 60s as a low(ish) cost form of open wheel racing with the '5000' denomination coming from the maximum 5.0-litre engine capacity.
Big name drivers from Mario Andretti to Al Unser to Brian Redman all competed at this level, yet one car dominated the championship from '74 - '76. That car was the Lola T332 and now, Autosport has been given the chance to sample a little slice of that Lola magic. Turn up the volume, people...
Thanks for watching our new series and be sure to get in touch if there's anything you want Ben and the team to drive next.
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[@terrystokes3577]

As a crew member of the 1975 Vels/Parnelli Jone F5000 USA Race Team, I found that the Lola was a the Art with Function styling, and coupled with a Ryan Faulkner Happy Horsepower Chevy V8 it was a formidible adversary on the track. I was Blessed to have the priveledge to be involved at that time.

[@Hapkido82AUS]

In 1979, Australian car magazine, Modern Motor, strapped their test equipment to an Elfin F5000 car. 0-160kph in 4.9, and 0-200kph in 6.4. Driver Kevin Bartlett said they were essentially an 8 second drag car that also went around corners.. They are such brutal cars. 🥰😈

[@mutujones561]

Absolutely loved the Formula 5000s back in the 70s....still love it now.

[@LawrenceTheKiwiBryant]

Actually worked on that car back in the 90's!!

[@chriskappert1365]

Untill today I never knew these cars existed . As a Dutchman this formula sounds as music to my ears ! A singleseater with wings and a masive Chevy V8 , no million dollar screaming engine . And the whole car ANALOGE , so dubble clutching is possible ! I think this must be driversheaven on wheels blasting forward , and that V8 roar and thunder while downshifting , great stuff ! ❤️❤️❤️

[@mikejohnson5900]

Beautiful isn't it? I'm a longtime Motorsports fan and never knew F5000 existed until 2 weeks ago. Fantastic cars they were.

[@rm3266]

The Aussies are still racing a current F5000 style car.

[@tonymontana3873]

Imagine with 8 to 1 headers😍

[@thethirdman225]

@Autosport For anyone interested in such things, there is a new F5000 on the way in Australia and New Zealand. It combines a modern Onroak Ligier chassis with an all-alloy, fuel injected 5.0 litre Ford Coyote V8 crate engine, producing 560 hp. It uses an Australian six-speed Holinger paddle-shift transaxle and control tyres by Chinese manufacturer Giti. It has ground effect and all the modern features befitting what is a brand new chassis. The first of 14 chassis is currently undergoing shakedown testing near Melbourne in preparation for the first race sometime in May this year. Rolling chassis costs around the same as a historic F5000. Here is an onboard lap at Winton in Victoria: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aIOzqaCjl8qblck Bear in mind that neither the gear ratios nor the handling were anything like sorted when this was done (you can see the understeer and hear the ratios are wrong for that track). Here's what it looks and sounds like from outside: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rKWXmnWnrbWkotE In the absence of a big banger open wheeler in Australia, there are some lap records which have not been visited for 20 years. Whaddya reckon? www.motorsport.com/openwheel/news/s5000-calling-for-overseas-talent/4313972/?fbclid=IwAR0pe37NCkxraaYl-CvhrFPhKbqp7Z6plu2tQry0u8oMqAeeuO8wbG-pedI facebook.com/S5000AU/

[@deadwillytv6528]

Is this sting going ahead because I haven’t found any details on it

[@thethirdman225]

@@deadwillytv6528 Look up the Australian Gold Star championship. The class has its own website. The problem is that it's getting crushed out of existence by V8 Supercars who are so powerful politically that they don't want any other classes cars on the scene. They have plenty of clout when it comes to circuits too. If V8 Supercars want something, they get it. If they don't want it, it will languish. Covid didn't help either. There have been plenty of worthy drivers come through but none of them will ever get to race at the top level in Australia because V8 Supercars treats them as lepers.

[@mickeyd8768]

@@deadwillytv6528 S5000 series.

[@mikejohnson5900]

F5000 and CanAm brought us some of the most pure racing cars ever! It's too bad we can't have cars like that anymore. The racing world (with some exceptions) is now about not hurting the environment or harnessing battery power - a regression if you ask me) and not about big powerful engines, innovation and simplicity.

[@trob1173]

I got to see Redman, Schechter, and both Unser's at Seattle International Raceway (now Pacific Raceways). Redman dominated in his Lola, the red Steed #66. He had mastered this car and was smooth as silk.

