>>Martin Shorts Rollcentre Team is continuing their development cycle hinted at in November of last year.  Say Short, "Our new splitter (at left, back in November) was tested by Pescarolo at the Bretagny airstrip.  It produced, with an increase in rear wing, a significant increase in downforce, with good balance, with a minor reduction on top speed."  The definitive splitter hasn't been hit upon yet and the work is being done in conjunction with Pescarolo.  Pescarolo's front splitter was also tested at Bretagny and ultimately Short feels that's the direction that they will head in, "Pescarolo's own splitter in high downforce config produced similar figures, with no porpoising, and they made a great result in Le Mans trim, with a good increase in downforce and no extra drag."  Martin indicates the Rollcentre version has evolved from the what we see in the photo, "It produced certain cooling advantages.  And I thought it was pretty! But (it is) not necessarily how we will run the car."  At the Paul Ricard test both versions (Rollcentre and Pescarolo) will be tested back to back and the final version decided. 

>>In 2008 UK based Embassy Racing will be fielding a LMP2 of their own design and construction in the Le Mans Series.  The announcement was made many months ago and the car's construction is well along.  Peter Elleray is responsible for the car's design.  The RUAG wind tunnel in Emmen Switzerland was utilized, the same facility Elleray used for the Bentley LMGTP.  The engine is the 3.4 liter Zytek V8, the gearbox is Ricardo.  RTN is manufacturing the primary composites (and built and supported the wind tunnel model).  Alastair Macqueen is the the group's Technical Director.  So that's Elleray, Macqueen, RTN, Emmen...seems another very successful project utilized that combination too. 

Embassy is eventually aiming at bigger and better things and the project goes well beyond the design and manufacture of a LMP2 car.  This project just happens to be the spring board.  Ultimately the idea is to set themselves up as an engineering company along the lines of Prodrive.  The LMP2 project allows them to control their own destiny (vs. being another customer to someone else) as well as launches their greater ambitions. 

Program updates for 2008:

>>Creation
The AIM V10 got its first track test at Magny Cours just before Christmas.  Says Ian Bickerton, "[It] sounds very different to the Judd S2 V10 engine."  Testing will continue starting at Estoril in early February (9-11) and culminating in a 24 hour test at Paul Ricard.

The CA07 is on the 7-poster shaker rig next week.  Further suspension and differential development is also planned.

Work is continuing on the direct injection system and the decision will be made as to whether or not to introduce the development on both the P32 and MZR-R this year. 

There is a new version of the MZR-R for this year and it will be used by BK Motorsports in addition to a number of as yet unnamed European Le Mans Endurance Series teams.  The P07 will continue to see use alongside the MZR-R though the eventual goal is for the MZR-R to supplant the P07.

The first engine will be out the door next week (Saulnier Racing) with Sebah's (Speedy) going directly to Lola for fitment (into Lola's LMP2 coupe) by the middle of this month (February). 

Stan Hall ends on this note, "So far the engine has gone very well, so we're very hopeful for the season!"

>>Acura was out testing their updated ARX-01b spec LMP2 last week at Sebring (Jan 14-15).  Many thanks to Martin Spetz for the use of these images.

>>Big news out of the last week's Autosport show is the release of the first image of the Lola B08/60 LMP1 coupe coupled with news that Team Charouz will be fielding an Aston Martin powered version this season. 

But let's back track for a moment to catch up on multiple birds and one stone, last month the ACO released the 2008 LMP regulations.  For the most part changes were relatively minor but for one exception, the ACO added a "homologated engine" note to the LMP1 engine column.   Previously there was nothing stopping someone from racing a GT1 engine in the back of an LMP1 chassis (Lister Corvette engine for example), but the regulations didn't encourage it given the draw back of the higher weight and design constraints of a GT based engine vs. the unlimited nature of bespoke racing power plants from Judd, AER, etc.  But that has now changed and engines homologated for GT1 (production of 1000 units a year) are now recognized within the LMP1 engine regulations and given larger inlet restrictor for comparable engine capacity.  For comparison, a 6.0 liter, multi valve bespoke LMP1 engine is allowed a 45.5 mm restrictor where as a GT1 homologated engine can used a 47.2 mm restrictor (46.6 mm base + .6 mm for over 12 cylinders).  So that will mean more power from the GT1 engine in LMP application to make up for its deficiencies.  Le Mans is a power circuit and such that faced with the prospects of having to lug around less ballast because of greater engine weight, you'd always take that hit if it meant 30 more horsepower. 

Team Charouz will be using the 6.0 liter V12 out of the Aston Martin DBR9 GT1 in their Lola B08/60 this season. 

1.13 - Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS): The ACO is currently studying specific rules for LMP1 which will be equipped with a kinetic energy recovery system. This regulation will meet the balance of performance between LMP1.

IMSA announced under Bulletin 08-01 that they will keep LMP1 at 925 kgs and move LMP2 to 800 kgs.

(2) Semi stressed engine complying with the “LM” GT2 technical rules and used in a production car built in a quantity of at
least 1000 units per year.  Change being that last year stressed engines of any kind (semi or full) were not eligible

(3) Engine using head cylinders, valves, pistons, connecting rods of a production engine. This engine must be used in a
production car built in a quantity of at least 10 000 units per year. These pieces must not be modified. Two stage
charging devices and air/air and/or air/water heat exchangers are permitted.

(up to) 4400 cc diesel engines allowed in LMP2

LMP2 :
• 80 litres maximum on board  from 90 liters

16.1 - Rollover structures :

e.4 – For all the chassis homologated after July 1st, 2007, the main rollover structures and the secondary rollover structures must not obscure sight of any part of the engine (engine block and head cylinders), viewed from directly above the car.

Would seem to dissallow engines recessed into the rear bulkhead of the monocoque.

The ACO is considering a reduction in performances in LM P1 and LM P2 for safety reasons, given the fact that the 3m 30s barrier was
breached in the 2007 race. Discussions with the entrants will begin in 2008 to introduce such measures in 2009 or 2010. The modifications to be made will apply mainly to the bodywork, the wings and the air restrictors, so that the LM P1 cars’ times will not
dip under 3m 30s over a lap of the Le Mans circuit.

Inlet restrictors for gasoline powered engines (turbo and normally aspirated) have all been increased in diameter, see various tables
GT1 homologated LMP engines inlet restrictor table added
Diesel LMP2 engine inlet restrictor table added

Text addition:
If the frontal absorbing structure needs to be approved for both LMP1 and LMP2 categories, it is permissible to conduct a single crash test in accordance with the LMP1 test conditions (article 2.2.1b), during which the requirements must be satisfied and, additionally, to demonstrate by data processing (article 2.2.1c) that the requirements are also satisfied in accordance with the LMP2 test conditions.

Text addition:
c) Data processing procedure for the estimation of the frontal absorbing structure from the data of a preliminary impact
test : Many additional details follow