Race Tech 09.2021

Le Mans showdown

David vs Goliath as Glickenhaus challenges Toyota

INTERNATIONAL Driving Technology Into Pole Position

Motorsport Engineering

SEPTEMBER 2021 No. 250 UK £5.95 USA $12.75 racetechmag.com

GOODBYE
TO DIRTY AIR!

Expert opinion on the car
carrying F1 into bold new era

Plus

Battery tech
in Extreme E

www.racetechmag.com

Who needs a wing? Peugeot’s radical new Hypercar revealed



www.racetechmag.com

September 2021 CONTENTS Issue 250 3

GOODBYE
TO DIRTY AIR!

Expert opinion on the car
carrying F1 into a bold new era

Driving Technology Into Pole Position INTERNATIONAL

Motorsport Engineering COVER STORY PAGE 30

Volume 28 Issue 10 ON THE COVER INDUSTRY NEWS
Published August 2021 6 WINGLESS WONDER 6 F1 plays its trump card with new car, new
The next issue will be published
in early September 2021 Innovatively-framed regulations spawn culture; Mugello tops new sustainability
ISSN 1356-2975 stunning Hypercar that is spiritual successor index; worldwide study highlights
to legendary 905. By Mark Skewis motorsport’s role in fightback from
SUBSCRIPTIONS pandemic; Formula E accelerates audience
Subscriptions from Kimberley Media Group Ltd 30 FORMULA 1 2022 growth; ŠKODA-Kreisel electric rally car
841 High Road, Finchley, London N12 8PT Will the 2022 car really revolutionise concept revealed; new endurance deal “a
Tel +44 (0)20 8446 2100 grand prix racing? Our Expert Witness, significant moment in history of motor
Fax +44 (0)20 8446 2191 an F1 insider who wants to protect their racing”; Porsche seeks to revolutionise fan
anonymity – and job – delivers their verdict engagement; Gen3 Supercars debut delayed;
Overseas copies are sent via air mail Festival of Speed makes triumphant return;
12 issue subscription UK: £71.40 54 LE MANS 24 HOURS: GLICKENHAUS 007 Audi’s Dakar challenger up and running
Europe: £118, USA/Rest of World: £149 A career on the silver screen taught Jim
All major credit cards accepted. Cheques and Glickenhaus to recognise a great script COMMENT
money orders only in Pounds Sterling payable to when he saw it. Beating the reigning 72 Sergio Rinland bids farewell to the talented
Kimberley Media Group Ltd. champions, Toyota, at Le Mans would be
the best yet... By Anthony Peacock racer, often underrated and misunderstood,
BACK ISSUES AVAILABLE IN PRINT: who inspired him to dream of one day
8,9,10,11,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26, 62 LE MANS 24 HOURS: TOYOTA GR010 designing a Formula 1 car
27,28,29,30,31,32,33,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44, With the first 24-hour race for
45,46,47,48,49,50,52,53,54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62, Toyota Gazoo Racing’s new hypercar BATTERY TECH
66,67,68,69,70,71,72,73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82, approaching, Chassis Project Leader John 38 Chris Pickering offers a fascinating insight
83,84,85,86,87,88,89,90,91,92,93,94,95,96,97,98,99, Litjens tells Chris Pickering the team is
100,101,102,103,104,105,106,107,108,109,110,111,112, taking nothing for granted into the world’s most extreme battery:
113,114,115,116,117,118,119,120,121,122,123,124,125, Williams Advanced Engineering’s solution
126,127,128,129,130,131,132,133,134,135,136,137,138, for the all-electric SUV series, Extreme E
139,140,141,142,143,144,145,146,148,149,150,151,152,
153,154,155,156,157,158,159,160,161,162,163,164,165, POWER TECH
166,167,168,169,170,171,172,173,174,175,176,177,178, 46 The acquisition of Delta, an electrified
179,180,181,182,183,184,185,186,187,188,189,190,191,
192,193,194,195,196,197,198,199,200,201,202,203,204, powertrain specialist, strengthens Cosworth’s
205,206,207,208,209,210,211,212,213,214,215,216,217, position at the heart of the transport
218,219,220,221,222,223,224,225,226,227,228,229,230, technology revolution. By Chris Pickering
231,232,233, 240,241,242,243,244,245,246,247,248,249

Price including post & packing:
UK: £5.50, Europe: £6.50, Rest of World: £7.55
You can pay by cheque or credit card but please
note the minimum on Switch & Delta is £14

Race Tech (ISSN: 1356-2975) is published
monthly by Kimberley Media Group Ltd.

