HAAS-LOLA THL2 Ford GBA Turbo

   The story of the Haas-Lola THL2 is closely tied to that of its engine, the Ford Cosworth GBA V6 turbo with 1497 cc displacement. After Tyrrell and Minardi, the last two teams still using the old naturally aspirated Cosworth V8s, switched to turbo engines during 1985, no Formula 1 car was left with a 3-liter naturally aspirated engine from the English manufacturer. At that point, Keith Duckworth, Cosworth co-founder along with Mike Costin, decided to design a turbocharged inline-four engine based on the Cosworth BD block, previously used in GT competitions.

 HAAS-LOLA THL2, Patrick Tambay
Adelaide, Australian GP 1986

   However, the project quickly failed due to issues with vibrations and low power output. Duckworth then turned directly to Ford's top management and secured funding to design an entirely new turbo engine to be used in the 1986 season. Initially, Duckworth assembled a task force consisting of himself, Mike Costin, and Geoff Goddard, who later became the lead engineer on the project after Duckworth and Costin stepped down. Goddard chose a 120° V6 layout, similar to Ferrari and Honda, to lower the center of gravity, using twin Garrett turbochargers. Fuel was delivered by six Bosch electro-injectors managed by a Magneti-Marelli electronic control unit, and dyno testing showed power output exceeding 1200 hp.

 HAAS-LOLA THL2, Alan Jones
Monza, Italian GP 1986

   By late 1985, the first prototypes were tested on the Haas-Lola THL2 cars, but issues emerged with sealing between the engine block and the cylinder heads, forcing engineers to cap the power at 850 hp to avoid costly failures. As a result, the new engine could not debut in time for the start of the 1986 championship, which began with the THL1 still equipped with the Hart 415T L4 turbo engine. The new Ford GBA was finally installed on the THL2, which debuted at Imola during the San Marino Grand Prix, the third race of the season. Also designed by Neil Oatley and John Baldwin, the THL2 was a direct evolution of the previous THL1, retaining its carbon fiber and aluminum honeycomb chassis, as well as the suspension setup and overall aerodynamics, only slightly modified to accommodate the larger Ford V6. Notably, two young aerodynamicists with bright futures, Adrian Newey and Ross Brawn, also contributed to the development of the new THL2.

 HAAS-LOLA THL2, Alan Jones
Paul Ricard, French GP 1986

   In 1986, FORCE (Formula One Race Car Engineering), financially supported by the Beatrice brand, remained responsible for assembling the Haas-Lola cars. Alongside former world champion Alan Jones, the team signed French driver Patrick Tambay, who was replaced by American Eddie Cheever at the United States Grand Prix for sponsorship reasons. With a brand-new turbo engine designed and built in just six months, and developed directly on track during the season, the results were inevitably modest for the Anglo-American team. However, the quality of the THL2 project became evident on circuits where engine power was less decisive.

 HAAS-LOLA THL2, Eddie Cheever
Detroit, United States GP 1986

   Despite late-season improvements and a few positive results totaling six points between the two drivers, the team was forced to shut down at the end of the year due to a management shake-up at Beatrice, which withdrew funding, leaving Carl Haas's team without the necessary resources to continue in 1987. Ironically, both drivers, Alan Jones and Patrick Tambay, also retired from Formula 1 at the end of the season, bringing their careers in the top tier of motorsport to a close.