THE ARCHIVES

RML and AD Group have a relationship stretching back many years. The two organisations first started working together in 2003, and have been a racing partnership ever since.

In 2003 and 2004 Mike Newton and Thomas Erdos campaigned an RML-designed Saleen S7-R in the FIA GT Championship. During the first year the car (one of a pair owned by Mike Newton) raced under the Graham Nash Motorsport banner, but was then brought under the management of RML for the 2004 season.

At the same time, RML AD Group embarked upon the sports prototype programme that continues to this day. In late 2003 the distinctive red, white and blue livery appeared for the first time, on an ex-works MG Lola EX257 entered into the inaugural Le Mans Endurance Series 1000 Kilometre event at Le Mans. The car was co-driven by Mike, Tommy and regular RML test and development driver Chris Goodwin.

Competing in LMP1, the EX257 tackled a full LMES season in 2004, typically with Mike and Tommy sharing the driving but joined at Le Mans for the 24 Hours by Nathan Kinch, and in selected other races by Portuguese driver Miguel Ramos.

Having been designed for the defunct LMP675 category, the EX257 was unable to compete effectively against the bespoke LMP1 machines of the day. Rather than battle on against the odds, RML elected to move into LMP2, and in conjunction with Lola Cars of Huntingdon, launched the MG Lola EX264 in 2005. The car was a direct development of the EX257, and shared many of the older car's characteristics, but was powered by a normally-aspirated Judd V8. In this guise, Mike and Tommy enjoyed a far more successful season, not only ending the year as runners-up in the LMES, but also taking a class win in the Le Mans 24 Hours, with Warren Hughes as third driver.

Development of the EX264 continued into 2006, when the MG reverted to a turbocharged two-litre AER powerplant. The result was the same! Once more, Mike and Tommy ended the year as Le Mans Series bridesmaids in LMP2, missing the title by a single point (for the second year running) but with the compensation of clinching a back-to-back class win in the Le Mans 24 Hours, this time partnered by Andy Wallace (left).

The formula of team, driver and chassis clearly worked, and having been so close to the title for the previous two seasons, Mike and Tommy were delighted to clinch the Le Mans Series LMP2 crown in 2007. Regrettably, despite a class-leading performance, the hat-trick at Le Mans eluded them, and the car retired with engine failure, possibly the long-term result of an earlier accident.

For three years the EX264 had been "the car to beat" in LMP2; consistently one of the quickest in the class, claiming pole after pole, and challenging for top honours in almost every race it contested. However, the competition was also rising to the challenge, and the MG was re-homologated for the 2008 season as the MG Lola EX265. Powered by an uprated XP-21 twin-turbo engine, developed from the original XP-21 unit by AER, the team returned to the Le Mans Series and also the Le Mans 24 Hours. Although much more competitive than before, the EX265 was no match for the new Porsche RS Spyders. Despite sterling efforts by all three drivers, retirement came early once more at Le Mans, and a brace of fourth place finishes was the best that Mike and Tommy could achieve in the Le Mans Series. Something had to change . . .

Much to the surprise of everyone in the industry, that change came before the end of the season, when RML introduced a new Lola coupé chassis for the final round of the Le Mans Series at Silverstone. Still powered by the XP-21 engine, and designated the MG EX265c, the coupé became, in effect, the final new race car to bear the iconic MG badge.

Fresh out of the box and with the minimum of testing, the car ran faultlessly, securing another fourth-placed finish. It marked the end of an era for RML, and for MG. Within days of the race RML AD Group announced a deal with Mazda for the supply of engines, and with that, the relationship with MG came to an end.

The car was rebuilt totally over the winter of 2008/2009 and, in order to comply with the new-for-2009 technical regulations, was fitted with the latest aero kit from Lola Cars and redesignated the Lola Mazda B09/96. The car ran in that configuration through 2009, but the engine proved delicate and susceptible to failure. The team garnered little success, and at the tail-end of 2009 changed to a naturally-aspirated Honda Performance Development V8. The move was fully justified and amply rewarded when Mike, Tommy and Ben took the 2010 LMP2 Le Mans Series title.

Although the famous octagonal logo no longer appears on the racecars regularly campaigned by RML AD Group, the six year association with MG will remain for ever as a high point in the team's heritage. The original MG-Lola website has been retained, and continues to be updated with new information as and when appropriate. In 2010, the MG Lola EX265 was campaigned again by Team RLR, and coverage of their races is included. To re-discover those RML years and examine the archives of past glories and successes, please visit the website by clicking this link.