Cover photo: Courtesy of Formula 1

Design & Production: Paul Bullock, Maluma

© Kimberley Media Group Ltd.

All rights reserved. Reproduction (in whole or in
part) of any article or illustration without the written
permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited.
While care is taken to ensure the accuracy of
information, the publisher can accept no liability
for errors or omissions. Nor can responsibility be
accepted for the content of any advertisement.

September 2021 Issue 250 racetechmag.com 3



www.racetechmag.com

INTRODUCTION Issue 250 5

EDITOR GLIMPSE OF AN
William Kimberley EXCITING FUTURE

CONSULTANT EDITOR Formula 1 is becoming compulsive viewing.
Mark Skewis But for engineers that mounting excitement is fuelled not so much by
the frantic struggle in which Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton are
HEAD OF DIGITAL CONTENT embroiled, but by what comes next: the mouth-watering prospect of F1 2022.
Sara Kimberley
As you will see from our Expert Witness feature on the new car – written by an
PHOTOGRAPHY F1 insider who wants to save their anonymity and their job – an unprecedented
LAT amount of thought, science and computing power has gone into creating cars
that will feature a far less disruptive wake for the following driver.
ART EDITOR
Paul Bullock Sure, the finest brains in the business are already hard at work attempting to
circumvent the intentions behind the new rules. Yet you sense that the balance
ACCOUNTS of the eternal Poacher vs Gamekeeper battle might just have shifted forever.
Fiona Keeble When F1 MD Ross Brawn suggests that the raceability of these new cars will
dictate the sport’s future, you know that he has the research to back his claim.
COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR
Maryam Lamond Another innovative way to hit the ‘reset’ button has been displayed by the
Automobile Club de l’Ouest and the FIA. For years, RACE TECH has advocated
MANAGING DIRECTOR the solution now adopted when framing the new Hypercar regulations for
Adrian Goodsell the World Endurance Championship: set performance windows and let the
engineers discover the most creative ways in which to meet those targets.
PUBLISHING DIRECTOR
Soheila Kimberley Peugeot’s new 9X8 Hypercar, seen in our news pages, hints at the wave of
innovation that such rules could unleash – it has no rear wing!
DDrriivviinngg TTeecchhnnoollooggyy IInnttoo PPoollee PPoossiittiioonn INTERNATIONAL
To further underline the success of years of hard work performed by the ACO
Motorsport Engineering behind the scenes, the new Convergence deal with IMSA has taken a major
step forward. It enables Hypercars and their US LMP2-based LMDh counterparts
841 High Road, Finchley to race together in the endurance classics on both sides of the Atlantic.
London N12 8PT
Tel: +44 (0) 208 446 2100 With Audi, Porsche, BMW and Acura already pledged to join Toyota, Peugeot
Fax: +44 (0) 208 446 2191 and Ferrari in the fray, these are dreamy times for endurance fans.

www.kimberleymediagroup.com In sportscar racing, like Formula 1, we are entering a new era. Yes, the cars are
brand new, but so is the philosophy behind their creation. After the misery of
the past year, I genuinely believe that exciting times lay ahead.

William Kimberley
EDITOR

@racetechmag September 2021 Issue 250 racetechmag.com 5
facebook.com/
RaceTechmagazine

Subscribe +44 (0) 208 446 2100

www.racetechmag.com

6 MOTORSPORTS PROFESSIONAL

PEUGEOT REVEALS
WINGLESS WONDER

Innovatively-framed regulations spawn stunning Hypercar that
is spiritual successor to legendary 905. By Mark Skewis

RIGHT The underbody
aerodynamics create
enough downforce to
meet the performance
windows without a
rear wing

6 racetechmag.com September 2021 Issue 250 Subscribe +44 (0) 208 446 2100

www.racetechmag.com

MOTORSPORTS PROFESSIONAL 7

All photos: Peugeot PEUGEOT’S new 9X8 Hypercar, which will make
its competitive debut in the FIA World Endurance
Championship (WEC) in 2022, has created a stir due to
the absence of a conventional rear wing.

