Lola LC90

The Lola LC90 was a Formula One car designed by Eric Broadley and Chris Murphy for use in the 1990 Formula One season by the Larrousse team. It was powered by the 3.5L Lamborghini LE3512 V12 engine. The car was driven by Japanese driver Aguri Suzuki who had spent 1989 failing to pre-qualify all 16 races for Zakspeed, and Frenchman Éric Bernard.

Lola LC90

Category	Formula One
Constructor	Lola Cars
Designer(s)	Eric Broadley Chris Murphy
Predecessor	Lola LC89
Successor	Lola LC91
Technical specifications
Chassis	Carbon fibre monocoque
Suspension (front)	Double wishbones, pushrod, twin spring / dampers
Suspension (rear)	Double wishbones, pushrod, twin spring / dampers
Axle track	Front: 1,810 mm (71.3 in) Rear: 1,620 mm (63.8 in)
Wheelbase	2,850 mm (112.2 in)
Engine	Lamborghini 3512, 3,493 cc (213.2 cu in), 80° V12, NA, mid-engine, longitudinally mounted
Transmission	Lola 6-speed manual
Fuel	BP
Lubricants	BP
Tyres	Goodyear
Competition history
Notable entrants	ESPO Larrousse F1
Notable drivers	29. Éric Bernard 30. Aguri Suzuki
Debut	1990 San Marino Grand Prix
Races Wins Podiums Poles F/Laps 14 0 1 0 0
Constructors' Championships	0
Drivers' Championships	0

Race history

The LC90 made its debut at the 1990 San Marino Grand Prix replacing the updated 1989 car, the LC89B used in the opening two rounds of the season. Aguri Suzuki scored the team's first podium (and the only one for Lamborghini's V12 which was rated at 640 bhp (477 kW; 649 PS) in 1990) in front of his home fans at Suzuka. After most of the major runners had dropped out of the race (both McLaren-Hondas and Ferraris), Suzuki finished a brilliant and highly popular third at his home Grand Prix behind the Benetton-Fords of Nelson Piquet and Roberto Moreno. Suzuki even finished in front of the Renault V10 powered Williams pair of Riccardo Patrese and Thierry Boutsen. In fact, with two Brazilians and a Japanese driver finishing in the top 3, the Japanese Grand Prix was the last time (as of 2018) that no European driver has finished on the podium for a Formula One Grand Prix.

With Suzuki also scoring points at the British and Spanish Grands Prix, and Éric Bernard scoring points at Monaco, Britain and Hungary, the team ended the year with 11 points achieving sixth place in the Constructors' Championship.

During the first half of the season, Larrousse was forced to pre-qualify due to only scoring one point in 1989. However, with an improving Lamborghini engine, a chassis considered among the best in the field and two talented young drivers, pre-qualifying was never really a problem and indeed qualifying positions within the top 10 became more and more frequent as the season progressed.

• 
  Lamborghini's V12 engine as used by the Larrousse team in 1990.

Complete Formula One results

(key)

Year	Entrant	Engine(s)	Tyres	Drivers	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	Points	WCC
1990	ESPO Larrousse F1	Lamborghini 3512 V12	G		USA	BRA	SMR	MON	CAN	MEX	FRA	GBR	GER	HUN	BEL	ITA	POR	ESP	JPN	AUS	11	6th
				Éric Bernard			13	6	9	Ret	8	4	Ret	6	9	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret
				Aguri Suzuki			Ret	Ret	12	Ret	7	6	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	14	6	3	Ret