Lola T298: The BMW-Powered Prototype That Won at Le Mans 1981 and Conquered the Hills
"An incredible son et lumière." That's how Thomas Guillot, mechanic for Simon Nobili, sums up the Lola T298. One line says it all: this little prototype has character, history, and it can still turn heads in any paddock.
Paddock 6 at Le Mans Classic: Machines Built for the Hunaudières
We're in Paddock 6 at Le Mans Classic, where Porsche 935s, BMW M1s and Lola T298s sit nose to nose. Three silhouettes with one thing in common: they were designed to devour the legendary Hunaudières straight.
But these cars had a second life. Once their endurance careers were over, they went climbing. Behind the wheel: the Alméras brothers, Mauro Nesti, Giovanni Rossi… names that make hillclimb fans dream. In this video series, we explore the unique link between endurance racing and the French and European hill climb championships.
Why the Lola T298 Embodies the Link Between Endurance and Hillclimb
If one car had to symbolise that bridge between two worlds, this would be it. The reason comes down to one year: 1981.
- At the 24 Hours of Le Mans, it won the 2-litre class with Yves Courage and Jean-Philippe Grand.
- The same year, Jean-Louis Bos became European Hill Climb champion at its wheel.
Two triumphs of opposite natures, one and the same car. Hard to find a better illustration of its versatility.
A Rare, Light and Agile Lola
The T298 belongs to the great family of Lola prototypes. Only 17 were built. The recipe: very little weight, plenty of agility, and often the 2-litre BMW M12 engine. Where a Porsche 935 impresses with sheer presence, the T298 projects an image of "just what's necessary".
Le Mans 1981: Grand and Courage's No. 31
At the 1981 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Lola T298 wore number 31, entered by Jean-Philippe Grand and Yves Courage. It finished 18th overall and won the 2-litre class.
Yves Courage: From Hillclimber to Constructor
It's a great story. Before becoming the constructor we know today, Yves Courage was a driver, trained on French hillclimbs in the 1970s before coming to Le Mans. His original ambition wasn't to build cars, he wanted to race. But since it proved hard to get a car capable of winning the 24 Hours, the team decided to build one. That's how his own prototype brand was born, and we know what followed.
Jean-Philippe Grand, Man of Small Prototypes
His co-driver also belongs to this small-prototype culture. Jean-Philippe Grand did a lot of hillclimbs, notably in the 1980s with Tarès and Xiberras cars. He is also the founder of the Graff Racing team.
One Chassis, One Legend: Jean-Louis Bos's Car
On the paddock, the exchange is delightful. The chassis on show is Jean-Louis Bos's own, the car in which he won the European Hill Climb title. It was later bought by a driver from the Toulouse area, who used it in the national championship for many years. Our presenter had first assumed it wasn't exactly the car Bos won the title in. Verdict: it is his. A lovely moment of truth on camera.
Vilarino: Four European Titles in the Same Lola
Bos wasn't the only one to shine in the T298 on the mountains. Andrés Vilarino won four European titles in the same car, proof of the model's longevity.
The BMW M12/7 Engine: A "Cathedral" Reputed to Be Made of Glass
The Lola's heart is its engine. Thomas Guillot doesn't hesitate to call it a "cathedral": a gorgeous engine, perhaps one of the best naturally aspirated 2-litres, the BMW M12/7.
The flip side? It has a reputation for being "made of glass", and it's well deserved:
- a very sensitive engine that must be watched closely;
- a short lifespan: around fifteen running hours;
- in return, a sound and driver feel that, in his words, are unmatched in the category.
As for the chassis, it's a genuine racing car, designed to be easy to work on: everything is very accessible.
Xiberras, Chambérod: The T298 on Mountain Roads
The list of hillclimb drivers who have been through this model is dizzying:
- Gérard Xiberras won the Ampus hillclimb outright twice, in 1983 and 1984, even ahead of 2-litre single-seaters;
- Bernard Chamberod drove it in 1985, just before switching to the Toj.
Those wins left a mark. Even today, many visitors come to see these cars because they watched them on the hills back in the day.
The Mechanic's Advice: No Room for Error
Asked what he'd tell a driver sitting in it for the first time, the answer starts with a joke ("put your foot in it"), then turns serious. The T298 is a fun car, provided you stay focused: engine and gearbox handling leaves no margin for error, as an over-rev has immediate, heavy consequences. Chassis-wise, it can go very fast, but it demands concentration.
1981: The Perfect Example
In the same year, the T298 won its class at Le Mans and took the European hill climb title. That double crown says everything about the breadth of this car's use and the link that once tied endurance racing to hillclimbing.
Watch the Full Video, Then Dive Into the Photos
This is best experienced in sound and vision (especially that M12). Watch the full episode on YouTube and subscribe to the Live4Racing channel so you don't miss the next episodes of the series. Tell us in the comments: which is your favourite Lola?
A full Le Mans Classic photo report is available on live4racing.com. And for exclusive shots, behind-the-scenes and stories, head over to Instagram @live4racing.
Tags: Lola T298, Le Mans Classic, 1981 24 Hours of Le Mans, hillclimb, European Hill Climb Championship, BMW M12/7, Yves Courage, Jean-Philippe Grand, Jean-Louis Bos, Andrés Vilarino, Gérard Xiberras, Bernard Chamberod, Porsche 935, BMW M1, historic racing, Hunaudières, Live4Racing