“The absence of a rear wing on the Peugeot 9X8 is a major
innovative step,” claimed Jean-Marc Finot, Motorsport Director
of Peugeot parent company Stellantis. “We have achieved a
degree of aerodynamic efficiency that allows us to do away with
this feature. Don’t ask how, though! We have every intention of
keeping that a secret as long as we possibly can!”

The finely-chiselled details of the 9X8’s rear-end design includes
the quip “We didn’t want a rear wing” above a wide diffuser.

Rear wings were first seen at the Le Mans 24 Hours on the
Chaparral 2F which contested the race in 1967, meaning this is
the first time their use has been questioned in more than half-a-
century. However, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest’s innovative
rules package for the new Hypercar class breaks with tradition by
stipulating performance windows for aspects such as downforce
and drag, rather than dictating how those figures are achieved.

Radical new thinking

The 9X8’s design and aerodynamics have been developed under
the responsibility of Technical Director Olivier Jansonnie and the
design team led by Design Director Matthias Hossann.

Jansonnie said: “The greater flexibility allowed by the sport’s
new technical rules regarding aerodynamics permits radical new
thinking that favours the emergence of innovative cars, with
scope for the design teams to make an even bigger contribution.

Subscribe +44 (0) 208 446 2100 September 2021 Issue 250 racetechmag.com

www.racetechmag.com

8 MOTORSPORTS PROFESSIONAL

“Peugeot’s engineers and designers ABOVE The interior “Doors are for toilets, not racecars!”
effectively took advantage of this of the cockpit is
opportunity to invent new creative rich with Peugeot’s THE 9X8 is billed as a direct successor to the 905, winner of
processes and break away from established brand identity the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1992 and 1993. The involvement of
codes to produce a Hypercar of a the road car stylists was trumpeted in both cases.
completely new genre.” )\[ ^OPSL [OL PZ YLTLTILYLK HZ [OL ÄULZ[ ZWVY[Z
WYV[V[`WL VM P[Z LYH THU` MVYNL[ [OH[ [OL ÄYZ[ P[LYH[PVU VM
“The absence of a rear wing was as a [OL JHY ^HZ H KPZHZ[LY 0UZPKLYZ SHPK [OL ISHTL ÄYTS` VU
huge surprise,” admitted one of the team’s [OL Z[`SPZ[Z ^OVZL PUÅ\LUJL ^HZ ZHPK [V OH]L ZL]LYLS`
drivers, F1 refugee Kevin Magnussen. “It compromised the design.
feels like the beginning of a new era.” >OLU [OL ÄYZ[ HWWLHYLK H[ [OL LUK VM P[ ^HZ [OL
trailblazer for the new 3.5-litre-engined sports cars. It was also
“I really wasn’t expecting this much slow and unreliable, doing little to change former open-wheel
creativity,” echoed James Rossiter. “Its ace Keke Rosberg’s poor opinion of closed-cockpit cars. “It
reminds me why doors are for toilets, not racecars,” he said.
)V[O JHYZ YL[PYLK ILMVYL [OL MV\Y OV\Y THYR H[ P[Z ÄYZ[
assault on Le Mans, in 1991. By then, the increasing
PUÅ\LUJL VM ZWVY[PUN KPYLJ[VY 1LHU ;VK[ V]LY [OL
programme had already seen him scrap the original design
– a brave and controversial move within the company – and
commission a new ‘Evolution 1 bis’ machine.
;OL ,]V ]LYZPVU YL[HPULK [OL VYPNPUHS JHYIVU ÄIYL JVJRWP[
I\PS[ I` +HZZH\S[ I\[ UV[ T\JO LSZL ;OL PUÅ\LUJL VM [OL
road car stylists was swept away in favour of a completely
new aerodynamics package. This included an optional
front wing and a double deck rear wing that mirrored
[OL PTWYLZZP]L 1HN\HY ?19 ^OPJO OHK ILLU WHY[PHSS`
shaped by Ross Brawn.
;OL 1HN\HY ^HZ HISL [V ZL[ SHW [PTLZ [OH[ ^V\SK OH]L
JVTMVY[HIS` X\HSPÄLK P[ PU [OL [VW OHSM VM [OL -VYT\SH
grid at the time, but the 905 Evo 1 bis moved the game
on even further.
This time around, the rules include a Balance of Performance
element. This offers the stylists enough latitude to incorporate
styling cues without compromising performance.

