Download apps

Download the Professional Motorsport World App NOW to read the latest issue! The App is free and gives you access to a library of back issues.

INSIDE TRACK: The outgoing boss of Porsche Motorsport and his replacement provide insight about the importance of racing to
the company

TEAM DREAM : After a season that fell short of expectations, Mazda Team Joest has shaken things up for 2019. Now Mazda Motorsports director John Doonan and new team CEO Jan Lange must deliver results

SUDDEN IMPACT : The British Touring Car Championship is proving an ideal arena in which to develop an effective diagnosis of concussion – a growing safety issue in motorsport

POWER SURGE: Formula E’s prescriptive approach has seen new entrants to the championship, such as BMW, focus on powertrain development

Note to iPad and iPhone readers: to view this digital edition with the latest interactive features, please ensure you have upgraded your tablet or iPhone to at least the iOS 5 Operating System.

Note to Android tablet and Android phone readers: to view this digital edition with the latest interactive features, please ensure you have upgraded your tablet or Android phone to at least the Version 4.0 Operating System.

The post In this Issue – April 2019 appeared first on Professional Motorsport World.

Oreca has announced that it is to partner with Rebellion Racing once again, for the 2018-19 FIA WEC ‘Super Season’, in a deal that will see the French manufacturer create a bespoke LMP1-spec chassis for the Swiss team.

The two companies have previously partnered on previous LMP 1 chassis, and last year Rebellion used the dominant Oreca 07 chassis in the LMP 2 class. Full technical details of the Rebellion R13 are yet unannounced, but the French manufacturer from Le Var has highlighted that it has already been working on the project for ‘several months’. The Super Season will see the fifth year of collaboration between the two entities.

The R13 is scheduled to be unveiled at the 2018 Geneva Motorshow next month, with race spec finalised just in time for the WEC’s prologue. It is expected to use Gibson Technologies recently announced LMP1-specification engine.

“To design this new LMP1 prototype is a wonderful challenge,” said Oreca CEO Hugues de Chaunac.“When the design bureau began developing the Oreca 07, we really wanted to move up to the next level, one step higher compared to the Oreca 05. The success achieved last year really motivated and convinced us to now tackle this highly competitive main category. Fitted with an atmospheric engine, this LMP1 will face a hard task against the Hybrid cars. But the Rebellion R13 will be a very determined challenger.”

Despite de Chaunac’s concerns over the fight with hybrid cars, the ACO has announced that non-hybrid LMP1 cars will be given an additional fuel allowance of almost 20kg per stint as well as 100mj extra deployable energy per lap in comparison to the Toyota TS050’s.

The post Oreca confirms Rebellion partnership, ahead of LMP1 return appeared first on Professional Motorsport World.

The post FIM and Dorna Sports introduce all-electric MotoE series appeared first on Professional Motorsport World.

Racing in America developed in different ways across the country, from early purpose-built tracks in the Midwest, the hard sands of East Coast beaches, and the dry lakebeds of California.

There is another, unique racing venue on the vast expanse of salt, east of the town of Wendover, Utah: the Bonneville Salt Flats. For more than 100 years, Bonneville has created a competitive spirit that has attracted racers from the likes of Mickey Thompson, Bobby Issac (of NASCAR fame), and Valerie Thompson (the fastest female motorcycle racer), and has challenged racers to test the limits of speed.

This is an equal opportunity environment – you don’t need a giant budget or thousands of horsepower to challenge the Salt.  Engine classes run from 30 cubic Inches (490cc) to 501 cubic Inches (8 liters), in 12 different engine size classes. Some speed records are still less than 100mph, so with creativity, smart use of budget, and a lot of courage, anyone has a shot at the record books.

Burton Brown of Victory Motorsports heads a small team from Dale, Wisconsin, that has worked to set records in speed with their Streamliner.  His crew is a combination of skilled craftsmen and weekend warriors that dedicate their time to a form of racing that requires a strong team approach. 

