20/24 #5: Lola EX264 AER (chassis B0540-HU03)
Chosen by: Thomas “Tommy” Erdos
Best finish: 1st in LMP2, 2005, 2006
Team: RML
Driven by: Thomas Erdos, Mike Newton, Warren Hughes

The Lola name was, for half a century, the number one if you were a privateer sportscar entrant in need of a decent chassis. In the early 2000s, it partnered with MG to produce a flyweight LMP675 entry, which was fast, but fragile. That 675 became, through various iterations, a mainstay of the LMP2 class over the following years, particularly in the care of RML.

“I raced at Le Mans 13 times, in all sorts of cars,” says Thomas Erdos, then racing said RML entry, and now the driver steward for McLaren’s Trophy one-make series. “My very first entry was a Marcos, and that thing was a beast. That was special, because it was my first Le Mans. But the MG Lola sticks out for me.”

The RML entry, snappily-named “MG EX264 (Lola)”, was resplendent in the white, blue and red livery of gentleman driver, and main backer, Mike Newton. Newton had developed a very strong relationship with Erdos over the years, and the pair found great success in LMP2 competition. At Le Mans, where they were joined by Warren Hughes, they won back-to-back class titles in 2005 and 2006.

“The car was really fast,” he enthuses. Erdos has lost little of his joy for motor racing since his move to the steward’s chair. “It was only a two-litre engine, but it was producing close to 600 horsepower. In those days the cars were so light, and when you put qualifying tyres on a car like that, a lap around Le Mans is special. I really enjoyed doing a lap of Le Mans absolutely full chat, and putting it on pole. That’s what gave me the most satisfaction. That’s what sticks out for me.”

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