The absence

of a rear wing

is a major
innovative step”

design is really disruptive. Peugeot’s ABOVE & BELOW
Hypercar has pushed the envelope.” RIGHT Peugeot’s 905
was only successful
Peugeot’s design and engineering teams after a redesign, the
have worked in collaboration with its racing Evo 1 bis (above),
division, Peugeot Sport, to explore new swept away the
aerodynamic solutions and styling ideas to work of the road
create a completely original racecar. car stylists on the
original car (below)
Peugeot’s Chief Executive Officer, Linda
Jackson, said: “I know the teams at
Peugeot Design and Peugeot Sport and
they always produce quality, innovative
work, but I have to admit to being
blown away by the 9X8. It is simply

8 racetechmag.com September 2021 Issue 250 Subscribe +44 (0) 208 446 2100



www.racetechmag.com

10 MOTORSPORTS PROFESSIONAL

magnificent. The way its innovative, flowing lines ABOVE Look, no 3008, 5008 and 508. The latter has been worked on
exude such a powerful brand identity is masterful.” wing! Peugeot’s 9X8 by the same engineers and designers working on the
current Hypercar project.
As planned, the car’s rear-mounted, 2.6-litre, bi-
turbo, 500 kW (680 hp), 90-degree V6 – the internal- The 9X8’s front and rear lighting signatures,
combustion engine part of the Peugeot HYBRID4 500 which take the form of three claw-like strokes, are
kW powertrain – has been clocking up miles since April. familiar Peugeot trademarks, while the brand’s new
lion’s head logo features at the front and on the
Meanwhile, the front-mounted 200 kW motor- sides of the car.
generator unit, seven-speed sequential gearbox
and battery are in the process of being assembled, Peugeot Design Director, Matthias Hossann, said:
keeping with the bench-testing validation schedule. “Since the 9X8 is a Peugeot, the original sketch that
The high-voltage (900 volts), high-density battery is steered our work portrayed a big cat ready to pounce,
being co-developed by Peugeot Sport and space and a stance which we have suggested by the slightly
defence expert Saft, a subsidiary of TotalEnergies.
A huge surprise. It feels like
Vision for the future the beginning of a new era”

The name of the new Hypercar, the 9X8, is inspired forward-tilting cockpit. The overall lines of the 9X8
by a combination of the brand’s motorsport heritage express the brand’s styling cues, while its sleek, racy,
and vision for the future. The “9” continues the series elegant forms inspire emotion and dynamism.
employed on its previous racecars, the 905 (which
raced from 1990 until 1993) and the 908 (2007 until “Inside, we wanted to take a special approach
2011), both of which have become icons. to the cockpit which, until now, has tended to
be a purely functional and indistinctive aspect of
The “X” refers to the Hypercar’s all-wheel racing cars, with no brand identity whatsoever. The
drive technology and hybrid powertrain, which combination of our colour scheme and Peugeot’s
embodies the brand’s electrification strategy in the i-Cockpit interior styling signature have provided
world of motor racing. Peugeot will provide a fully the 9X8’s cockpit with a distinctive feel and make it
electrified variant across its passenger car and van immediately identifiable as a Peugeot.”
range by 2025.

The “8” is common across all of Peugeot’s current
model names, from the 208 and 2008 to the 308,

10 racetechmag.com September 2021 Issue 250 Subscribe +44 (0) 208 446 2100



www.racetechmag.com

12 MOTORSPORTS PROFESSIONAL

F1 plays its FORMULA 1 Managing Director Ross
Brawn believes the 2022 F1 car, revealed at
Silverstone, represents “a new philosophy, a
trump card new culture” which will transform the sport and
safeguard its future.

F1’s motorsports team have committed an
unprecedented amount of research to the project,

with new car, with the aim of improving the racing by controlling
new culture the damaging wake generated by the cars.

They have run approximately 7,500 simulations,
creating around half a petabyte of data. That’s the
equivalent of 10 million four-drawer filing cabinets
full of text documents.

