CLM P1/01

CLM P1/01

CLM P1/01 at the Circuit de la Sarthe in 2015

Category Le Mans Prototype
(LMP1)
Designer(s) Paul White
Technical specifications[1][2]
Chassis Carbon fibre composite monocoque
Suspension (front) Independent double wishbones with adjustable dampers
Suspension (rear) Independent double wishbones with adjustable dampers
Wheelbase 13 in × 18 in (330.2 mm × 457.2 mm)
Engine AER P60 2.4 litre V6 twin turbo mid-engined, longitudinally mounted
Transmission X-Trac 7-speed sequential manual
Weight 850kg
Fuel Shell
Tyres Dunlop (previously Michelin)
Competition history
Notable entrants Austria ByKolles Racing
Romania Lotus
Notable drivers Switzerland Simon Trummer
Germany Pierre Kaffer
United Kingdom James Rossiter
United Kingdom Oliver Webb
France Christophe Bouchut
Austria Lucas Auer
France Nathanaël Berthon
Austria Christian Klien
Portugal Tiago Monteiro
Italy Vitantonio Liuzzi
Debut 2014 6 Hours of Circuit of the Americas
RacesWinsF.Laps
2230
Constructors' Championships 0
Drivers' Championships 0

The CLM P1/01 is a sports prototype racing car built for the Austrian and Romanian based team ByKolles Racing. It is designed to meet the 2014 LMP1-L regulations for Le Mans Prototypes in the FIA World Endurance Championship as well as at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The P1/01 debuted at the 2014 6 Hours of Circuit of the Americas, round four of the FIA World Endurance Championship.

Development

ByKolles Racing, previously known as Kodewa or Lotus Racing, were participating in the FIA World Endurance Championship in the LMP2 class, fielding a pair of Lotus T128 chassis. In 2014, Lotus Racing confirmed that they would enter the LMP1 class with a new chassis, provisionally named the Lotus T129. The new chassis missed the first three rounds of the season, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and made its racing debut, renamed as the CLM P1/01, at the 2014 6 Hours of Circuit of the Americas.[3]

Racing History

2014 Season

The car made its public debut at the 2014 24 Hours of Le Mans, renamed as the Lotus P1/01, however, the car was not able to run in any session of the event due to a change in the engine the car was going to use. The car was originally going to use a 4-litre, naturally aspirated Audi V8, but the deal collapsed due to unknown reasons, and the car was fitted with a 2.4-litre twin turbo V6 from AER.[3][4] The car made its racing debut at the next round of the World Endurance Championship, the 6 Hours of Circuit of the Americas, with car number #9. Although the car was not able to qualify, it finished the event in second place in the LMP1-L class, completing 140 laps, nine laps down on the class winning Rebellion R-One. At the following race in Fuji, the car burst into flames after 181 laps, after a fuel line ruptured. The driver of the car at the time, Christophe Bouchut, escaped without injury, but left the team after the race. The P1/01 claimed one more finish at the following event in Shanghai, but was unable to finish at Bahrain or Sao Paulo.

Year Nat. Entrant Class Nat. Drivers Rds. Rounds Points WEP
pos.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
2014 Romania Lotus Racing LMP1-L Austria
France
United Kingdom
Germany
Switzerland
France
Lucas Auer
Christophe Bouchut
James Rossiter
Pierre Kaffer
Simon Trummer
Nathanaël Berthon
4, 6, 8
4–5
4–5
5–8
7
7
SIL SPA LMN COA
2
FUJ
Ret
SHA
3
BHR
Ret
SÃO
Ret
33 3rd

2015 Season

Minor changes were made to the P1/01 for the 2015 season, including the transmission casing and a change to the bodywork. The revised car made its debut in March, at the Paul Ricard circuit. The car's number also changed from #9 to #4 for this season. The P1/01 claimed its first two wins in the Privateer class, at the Nurburgring and at the Circuit of the Americas. However, the car was excluded from the results of the 24 Hours of Le Mans due to incorrect driver weight ballast.[5]

Year Nat. Entrant Class Nat. Drivers Rds. Rounds Points WEP
pos.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
2015 Austria ByKolles Racing LMP1 Switzerland
Italy
Austria
Germany
Portugal
Simon Trummer
Vitantonio Liuzzi
Christian Klien
Pierre Kaffer
Tiago Monteiro
All
1–2
1–2
3–8
3
SIL
Ret
SPA
Ret
LMN
EX
NUR
1
COA
1
FUJ
2
SHA
2
BHR
2
104 3rd

2016 Season

The P1/01 returned in 2016, with radically changed bodywork in order to improve the aerodynamics of the car. The car kept the same number as the previous season, #4. The gearbox was also upgraded to a 7-speed from a 6-speed, at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.[6] The car has struggled with reliability issues throughout the season, culminating in fires at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and Nürburgring. The Rebellion Racing team withdrew one of their two cars from the championship after Nürburgring, leaving only two cars in the class. The car managed to claim a win in the 2016 6 Hours of Shanghai after the competing Rebellion R-One had technical issues. The car finished 2nd in the Private LMP1 Teams championship.

At the post season rookie test in Bahrain, Former Formula One driver Robert Kubica tested the car.[7]

Year Nat. Entrant Class Nat. Drivers Rds. Rounds Points WEP
pos.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
2016 Austria ByKolles Racing LMP1 Switzerland
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Germany
Simon Trummer
Oliver Webb
James Rossiter
Pierre Kaffer
1–9
1–9
1–2
3–5, 7-9
SIL
3
SPA
3
LMN
Ret
NUR
Ret
MEX
2
COA
2
FUJ
Ret
SHA
1
BHR
2
109 2nd

References

  1. "Lotus LMP1 Specifications". "Lotus LMP". Retrieved 2016-08-09.
  2. "Lotus LMP1 Specifications". "Ultimate Car Page". Retrieved 2016-08-09.
  3. 1 2 Collins, Sam "Racecar Engineering Article on CLM P1/01".Retrieved 2016-08-09
  4. "Autosport article on P1/01 engine change". Autosport/Gary Watkins. Retrieved 2016-08-10.
  5. "ByKolles Removed from racing results". John Dagys. Retrieved 2016-08-09.
  6. "CLM moving to a 7-Speed Gearbox". "John Dagys". Retrieved 2016-08-09.
  7. "Kubica to test CLM". "DailySportsCar.com". Retrieved 2016-11-20.

External links

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