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Le Mans / ALMS
ALMS: Nissan DeltaWing Returns For Petit Le Mans
Lucas Ordonez, Gunnar Jeannette to pilot revolutionary race car in 1,000-mile/10-hour American/European Le Mans Series finale...
The Nissan-powered DeltaWing will make its U.S. racing debut in next month's Petit Le Mans. (Photo: Nissan DeltaWing)
After an impressive debut that was cut short early at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Nissan DeltaWing will have another stab at a world-class endurance race a bit closer to home.
Officials from Nissan, Highcroft Racing and DeltaWing confirmed Monday that the innovative prototype will compete in next month’s Petit Le Mans as an unclassified entry in the combined American Le Mans Series and European Le Mans Series season finales.
Led by Nissan Americas Vice-Chairman Bill Krueger, the announcement took place at Nissan's North American headquarters in Nashville, Tenn.
"Le Mans was a huge success for us - the car did everything we wanted it to do and more, proving that the pioneering technology we were testing in the world's most public laboratory works and is a viable option for the future sustainability of motorsport,” said Darren Cox, General Manager, Nissan in Europe.
"The only thing that didn't go our way was the way the race ended for us, which was entirely out of our control. Because we'd proven the technology worked, it was hard to be too disappointed, but we were blown away by the level of support and goodwill that came our way from the fans so now we feel we owe it to them to race again.”
With Marino Franchitti, Michael Krumm and Satoshi Motoyama, drivers for the Highcroft-entered machine at Le Mans all having prior commitments during the Oct. 17-20 weekend, inaugural Nissan GT Academy winner Lucas Ordonez and 2011 ALMS PC co-champion Gunnar Jeannette have been tabbed with driving duties for Petit Le Mans.
A third driver is not expected for the 1,000-mile/10-hour Road Atlanta enduro.
Ordonez, who tested the car on two previous occasions prior to Le Mans, had been scheduled to drive in Greaves Motorsport’s LMP2-class Zytek Z11SN-Nissan, which will be fighting for the ELMS championship.
"I'm very proud that Lucas will get his chance in the car,” Cox said. “The GT Academy is a major innovation in motorsport that is making the elitist sport of motor racing genuinely accessible to everyone, including those who do not have access to big budgets and sponsorship. Lucas is living proof that the innovation works.
"We're thrilled to welcome Gunnar to the Nissan DeltaWing team. He is a former American Le Mans Series champion and knows Road Atlanta like the back of his hand so he is the perfect addition to the squad."
The Nissan DeltaWing showed encouraging pace at Le Mans but was forced to retire in the sixth hour after Motoyama slammed into the barriers after being hit by a LMP1 class Toyota.
Four months later, the team, comprised of the same key partners at Le Mans, including Don Panoz, Ben Bowlby, Chip Ganassi, Michelin and Duncan Dayton’s Highcroft Racing organization, will be aiming for a solid finish in the car’s first race outing on U.S. soil.
"At Petit Le Mans, we will get the chance to show the U.S. fans just how cool this car is but also the chance to prove that it works on a much tighter, twistier road course, rather than the flat-out, 300 kph, Le Mans-style racetrack,” said DeltaWing creator Ben Bowlby.
“It's important for us to gain in lap experience, testing and driver feedback and really validate the whole concept."
That experience could be quite useful down the road, as Panoz indicated the DeltaWing could race in the ALMS next year, pending safety and performance standards being met.
A provision has also been made for the DeltaWing to be part of the newly unified U.S. sports car series in 2014, in what Panoz believes could race alongside Daytona Prototypes and Le Mans prototypes.
PHOTOS: Click Here or on the image below to view LE MANS: DeltaWing At Le Mans 2012
John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at
Officials from Nissan, Highcroft Racing and DeltaWing confirmed Monday that the innovative prototype will compete in next month’s Petit Le Mans as an unclassified entry in the combined American Le Mans Series and European Le Mans Series season finales.
Led by Nissan Americas Vice-Chairman Bill Krueger, the announcement took place at Nissan's North American headquarters in Nashville, Tenn.
"Le Mans was a huge success for us - the car did everything we wanted it to do and more, proving that the pioneering technology we were testing in the world's most public laboratory works and is a viable option for the future sustainability of motorsport,” said Darren Cox, General Manager, Nissan in Europe.
"The only thing that didn't go our way was the way the race ended for us, which was entirely out of our control. Because we'd proven the technology worked, it was hard to be too disappointed, but we were blown away by the level of support and goodwill that came our way from the fans so now we feel we owe it to them to race again.”
With Marino Franchitti, Michael Krumm and Satoshi Motoyama, drivers for the Highcroft-entered machine at Le Mans all having prior commitments during the Oct. 17-20 weekend, inaugural Nissan GT Academy winner Lucas Ordonez and 2011 ALMS PC co-champion Gunnar Jeannette have been tabbed with driving duties for Petit Le Mans.
A third driver is not expected for the 1,000-mile/10-hour Road Atlanta enduro.
Ordonez, who tested the car on two previous occasions prior to Le Mans, had been scheduled to drive in Greaves Motorsport’s LMP2-class Zytek Z11SN-Nissan, which will be fighting for the ELMS championship.
"I'm very proud that Lucas will get his chance in the car,” Cox said. “The GT Academy is a major innovation in motorsport that is making the elitist sport of motor racing genuinely accessible to everyone, including those who do not have access to big budgets and sponsorship. Lucas is living proof that the innovation works.
"We're thrilled to welcome Gunnar to the Nissan DeltaWing team. He is a former American Le Mans Series champion and knows Road Atlanta like the back of his hand so he is the perfect addition to the squad."
The Nissan DeltaWing showed encouraging pace at Le Mans but was forced to retire in the sixth hour after Motoyama slammed into the barriers after being hit by a LMP1 class Toyota.
Four months later, the team, comprised of the same key partners at Le Mans, including Don Panoz, Ben Bowlby, Chip Ganassi, Michelin and Duncan Dayton’s Highcroft Racing organization, will be aiming for a solid finish in the car’s first race outing on U.S. soil.
"At Petit Le Mans, we will get the chance to show the U.S. fans just how cool this car is but also the chance to prove that it works on a much tighter, twistier road course, rather than the flat-out, 300 kph, Le Mans-style racetrack,” said DeltaWing creator Ben Bowlby.
“It's important for us to gain in lap experience, testing and driver feedback and really validate the whole concept."
That experience could be quite useful down the road, as Panoz indicated the DeltaWing could race in the ALMS next year, pending safety and performance standards being met.
A provision has also been made for the DeltaWing to be part of the newly unified U.S. sports car series in 2014, in what Panoz believes could race alongside Daytona Prototypes and Le Mans prototypes.
PHOTOS: Click Here or on the image below to view LE MANS: DeltaWing At Le Mans 2012
John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at
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