Reining ALMS LMP1 Champion Takes Delivery Of New Sword For 2012 Season

Dyson Racing team inspects their new coupe upon its arrival. At the time of this posting, Dyson Racing has about 10 days to get the car ready for the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring fueled by Fresh from Florida (ctrl-click HERE to launch Dyson Racing video). Image Credit: Dyson Racing via Video

Reining ALMS LMP1 Champion Takes Delivery Of New Sword For 2012 Season

Dyson Racing takes delivery of its new Mazda-powered Lola B12/60 LMP1 Car.

The team took delivery of its intimidating Lola B12/60 coupe the team will use with Mazda power in defense of its ALMS P1 championship. Featuring revised aerodynamics and wider front tires, the car will be a powerful contender in defending their American Le Mans Series Championship.

The B12/60 LMP1 Coupe is a one-piece carbon composite monocoque and is “technology ready” for the latest regulations and homologated up to 2014. The body panels are of lightweight pre-preg carbon composite construction.

Suspension? ... CHECK! Dyson Racing has about 10 days to get the car ready for the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring fueled by Fresh from Florida (ctrl-click HERE to launch Dyson Racing video).Image Credit: Dyson Racing via Video

The suspension is double wishbone with pushrod/rocker-activated coil spring/adjustable dampers. The six-speed sequential gearbox is lightweight cast magnesium and features Lola fitted pneumatic/automated paddle-shift system.

Powering Dyson Racing’s Lola Coupes, Mazda’s MZR-R engine won the 2011 American Le Mans Series Engine Manufacturer’s Championship, adding to Advanced Engine Research’s title tally of four ALMS championships and four LMS championships.

The Lola gets offloaded from the transporter at the shop. Dyson Racing has about 10 days to get the car ready for the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring fueled by Fresh from Florida (ctrl-click HERE to launch Dyson Racing video).Image Credit: Dyson Racing via Video

Building on their successful partnership with Mazda, AER built an all-new version of the MZR-R race-winning engine for the 2010 season. Further refined and strengthened in 2011, the 2012 version has further advancements in virtually all areas. The 2.0 liter, four-cylinder in-line turbocharged engine was designed from a clean sheet of paper, and is designed to make in excess of 500 HP -- on a per cylinder basis, more than an F1 engine. It is all aluminum construction and mounted as a semi-stressed member of the chassis with A-frames.

Combining very low mass with a small physical footprint, the engine is the smallest, lightest and most compact in LMP racing today and there are no external belt drives or ancillaries. The camshafts, water pump and oil pump are internally driven by gears. The engine has barrel throttles for optimum engine response with the latest Life Racing electronics for optimum engine control and high efficiency.

Checking to see if the new body length airflow vane meets specifications. Dyson Racing has about 10 days to get the car ready for the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring fueled by Fresh from Florida (ctrl-click HERE to launch Dyson Racing video).Image Credit: Dyson Racing via Video

Even with the Mazda MZR-R engine being the smallest in the ALMS paddock, it won the 2011 championship over the twelve-cylinder Aston Martin. It also added the honor of winning the 2011 Michelin Green-X Challenge to its resume. 2011 was the 20th anniversary of Mazda’s victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. They remain the only Japanese manufacturer to have won the endurance classic and their “never stop challenging” spirit continues its winning ways as strong as ever.

Team manager Michael White, driver Chris Dyson, and Technical Director Peter Weston describe the features of the new car.

... notes from The EDJE