The progress of NACA duct integration for Land Speed attempt

“Getting into the 200MPH club was always a general goal.  My dad and I always talked about someday getting a ‘red hat’. I promised him I’d get him one someday, so that had always been something I intended to do. We knew from the start our Streamliner would be capable of running 300mph, so we had a few goals during Speed Week 2017 we hoped to accomplish. The first one was to break the long-standing F/DS record @199.015mph from 1979.  Additionally, we hoped to not only break the record, but go 250+MPH and obtain an AA License, which would have allowed us to take a shot of going 300mph (you need different licenses to go higher speeds),” explains Burton. “We named this venture ‘The Junkyard 300’ as the engine we were using came directly out of the salvage yard in January without disassembly.  We then fabricated a header, added the Borg Warner S300Turbo and an OM606 Fuel injection pump by Dieselmeken AB Sweden as the only major changes. We don’t have the budget that some of the teams have, so there are many parts on the car that we obtained very cheaply (some were laying around in the shop, on E-bay, Racing Junk, and we even found a few at rummage sales). Long time Bonneville racer Jack Costella once said, ‘Go as fast as you can for the least amount of money.’ We try to cut costs where we can, so we can use the money we save for the trip back and forth from the Salt. That is part of the fun for me.”

The new Windform SP intake duct

Another key component for Victory Motorsports’ attempt to meet their goals would be a new intake duct designed by David Woodruff from Design Dreams LLC for the Streamliner.  Early in 2016, Burton had CRP USA produce velocity stacks for his other record-setter, his 240Z, which currently holds records in the F/GT classes.

The new engine for the 240Z (E-GT) was not going to be ready, so the team began concentrating all efforts on the Streamliner.  With less than a week to go before the deadline to load the car onto the trailer for the 1,600-mile, 32-hour drive, the team realized that the complex design produced by David Woodruff was not going to be complete through use of a standard mold, and the combination of high frequency vibration, intense sun, and high temperature started narrowing the options.

Burton was running out of time.

“Stewart Davis from CRP USA had called to check on the progress of the Z engine and I had to tell him we wouldn’t make it with the 240Z and that we had switched our complete focus towards the Streamliner,” Burton states. “I explained we were struggling with the duct and asked if Stewart and his team could help us with that challenge.  So, we talked more about the possibility of CRP making the ‘Naca-Scoop’. Without hesitation, Stewart asked for the model and CRP USA produced an absolutely perfect piece.”

The part – at nearly 28 inches long, with a complex interior design – would be an interesting challenge.  Being familiar with NACA ducts, the CRP USA team knew the work involved to make the surfaces smooth, required for optimum flow.

“The design has some extra complexity to help the air flow at the base of the Turbo inlet, and it looked a bit daunting,” explains Stewart Davis, who reviewed the part. “We had to build it in 3 sections, but our finishing team was able to apply their knowledge and skill to give an expert polish.”

CRP USA received the final model on July 26th. When completed, the part was sent to Victory Motorsports, and arrived on August 1st.

Upon arrival, the fitment was confirmed in the engine bay, and all appeared to be going smoothly; however, a complication arose when the newly painted fairing arrived.  The scan data used by David Woodruff had been developed using the exterior surface of the fairing, and there was a miscommunication with the designer.

“The fit to the engine was great but the curvature to the body from the scans must have been off a little and this created some challenges getting it to fit to the body.” With the clock ticking, the team loaded everything into the truck, and headed for Utah.

“Burton had invited me to come and see the Streamliner.  When I arrived on Friday morning, we reviewed the fitment issues,” Stewart continues. “Attempting to force the part was not working. CRP’s Windform SP is a very tough material, so the decision was to fracture a section of the part to allow a little give, so it would match the curve of the fairing, and then reinforce it by riveting an aluminum backing plate.”  Utilizing the onsite tools, the team worked Saturday and Sunday to prepare – both for the first runs, and to modify and refit the NACA duct.

On Sunday, the Streamliner passed tech, and the team prepared for a Monday morning run.  The opening speed week passes on Saturday had yielded two runs above 400 mph, so Burton knew that the potential for breaking the record in their class was a possibility.  Conditions were good Sunday, but the track had started to get rough in some areas. Burton elaborates that the track was a lot rougher than ever experienced at Bonneville.

