DECEMBER 4, 2006

A switcharound at Lola

Lola Cars International has hired Dr John Davis as the new manager of its technology centre in Huntingdon, a facility which includes a state-of-the-art half-scale, rolling road windtunnel.

Davis is a highly-experienced F1 engineer with a long and impressive list of previous employers, including Team Lotus, for which he developed active suspension back in the 1980s. He then moved to join his former boss Gerard Ducarouge at Ligier before he switched to Pi Research. He then spent time in America with Patrick Racing before returning to F1 with Jordan, moving on to Arrows and Minardi before joining Williams in 2002. He oversaw the construction of the team's second windtunnel before going off to do consultant engineering. Davis replaces Chris Saunders, another former Williams man, who is moving from Lola to strengthen the aerodynamic team at Red Bull Racing.

Lola, incidentally, recently achieved a number of key certifications that allow it to expand its work in the aerospace, defence and marine industries. The company has been involved in these sectors already supplying parts to executive jet and helicopter companies. The new certification means that this sector of the business can be increased alongside the racing business.