In episode 5 of the Parc Ferme Podcast, I’ll be talking about cars with two guests.
First up will be Ben Bowlby from the DeltaWing project. Following an unsuccessful to become the 2012 IndyCar, the DeltaWing has been invited to race in next years Le Mans 24 Hour Race, under the header “Project 56”.
The Project 56 group includes Dan Gurney’s All American Racers, Dr. Don Panoz and Highcroft Racing and will see the two-seater DeltaWing focusing its performance achieving ultra energy efficiency during the famed 24-hour endurance race.
With this entry, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) is creating an opportunity for an innovative and experimental vehicle to participate “outside the classifications” in this famous event.
Also in the show will be Dallara’s Jos Claes to talk about the new-for-2012 Dallara Formula 3 chassis, the F312.
With updated technical regulations from the FIA, Dallara’s development program resulted in quite a different and entirely new car.
Upgrades include increased side-protection for the monocoque, as well as heightened cockpit sides to help protect the drivers head, taking the new generation of Formula 3 cars to a new level of safety.
The F312 is due to début in the British Formula 3 series next year, with several entries from the Formula 3 Euroseries also potentially running the chassis.
Finally, the show will also have a (very) brief overview of some of the junior formulae from UK, Europe and the US.
- Episode 4 — with Bart Hylkema (British Formula 3)
- Episode 3 — with Alexander Rossi (World Series by Renault) and John Hindhaugh (Radio Le Mans)
- Episode 2 — with Pippa Mann (IZOD IndyCar Series)
- Episode 1 — with Harry Tincknell (British Formula 3)
DeltaWing Le Mans simulation lap
Great pair of interviews, always good to hear from engineers.
I’m looking forward to how the DeltaWing performs at Le Mans, I think it is a great place to prove the concept. I hope it is reliable enough to last most of the race if not all of it.
And interesting that the new F3 regs restrict a lot of the extra little aero tweaks, that’s good news as cars at that level shouldn’t be TOO advanced. I love this quote: “We like competition. We /do not/ like to lose races.”