“The Mining has taken its toll on the surface,” states Burton. “The first pass, I drove through lots of rough stuff and found about the 3.5-mile mark that the track got smoother.  The Streamliner withstood some damage to the fiberglass due to the roughness of the salt/silt surface and with how rough parts of the track were, we ended up doing a little salt plowing.  Our exit speed at mile 6 was 234 MPH.“

The radio announced that the team had qualified for the record, and the car was placed in impound where they have up to four hours to inspect the car for safety for the follow-up run.  The team was back at work; cleaning, tuning, and examining for any damage.  To gain the record, each team must complete two runs, with the average used to calculate the new record.  The backup run to establish the two-pass average was to be Tuesday morning – record 2nd runs always start at 7am, prior to any other cars making passes.

On Tuesday morning, the team celebrated the radio announcer’s call of a new class record.  The track was on a new course that had been moved approximately 150 feet to the south, as the end of the day Monday exposed some damage to the existing course.  With the engine making plenty of power, it was the rough surface making it a challenge to get the power to the Salt. “I was pretty sure we got the record but needed verification from the crew.  With the traction issues and exit speed of 234 MPH, we know there is a lot more in this car and setup, “Burton and the team feel 300mph continues to be a possibility, if the track conditions were improved.

“The Windform SP part performed extremely well, and held up to all of the abuse, even being heavily modified while on the salt flats, with limited tools and time,” added Burton. “I am still completely amazed at the strength of the Windform SP.  It gave us no issues withstanding the speed and the rough track and vibrations. It is a very light, strong material that can also take the extreme heat generated in the very tightly-fitted body. A few years ago, I wouldn’t have dreamed of having something like this on the Streamliner.”

Stewart Davis stated, “It was great to be a part of the team’s record-setting run, and we congratulate Burton and his team on the record.  Now we are all looking forward to seeing more with both the Streamliner and 240Z when the new engine is completed.  We are fortunate to work with teams that are dedicated to their sport, and the Victory Motorsports Team is a great example of the hard work and determination it takes to be successful.”

The post CRP USA explains how its Windform SP helped break a record at Bonneville appeared first on Professional Motorsport World.

Heat management specialist Zircotec Group has created an R&D facility to accelerate the development of new thermal coatings, heat shields and manufacturing processes. Under the leadership of Dr Paul Prince, a chemist with a background in nanotechnology, the facility will provide a wealth of data on the high temperature performance of thermal barrier coatings.

“Unlike academic research, our activities will provide an immediate commercial benefit for our customers by enabling us to select the optimum solutions for their individual applications more quickly,” explained Dr Prince. “We can compress the timescale for each new application by using a comprehensive database on material performance to guide the initial selection, reducing the number of design iterations needed to reach the optimum result. The facility will also enable us to develop new solutions and advance our manufacturing processes.”

The test rig uses a controlled heat source to evaluate coatings and heat shields at gas temperatures up to 900°C but can also generate useful data at much lower temperatures. Two engineers are already working with the rig on projects that will result in new products and cost-effective processes to manufacture them.

The coatings and processes developed will be applicable to heat shields, surrounding components and directly onto the heat source itself, reflecting the span of applications addressed by Zircotec’s products.

“For some applications we recommend one of our high-performance, ultra-thin heat shield materials, whether structural or flexible; for others we offer direct coating of the exhaust,” said Prince. “We regularly coat carbon composite and plastic materials; our plasma application process gives such good adherence that the coating can tolerate the flexing associated with these parts.”

Zircotec’s investment is driven by growing demand from the automotive industry for solutions to manage today’s higher exhaust line temperatures.

“Pressures to reduce emissions and improve engine efficiency are leading to powertrain strategies that continually increase exhaust temperatures,” added Prince. “For example, the use of alternative fuels, such as natural gas in place of petrol or diesel, can raise the exhaust temperature by 200°C. Accommodating such a large increase within a packaging space that is often highly constrained requires advanced thermal barrier technology.”

The test facility is part of a greater expansion taking place at Zircotec, with recruitment underway for new engineering vacancies and more likely to follow later in the year. In addition to the high temperature rig, Zircotec is investing in thermal imaging equipment that will provide a more comprehensive insight into temperature distributions than can be achieved through conventional instrumentation. The facility will also be developing processes within the business that will allow continuous improvement and greater automation, significantly increasing the company’s capabilities.