[@garneauweld1100]

Super-Juicy! - I saw the Ongais car for sale recently. Had problems getting to sleep for the next few days.

[@mikloslipcsey7923]

In Australia, we use to joke that you could always tell which one is a F5000 driver by their limp. Not exactly the safest of cars. Get it wrong with these cars and you become another member of the Lola Limp fraternity. These cars deserve the utmost respect when driving. But that sound...

[@gavinivers8941]

The Lola limp

[@penskepc2374]

Biggest "road course" single seaters after Can Am imploded, the biggest single seater category in America was USAC Championship Cars(IndyCars).

[@beyond_the_infinite2098]

My friend drove us to Laguna Seca in 1970 to attend our first race which was F5000. 15 yo with no drivers license yet but we were going to be race car drivers - no doubt about it. Been hooked on road racing ever since.

[@BigDale]

Maybe there is still a place for these cars on high-bank oval tracks, where they can use that V-8 chevy small block power and use that extra weight in back to their advantage.

[@BradfordtheEclectic]

Really wish we could have had 1 lap in-car, at speed to illustrate the handling characteristics talked about in this video.

[@TheKurtkapan34]

I love the screaming V10s just like any other but this iconic sound from the 60s-70s V8s is just the best. a brutal symphony, music to ears. Just listen to that kitty purr! That's what revving should sound like.

[@mickcoomer9714]

I was in the pits at an F5000 race. The tools we had on the concrete counter were going about 4” into air as the whole field left the grid in one wave of sound.

[@michaellorenson2997]

God, I love those cars!

[@ncsteeltoe]

Amazing machine!

[@fabrizioviscardi40]

Great footage, I sub to your interesting channel, cheers Fabrizio

[@bremCZ]

The king of F5000 isn't a car, it's Ken Smith.

[@frederickmiles327]

Your Joking. Kenny had the best T5000 chassis at the time in Australasia, Jim Halls 1974 T332 US Campionship car drivern by Brian Redman and prepared by Jim Hall team out of Midland texas. Most of all Smith got the chev F5000 engines of the same calibre and extra dev as Redman and Andretti. it was a much better package than Graham Lawrence or Allison had. In my view the the two T400 chassis driven by Maz Stewart in 1945-77 were actually a more impressive driver car combination ( the second T400 raced by Stewart in the 77 Rothmans was the ex Richard Scott, Bpb Evan, Keith Holland chassis and the best other than Gethins of the 14 T400 ubilt. Bartlett was a near world class driver but simply lacked the money to really develop his T400 and only could afford to runn a good T332 and a full power engine at Sandown and Oran Park. If you were Murdock, Oxton or Bartlett engines that could remotely run with Ken Smith were unaffordable, partiuclarly as they would have to be frequently rebuilt.

[@bremCZ]

@@frederickmiles327 At what time?

[@pricedives]

Watched these racing in the day (Oulton Park) amazing!

[@dudley7540]

David Price me too,at the Glen,Mosport and Pocono.Very good old days! Redman, Oliver, Peter Gethin ,Alan Jones,Andretti.Miss all that.

[@samlancaster1277]

Saw many F5000 races, most at Oulton Park. Brian Redman winning first time on track with the Chevron B24 in 1972. Peter Gethin winning the Gold Cup in September 1973. And more besides. Great cars , great drivers and the sound of 20 plus cars blasting away from the grid. Thank you.

[@andrewganley9016]

This year is the 50th anniversary of the first 5000 championship in this country,shame its passed unnoticed!

[@calmkenny4175]

Marshalling at Mallory hairpin with a gridful of these cars was always fun in the seventies.

[@arielbauer1876]

Nice!

[@karlwalters3763]

Bring them back!

[@thethirdman225]

Check out S5000: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jZ3dl2CFpdOjsMk

[@fredchaveiro7569]

Cool

[@ldnwholesale8552]

Not just Chevs, quite a few Repco Holdens, a couple of Fords and LA Mopars too. True race cars, driver skill really shows. Driver has to drive the car, not push buttons and steer. As for pendulem, lets get real. Yes an iron engine but in front of the rear wheels, with the gearbox out the back. Not a turbo lump way behind the rear wheels as the Porkers were,,, and still are!

[@gothicpagan.666]

They did of course make a "ally." bloke Chevy for F5000 . Though they were/are a bit special. A chap by the name of Mike Edwards used one in a Surtees

[@douglasmeis7482]

Period rules required iron blocks with the exception of the 215 c.i. buick motor.

