Technology futuristic: Ford has no interest in LMP1 – Motorsport-Total.com

11th February 2016 – 19:33

Ford will not use the GTE class as a springboard for an LMP1 project

© xpbimages.com

(Motorsport-Total.com) – have with this designed for maximum energy efficiency regulations ACO and FIA the interest of many manufacturers pulled up, but not that of Ford: Dave Pericak, the head of the US manufacturer of motor sport program, clarifies that LMP1 for the American group is not a perspective. Ford takes 2016 to mark the 50th anniversary of the first Le Mans victory of the Ford GT40 factory at the GTE class in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) and the IMSA SportsCar Championship part.

“ Many of the technologies (from the LMP1 cars;… editor’s note) are really cool, but they are still miles away from becoming mainstream technologies “, says the US americans in an interview with ‘Sportscar365′. “It’s amazing what you can do with this technology, but it is about the return on investment.” So it makes no sense to him to invest in hybrid technology, which will find their way only after years in the series.

Instead, Ford focused on the perfection of conventional technology. Thus the V6 turbo engine with 3.5 liters capacity in a Ford GT downsizing product, but its acceptance among the pampered of V8 engines from the GT40 and the first generation of GT fans must first fight yet. “We told ourselves that we develop the engine only in a prototype and thereby develop for the GT program – that has sense” – so Pericak further. The engine has already been used in 2014 in Daytona Prototype in the IMSA Championship SportsCar.

Another IMSA commitment by Ford under the DP i rules is quite conceivable. In the LMP1 one is not going to go. Pericak reasons:.. “If we had unlimited resources, it would be nice to go out and test some technologies that because flying about at the moment so, but we will not do You can spend money on a technology that may never in a production car lands, or only after a very long time, or you can make it so like us:.. investing in an area of ​​the car ends up in a shorter period such as fuel efficiency, lightweight construction and aerodynamics “

The Ford GT program is designed currently to two years. This includes two cars in the IMSA Championship SportsCar and the WEC. At the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2016, the Ganassi team occurs even with four cars in the GTE Pro at

.