The Lola LC90 was a Formula One car designed by Eric Broadley and Chris Murphy for use in the 1990 Formula One season by the Larrousse team. It was powered by the 3.5L Lamborghini LE3512 V12 engine. The car was driven by Japanese driver Aguri Suzuki who had spent 1989 failing to pre-qualify all 16 races for Zakspeed, and Frenchman Éric Bernard.

Lola LC90
CategoryFormula One
ConstructorLola Cars
Designer(s)Eric Broadley
Chris Murphy
PredecessorLola LC89
SuccessorLola LC91
Technical specifications[1]
ChassisCarbon fibre monocoque
Suspension (front)Double wishbones, pushrod, twin spring / dampers
Suspension (rear)Double wishbones, pushrod, twin spring / dampers
Axle trackFront: 1,810 mm (71.3 in)
Rear: 1,620 mm (63.8 in)
Wheelbase2,850 mm (112.2 in)
EngineLamborghini 3512, 3,493 cc (213.2 cu in), 80° V12, NA, mid-engine, longitudinally mounted
TransmissionLola 6-speed manual
FuelBP
LubricantsBP
TyresGoodyear
Competition history
Notable entrantsESPO Larrousse F1
Notable drivers29. France Éric Bernard
30. Japan Aguri Suzuki
Debut1990 San Marino Grand Prix
RacesWinsPodiumsPolesF/Laps
140100
Constructors' Championships0
Drivers' Championships0

Race history

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The LC90 made its debut at the 1990 San Marino Grand Prix replacing the updated 1989 car, the LC89B used in the opening two rounds of the season. Aguri Suzuki scored the team's first podium (and the only one for Lamborghini's V12 which was rated at 640 bhp (477 kW; 649 PS) in 1990) in front of his home fans at Suzuka. After most of the major runners had dropped out of the race (both McLaren-Hondas and Ferraris), Suzuki finished a brilliant and highly popular third at his home Grand Prix behind the Benetton-Fords of Nelson Piquet and Roberto Moreno. Suzuki even finished in front of the Renault V10 powered Williams pair of Riccardo Patrese and Thierry Boutsen.[2] In fact, with two Brazilians and a Japanese driver finishing in the top 3, the Japanese Grand Prix was the last time (as of 2018) that no European driver has finished on the podium for a Formula One Grand Prix.

With Suzuki also scoring points at the British and Spanish Grands Prix, and Éric Bernard scoring points at Monaco, Britain and Hungary, the team ended the year with 11 points achieving sixth place in the Constructors' Championship.

During the first half of the season, Larrousse was forced to pre-qualify due to only scoring one point in 1989. However, with an improving Lamborghini engine, a chassis considered among the best in the field and two talented young drivers, pre-qualifying was never really a problem and indeed qualifying positions within the top 10 became more and more frequent as the season progressed.

Complete Formula One results

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(key)

Year Entrant Engine(s) Tyres Drivers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Points WCC
1990 ESPO Larrousse F1 Lamborghini 3512 V12 G USA BRA SMR MON CAN MEX FRA GBR GER HUN BEL ITA POR ESP JPN AUS 11 6th
Éric Bernard 13 6 9 Ret 8 4 Ret 6 9 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret
Aguri Suzuki Ret Ret 12 Ret 7 6 Ret Ret Ret Ret 14 6 3 Ret

References

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  1. ^ "STATS F1 • Lola 90". Statsf1.com. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  2. ^ "F1technical • Larrouse". www.f1technical.net. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
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