DeltaWing
 | |||||||||
| Constructor | All American Racers | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Designer(s) | Ben Bowlby | ||||||||
| Technical specifications[1][2] | |||||||||
| Chassis | Aston Martin AMR-One tub[3] with Recyclable Energy Absorbing Matrix System bodywork panels | ||||||||
| Length | 183.07 in (465.0 cm) | ||||||||
| Width | 78.74 in (200.0 cm) | ||||||||
| Height | 40.55 in (103.0 cm) | ||||||||
| Axle track | 23.6 in (600 mm) (front) 66.93 in (1,700 mm) (rear) | ||||||||
| Wheelbase | 120.8 in (3,070 mm) | ||||||||
| Engine | Nissan DIG-T 1.6 L (98 cu in) I4 turbocharged | ||||||||
| Transmission | 5-speed sequential manual , torque-vectoring differential | ||||||||
| Weight | 1,047 pounds (475 kg)* | ||||||||
| Fuel | Le Mans Shell E10 petro 98RON | ||||||||
| Tyres | Michelin | ||||||||
| Competition history | |||||||||
| Notable entrants |  Highcroft Racing | ||||||||
| Notable drivers |  Marino Franchitti Michael Krumm Satoshi Motoyama Lucas Ordóñez Gunnar Jeannette | ||||||||
| Debut | 2012 24 Hours of Le Mans | ||||||||
| |||||||||
The DeltaWing is a racing car designed by Ben Bowlby debuted at the 2012 24 Hours of Le Mans. The entry will run under the Project 56 name, composed of Ben Bowlby's DeltaWing Racing Cars (design), Dan Gurney's All American Racers (constructor), Duncan Dayton's Highcroft Racing (racing team) and International Motor Sports Association owner Don Panoz (advisor). Nissan's NISMO division is also assisting in the development of the car.
History
The project began in January 2009, when Bowlby started to design a new IndyCar Series vehicle meant to be in the field starting in the 2012 season.[4]
With financial backing from Chip Ganassi, owner of major squad Chip Ganassi Racing, the prototype was unveiled in February 2010 at the Chicago Auto Show. Ganassi owns the car and its patents.[5] In July 2010, IndyCar chose a Dallara design instead.
Bowlby then worked with Don Panoz to present the idea to representatives from the Automobile Club de l'Ouest, organizers of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. They applied for and received an invitation to race in the 2012 Le Mans race.[4]
Despite skepticism over the project, the DeltaWing made its on-track debut on 1 March 2012, completing a shakedown at Buttonwillow Raceway Park.[6]
The DeltaWing is planned to compete at the 2012 Petit Le Mans. Panoz stated that he hoped that the car would be allowed under the LMP1 and LMP2 regulations of the American Le Mans Series in 2013, or that it would replace the Oreca FLM09 as the LMP Challenge spec car.[7]
Technical
The DeltaWing was designed to reduce aerodynamic drag dramatically, to allow a marginally faster straight and corner speed than a 2009-2011 Dallara IndyCar on both ovals and road/street courses with half as much weight, engine power and fuel consumption. As the name suggests, it has a delta wing shape, with an unusually narrow 0.6 metres (2 ft 0 in) front track and a more traditional 1.7 metres (5 ft 7 in) rear track. The car lacks any front or rear wings - downforce comes from the underbody. The engine will be a four-cylinder turbocharged direct injection 300 bhp unit provided by engineering firm RML Group [8] The model to run at La Sarthe will have a 40 litres (8.8 imp gal; 11 US gal) fuel tank, bespoke BBS 380 millimetres (15 in) wheels and Michelin tyres, a weight of 475 kilograms (1,047 lb), a power-to-weight ratio of 631 brake horsepower per ton, and a drag coefficient of 0.35.[9]
The braking system weighs 13.2 kilograms (29.2 lb), about half the normal weight for a race car. Also unique compared to other race cars is that 72.5 percent of the mass and 76 percent of the downforce is at the rear. It has a moveable Gurney flap, normally not allowed but can be used by experimental vehicles.[4]
The radical design of the DeltaWing is meant to attract leading technology companies back to motorsport to investigate new ideas to improve fuel efficiency, and thus to gain attention from the public into the sport.
2012 Le Mans
In June 2011 it was announced that the car would fill the 56th garage at the 2012 24 Hours of Le Mans, reserved for experimental vehicles. As with all Le Mans cars, the DeltaWing was be a two-seater. Marino Franchitti, Michael Krumm and Satoshi Motoyama drove the DeltaWing at Le Mans.[4] It qualified 29th with a time of 3:42.612, which was 18.825 behind the lead car.[10] The car was retired after 75 laps following an accident in which the DeltaWing ran into a concrete barrier at the Porsche Curves after being knocked off the circuit by Kazuki Nakajima's Toyota TS030 Hybrid.[11] The DeltaWing recorded a best race lap time of 3:45.737, rivaling some of the LMP2 teams.[12] Nakajima later apologized for the incident.
References
- ^ 2012 - Deltawing - 24 Hours of Le Mans (pamphlet), Michelin
{{citation}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ^ "DeltaWing Le Mans 24 Hour in 2012 Technical Features". DeltaWing Racing Cars. June 9, 2011. Archived from the original on October 2, 2011. Retrieved October 2, 2011.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Fuller, Michael J. (September 13, 2011). "9.13.11". Mulsanne's Corner. Archived from the original on October 6, 2011. Retrieved October 6, 2011.
- ^ a b c d Considine, Tim (2012). "The DeltaWing". Road & Track. 63 (11): 121–124. Retrieved 14 June 2012.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - ^ Vettraino, J.T. (September 17, 2012). "Inside His Mind". Autoweek. 62 (19): 70–75.
- ^ DeltaWing race car hits track for first test - Autoweek, March 2, 2012
- ^ Le Mans blog: Panoz responds to DeltaWing doubters, 'Why not?' - Autoweek, June 13, 2012
- ^ http://www.rmlmallock.co.uk/motorsport/prototype-sports-car
- ^ [1] Data as published on the Team website after 2012 Le Mans Race after the addition of rear view mirrors
- ^ "DeltaWing to start 29th in 24 Hours of Le Mans after qualifying". Autoweek. June 14, 2012. Retrieved June 16, 2012.
- ^ http://www.inautonews.com/24-hours-of-le-mans-nissan-deltawing-retires-after-crash
- ^ See Lotus-Lola B12/80 http://www.lemans.org/wpphpFichiers/1/1/ressources/Pdf/2012/24-heures-du-mans/classification/race/24-heures-du-mans-2012-classifcation-after-24h.pdf
- Inside The Delta Wing Project - Speed, Robin Miller, 10 February 2010
- Exploring the Delta Wing concept - The Way It Is, Gordon Kirby, 22 February 2010
- Franchitti and Panoz discuss the Nissan-Delta Wing - The Way It Is, Gordon Kirby, July 2, 2012
- Pruett, Marshall (August 2011). "Project 56". Racecar Engineering. 21 (8). Chelsea Magazine Company: 44–48.
External links
