Revised DeltaWing completes debut test before Sebring 12 Hours
The new version of the experimental DeltaWing has successfully completed a shakedown test ahead of its debut in next weekend's Sebring 12 Hours
The revised car, which is powered by a Mazda-based engine developed by Elan Motorsports Technologies, completed its first laps at Road Atlanta on Wednesday and Thursday in the hands of Johnny O'Connell and Andy Meyrick.
Dave Price, team manager of Don Panoz's DeltaWing Racing Cars squad, said: "Johnny went first because he had driven the car before [in testing last October] and then Andy had a go. Everything was fine, except a few of the new-car issues that you would expect.
"It was really a systems check and about tuning the engine out the track, because it had only previously run on the dyno."
Price said there were no issues with the new tyres from Bridgestone, which have replaced the Michelins on which the Nissan-powered version of the car ran last year.
Price suggested that a race finish at Sebring, when Olivier Pla will join Meyrick in the DeltaWing, was a realistic target.
"We want to run reliably, finish the race and show a bit of performance," he said. "We have set no targets beyond that; we know we ain't going to win it.
"I think a finish is realistic: we know the car and the gearbox are the same that finished Petit Le Mans last year [the car's second outing after the Le Mans 24 Hours]; and the engine has done quite a lot of running on the test bench."
Panoz, the managing partner in the Project 56 group that brought Ben Bowlby's DeltaWing design to the race track, has now assumed full control of the programme following the withdrawal of primary backer Nissan.
The plan is for the car and its successor, built around a bespoke monocoque rather than the current Aston Martin tub, to contest eight of the 10 ALMS races this season.
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| Series | WEC |
| Author | Gary Watkins |
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