[@snoopythedog3266]

F5000 cars in NZ aren't allowed to be updated in any way so if the car had a problem it can't be fixed ie mechanical weakness say

[@Mark_Ocain]

Nothing says cranky like a v8 with a flat-plane crank LOL

[@a.k.a.A.E.]

what have this thing for a tirer dimension ? is this an 26×14.50-15 in rear !

[@PeterKKraus]

David Hobbs and Sam Posey...etc etc

[@formularace7069]

Great car - but minor point of irritiation - don't put modern suede steering wheels on historic cars! Momo/Sparco both still make leather wheels for formula cars...fit one of those.

[@jackkallemdjian3945]

Lola made some of the best race cars and allowed you to by a customer car and go racing,

[@frederickmiles327]

Disagree, Broadley the Lola designer was often compared with Chapman but the Lola T300/330/332 are too light and dangerous. The superiority of the Lola T332 is because of the lack of protection and weight compared with the competition Talon. Chevron and March F5000 designs in 1974-76. While the early Lotus cars were light and dangerous from 1962 the Lotus designs are much more effective survival cell. You should study the miraculous survival of Trevor Taylor in many type 25 accidents. Ridnt was killed and G. Hill was very severely injured simply because they had put the second lower part of their seat belt strap on ie the part that they thought too tight around their cock basket. As very few people were actually witness to JIm Clarks accident and the claim on impact the selt belts broke and he flew into a tree is not entirely convincing.

[@jackkallemdjian3945]

@@frederickmiles327 so you think Lola didn’t make some of the best race cars that allowed you to go racing?

[@SYKOMORF]

I was there British f5000 championship. Knew dennis leech. They beat f1's in the rain at brands hatch 'race of champions'

[@gordonnorris7245]

It didn't rain that year. Gethin won in the dry.

[@samlancaster1277]

Driving a Chevron B24. I live near the old works in Bolton. Gethin was a great driver and all round top bloke. Like so many others of the 1970’s racing scene.

[@juanivarsmengual3380]

Ok just got

[@mwalker3547]

The background music is completely unnecessary in my opinion, it distracts from your awesome visuals.

[@ldnwholesale8552]

Worse than a 911?? The engine is in front of the rear wheels, not 3 feet behind and small block Chev is not that heavy. Reputedly about 80lbs heavier than a FFV. 520 hp? In the 70s I agree, with modern internals add about 50 more.

[@rictube4716]

Put your hands in your pockets please.

[@mickcoomer9714]

Forget these 1.6 engines. Give us these brutes.

[@alephii]

mehh

[@BoleDaPole]

Didnt paul Walker die in a porche?

[@TheOdd]

Yeah, in a Carrera GT

[@dudley7540]

What's that have to with this?

[@kodiakcrew4494]

porSCHe

[@jonkerr2050]

Ahhh. When race cars were race cars. Not ridiculous computers on wheels. The fact that you literally have to do the ctrl+Alt+Del reset on an F1 car when it’s misbehaving and glitchy is just sad.

[@erwinlommer197]

These big block engines don't sound like lawn mowers either!

[@turnip5465]

so more power, more speed and more fine tuning = computer on wheels that anyone can control.. Gotcha can't wait to see you race in F1 next year then

[@millerchassis6119]

Couldn’t agree more. agree with safety updates But they need to get rid of drivers aids They are the best drivers in the world. (Behind rally drivers) Let them work it out.

[@mikekron6968]

@@erwinlommer197 These are small blocks... my dad had a T330 & T332

[@someguy5487]

Ah the typical old head that dosen't understand technological innovation and the fact that you think current f1 cars are easy to drive its just laughable if you were to drive those cars you'd probably crash in the first corner or break your neck because you didn't have g force training

[@robc3056]

stoopid hands lol

[@clamantmountain6432]

those hands at the beginnings began to annoy me

[@syntire9068]

ok i knew there was formula 2, 3, 4 for amateurs but wtf

[@pizdit]

These are street legal right? Hahahahahaa

[@insertname8889]

The only thing that I don't like about the '70s cars are the big ass air intakes

[@TheKurtkapan34]

that's the best thing about them.

[@orellaminx3530]

"Formula 5000" is such a stupid name.

[@XA351GT]

Why ? It described the category perfectly 5000 cc max displacement engine in a Formula car , so how is that stupid ?

[@mylord1966]

More like stupid statement