Michelin reports that it has developed a tire design that “pushes the performance envelope” and matches the innovative DeltaWing strategy to reduce by half the weight, power, aerodynamic drag and fuel and tire usage of a Le Mans prototype race car while delivering the same speed and performance.
Tire sizes for the DeltaWing project are 10/58-15 in the front and 31/62-15 at the rear.
“The DeltaWing presents exciting new territory for Michelin to explore,” says Nick Shorrock, the tire maker’s director of competition. “Reducing energy consumption and materials – while maintaining, or even enhancing performance – is especially relevant in meeting the needs of consumers worldwide,” he notes.
“Project 56 takes fresh ideas and puts them into a dramatic new package and we look forward to these challenges and opportunities,” says Shorrock.
Tires are a critical part of the DeltaWing’s design and Michelin relied heavily on its own history of winning endurance races while developing the tires, he explains. The four-wheeled vehicle features a virtual three-point layout with a narrow front track, a wide rear track and significantly reduced aerodynamic drag. With this unique chassis configuration, the tires presented distinct challenges, according to Shorrock.
During the development process, Michelin engineers worked side-by-side with the DeltaWing team in order to understand the speed, load and stresses that the tires might experience, he recounts.
“Michelin is the clear technical and environmental leader in motorsports in the international marketplace,” says Highcroft Racing team owner and DeltaWing leader Duncan Dayton. “Michelin and its technical partner teams have won the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the past 14 consecutive years, so everyone involved in the program is tremendously excited to have Michelin on-board,” he points out.
“The announcement of the DeltaWing project at Le Mans this year drew enormous interest around the world – and not just from race fans,” says Shorrock.
“The car is very different. People look at this car and say ‘How will it turn?’ and they recognize that there are some very interesting ideas at work. We look forward to being part of the answers,” he reports.
Michelin has significantly extended the wear rate of its tires and reduced the number of tires used by its technical partner teams at Le Mans by more than 20 percent in the past three years, Shorrock says.
The company also has extensive experience in running multiple stints– two, three, four or even five – on the same set of tires in endurance racing, he adds.
“Michelin has logged hundreds of thousands of miles at Le Mans working with a wide array of different cars in varied conditions,” according to Dayton.
“The 2011 Le Mans-winning Audi R18 diesel prototype was able to run five full stints – or 55 laps (454 miles) – on just one set of Michelin tires during the 2011 race. No one can match that kind of tire performance,” he observes.
Designed by former Lola Cars chief designer Ben Bowlby, the DeltaWing car is currently being constructed by racing legend Dan Gurney at the All American Racers facilities in Santa Ana, Calif. On-track testing is expected to begin late this year.
The “56th entry” at Le Mans is a special invitation extended by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest, the organizers of the annual 24 Hours of Le Mans race, to encourage innovation and the introduction of new technologies. It can race outside of the standard technical classifications.
For more information, visit www.michelinman.com.