The post Zircotec announces new R&D facility for thermal coatings appeared first on Professional Motorsport World.

Sweeping regulation changes in NASCAR will see major changes in pit row, with teams now permitted to use five crew members to service a car mid-race.

Stewart-Haas Racing’s pit crew coach Walter Smith tells us what to expect when his teams go over the wall at Daytona for their first five-man pit stop in 2018.

The post Video: NASCAR’s five-man pitstops appeared first on Professional Motorsport World.

Sentronics is celebrating a successful start to the 2018 season, following the implementation of its FlowSonic fuel flow sensor to the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship. 

The recent Rolex 24 at Daytona, the season opener and flagship event of the 2018 IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship, saw the FlowSonic fuel flow sensor adopted by IMSA to ‘enhance its performance data monitoring and balance of performance process’. As a result, the sensor was run by every class in the 56th edition of America’s endurance classic.

“The addition of the Sentronics fuel flow sensors has given IMSA a much better understanding of the actual fuel used by all our competitors in all our classes,” said Geoff Carter, IMSA senior director, Technical Regulations and Compliance. “The sensor data will prove beneficial in developing our balance of performance in the future.”

Sentronics managing director Neville Meech added, “We are pleased to be working alongside IMSA with our advanced sensor technology. The feedback we’ve had from the Rolex 24 indicates the FlowSonic is already generating very useful data for both IMSA and the teams. All credit to IMSA for their vision in bringing fuel flow measurement to bear on the challenge of fairer, simpler, and more cost-effective performance balancing.”

The post Sentronics celebrates successful opener to 2018 season appeared first on Professional Motorsport World.

Following a landmark decision for road-based motorsport competition in the UK, the Welsh government has written new laws facilitating closed-road events, that have already come in to force.

The MSA spent several years campaigning for a change in the law to allow local authorities to suspend the Road Traffic Act for authorised motor sport events, without requiring individual Acts of Parliament. New enabling legislation commenced in England on 10 April 2017.

Following a further consultation, the Welsh Government has now published its own statutory instrument facilitating closed-road motor sport in Wales. As in England, it names the MSA and its sister governing body for two-wheel UK motor sport, the Auto-Cycle Union (ACU), as the authorising bodies for closed-road motor sport events.

“Wales is home to a dynamic automotive sector with an annual turnover of some £3bn (US$4.1bn) and this is an excellent opportunity to inspire people to become a part of automotive and engineering industries in the future,” said Ken Skates, cabinet secretary for Economy and Transport. “I also recognize how such events can boost local, often rural, economies through increased tourism and hospitality, and offer community opportunities such as volunteering.”

“It’s no understatement to say that this development will literally change the landscape of Welsh motor sport, providing opportunities to take the sport to new areas of the country on closed public roads,” added Rob Jones, MSA chief executive. “Wales is already recognised globally for its motor sport heritage and this development will add significantly to the country’s pre-eminence in the sport.”

“We believe that Wales has a lot of roads that would lend themselves to this new closed-roads legalisation,” concluded Paul Loveridge, chairman of the Welsh Association of Motor Clubs (WAMC). “It creates the opportunity for Welsh motor sport to really flourish and we look forward to exploring ideas for new events and initiatives over the coming the months and years.”

The post Wales gives green light to closed-road motor sport appeared first on Professional Motorsport World.

The FIA’s WRC breaks down the multiple compound choices facing drivers in the 2018 Championship and how the various options affects on-stage performance

The post WRC 2018: Tech Special Winter Tires appeared first on Professional Motorsport World.

Ahead of its public debut at the 2018 Geneva Motorsport, the FIA’s Formula E championship has released a video of its all-new Gen2 competition car.

Set to debut in season five of the all-electric championship, the car will mark a step change in the championship; ushering in more performance and driving range. Drivers will now no longer be required to change cars half way through races, whilst the increase in battery power is set to dramatically increase the car’s straight line speeds.

The biggest changes, however, are visual with the car blending the lines between Formula and closed-wheel competition cars further than anything before.

The post Gen2 FIA Formula E car unveiled appeared first on Professional Motorsport World.