Barbot wired in Lola T70

World Sportscar Masters

Lola T70s emerged victorious in 11 out of 12 World Sportscar Masters races in 2005. Only when Paul Knapfield campaigned his Ferrari 512BB at the Nürburgring was the Huntingdon marque denied the top step of the podium.

Out of those 11 wins, Carlos Barbot claimed five of them. The Portuguese continued his dominance at Pau with a double win and backed that up at Dijon before winning again at Le Mans Bugatti. Cars from Frank Sytner ‘s T70 collection won two races, first when Sytner shared with Simon Hadfield to score at Silverstone and then when Hadfield teamed up with John Clark to famously win from the back of the grid at Spa after Clark had dashed straight from the previous race.

Andre Bailly, Peter Dunn, Jose Segimon and Richard Meins all added wins in their T70s, with Meins winning well at the Nürburgring Oldtimer meeting as he made an impressive debut at this level.

Various drivers headed the 2-litre pack during the season, including Irvine Laidlaw, who was a regular in his Chevron B16. Jon Minshaw headed the bunch in his similar car at the ‘Ring, while Jerry Hooper, Chris Sanders, Philip Nelson and Joe Ward were all leading Chevron B8 aces. Up against them went the Lenham GT of seasoned Marcos campaigner David Methley. Second overall at Zolder was further proof of his prodigious pace.