It might be the history’s weirdest race car or the world’s fastest tricycle, but whatever it is, the Nissan DeltaWing will race again, at the American Le Mans Series season finale Petit Le Mans on October 20.
The triangular DeltaWing, first introduced as a possible IndyCar and then transformed into a superlight, super-efficient endurance-racing sports car, drew howls of laughter when it was introduced. A successful six-hour stint at the 2012 Le Mans 24 silenced critics as the unorthodox auto lapped at speed comparable with the LMP2 prototypes which had nearly twice the power.
The unique racers’ day was cut short when a Toyota prototype sideswiped the DeltaWing, sending it into the wall. Driver Satoshi Motoyama labored for 90 minutes to fix the car, following instructions shouted to him by mechanics forced by the rules to stay behind a safety fence, before the team finally had to admit defeat and retire.
Fans loved the innovative new design, both when it was introduced in America before the Sebring 12-Hour race in March, and in Europe at Le Mans. The crowds at Circuit de la Sarthe were mightily disappointed when the DeltaWing had to admit defeat.
The DeltaWing had proven the soundness of its concept: it had run further, just as fast, using far less fuel and far fewer tires than its more conventional competition. But the car never got to really race; the team was driving conservatively through the early hours, and waiting for the end of the race to really push.
Now the DeltaWing will get its chance to really show what it can do at the ten-hour Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta. Driven by 2011 ALMS LMPC champ Gunnar Jeannette and Nissan GT Academy winner Lucas Ordonez, the car will once again compete against some of the fastest sports cars in the world.
Rumors had floated about, but the program was confirmed in an announcement at Nissan’s North American headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee Monday afternoon.
“Le Mans was a huge success for us—the car did everything we wanted it to do and more, proving that the pioneering technology we were testing in the world’s most public laboratory works and is a viable option for the future sustainability of motorsport,” said Darren Cox, General Manager, Nissan in Europe in a press statement
“The only thing that didn’t go our way was the way the race ended for us, which was entirely out of our control. Because we'd proven the technology worked, it was hard to be too disappointed, but we were blown away by the level of support and goodwill that came our way from the fans so now we feel we owe it to them to race again.”
Designer Ben Bowlby explained, “At Petit Le Mans, we will get the chance to show the U.S. fans just how cool this car is but also the chance to prove that it works on a much tighter, twistier road course, rather than the flat-out, 300kmh, Le Mans-style racetrack. It’s important for us to gain in lap experience, testing and driver feedback and really validate the whole concept.”
The DeltaWing was designed to prove that a racecar could go just as fast using half the fuel and tires. It was built by a consortium called Project 56, named after the last garage slot at Le Mans, reserved for experimental vehicles.
Project 56 included racing team owner Chip Ganassi, ALMS founder Dr. Don Panoz, Michelin, who made the unique tires, racing legend Dan Gurney’s All-American Racing factory, and Duncan Dayton’s Highcroft Racing.
Nissan stepped in as the engine supplier in March 2012, supplying a purpose-built turbocharged 1.6-liter inline-four motor, and the new car was turning laps around Sebring raceway before the end of the month.
The Petit Le Mans appearance won’t be a one-and-done for the DeltaWing. Dr. Don Panoz stated that the DeltaWing will be welcome ion the ALMS in 2013 and possibly in the new, merged ALMS/Grand Am series starting in 2014.
“Petit Le Mans has built up a reputation as one of the largest sportscar races in the world. Every section of the Nissan organization has supported this car and I think the fans will love getting to see what Racer magazine called a ‘gamechanger’.
“The DeltaWing can race in the 2013 American Le Mans Series and it is part of the merger agreement for ALMS and GRAND-AM. Safety and performance standards have to be achieved, but it needs to be reviewed. For 2014, the new series would incorporate Daytona prototypes, Le Mans prototypes, and maybe even a DeltaWing.”
While plans for 2014 might still be up in the air, plans for Petit Le Mans are final. The DeltaWing will once again show the world that there is a different, more resource-efficient way to race.
The American Le Mans Series Petit Le Mans race starts at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 20. Tickets and travel packages are available through the Road Atlanta website.
