DECEMBER 23, 1996

Lola confirms Rosset and Sospiri

THE Mastercard Lola F1 team has signed Ricardo Rosset and Vincenzo Sospiri for the coming season. Twenty-eight-year-old Rosset has been trying to find a drive since being dropped by the TWR Arrows team while 30-year-old Sospiri spent last year testing for Benetton - an experience which he found to be extremely frustrating. Rosset had been hoping to sign for Tyrrell but was left in the lurch when the team decided to sign Jos Verstappen instead.

The pair should be able to work together successfully as in 1995 they were team mates in David Sears's dominant Supernova Formula 3000 team. The pair won five of the eight races that year with Sospiri winning the title with three victories to Rosset's two.

Both drivers have one-year contracts with Lola, but there are options to continue if things go well.