Those simulations also took 16.5 million core

hours to solve, meaning if they’d been done on a

;OL - JHY OHZ ILLU KL]LSVWLK ^P[O high-spec Intel i9 quad core laptop, it would have
taken until the year 2492 – 471 years from now –

unprecedented focus on improving the racing to get the solutions.
FIA single-seater Technical Director Nikolas

ABOVE A new
philosophy underpins the
design of the 2022 car

12 racetechmag.com September 2021 Issue 250 Subscribe +44 (0) 208 446 2100

www.racetechmag.com

MOTORSPORTS PROFESSIONAL 13

ABOVE Every element Tombazis said the clear focus of the work was to allow cars
has been designed with to follow more closely. But he also warned there was the
a clear focus on reducing chance that the rules upheaval could lead to a big field
the harmful wake of the spread in the first year.
current machines
“All the shapes you see around the car are made in
such a way to improve the flow to the rear car and to
improve racing,” he said. “This is not just cosmetic of
course — we’ve had a multi-year collaboration between
the FIA and Formula 1 to review the aerodynamics. It
won’t happen overnight, but we believe over time the
racing will improve sizably.”

Aerodynamically, the biggest change will be the
reintroduction of ground effect – which has been
outlawed since 1982. While this won’t signal a full return
to those heady days, with side skirts to act as seals, the

2022 cars will feature underfloor tunnels rather than the
stepped floor of their predecessors.
The aim is that the underfloor downforce is better
preserved within the tunnels, without the reliance
on arrays of wake-sensitive, vortex-generating
external geometries.
Research shows that current F1 machines lose 35%
of their downforce when running three car lengths
behind a leading car (approximately 20 metres,
measured from the lead car’s nose to following
car’s nose); closing up to one car length
(around 10 metres) results in a 47% loss.
The 2022 car – developed by F1’s aero team
with the use of Computational Fluid Dynamics
and the Sauber wind tunnel – is said to reduce
those figures to 4% at 20 metres, rising to just
18% at 10 metres.
“The whole objective behind this has been closer

Subscribe +44 (0) 208 446 2100 September 2021 Issue 250 racetechmag.com 13

www.racetechmag.com

14 MOTORSPORTS PROFESSIONAL

racing,” explained Brawn. “We want the best 405 millimetres at the rear) but a slightly bigger ABOVE The switch to
drivers to win but we went them battling wheel-to- overall diameter, which grows from 660 millimetres low-profile 18-inch
wheel. This is the start of a new journey, where the to 720 millimetres. The most significant change is a tyres is, in part,
raceability of these cars is going to be vital to the reduction in the sidewall, which now resembles that designed to improve
future of Formula 1.” of the low-profile Pirelli road tyres. relevance to modern
road car trends
To help achieve that ambition, the 2022 car This new profile will change the behaviour of
will feature what one insider refers to as an “anti- the cars on track, making them more precise when
outwash” front wing. changing direction. From the tests carried out so
far – in both dry and wet conditions – the drivers’
Although front wings have been getting feedback has been positive. The hope is that the
progressively simpler in recent seasons, the 2022 new tyres will contribute to even more competitive
F1 car will introduce a totally new front wing races, with cars that are less sensitive to aerodynamic
shape. The intention is that the front wheel wake turbulence while following behind one another.
is controlled and directed down the car in the
least disruptive way, rather than being pushed The lower sidewall also means that the tyre will
outwards and hampering the following car. flex less, meaning that it will have less impact on
the overall aerodynamics of the car. All of which
Two of the most striking features are the use of should favour close racing.
over-wheel winglets and the reintroduction of
wheel covers. Both are moves designed to help Championing biofuel
control the wake.
Although the current 1.6-litre turbo-hybrid units are
The new rear wing will also feature notably rolled retained for 2022, cars will run on more sustainable fuel.
tips. While current cars’ rear wings direct airflow
upwards, they are also designed to send flow Current regulations see cars running on fuel
outwards, leaving the dirty air sitting there for the containing 5.75% bio-components. While F1 is still
following car to drive through. By contrast, the shape working hard to introduce fully sustainable fuel in
and position of the 2022 car’s rear wing creates a the near-future, 2022 will see the bio-component
rotational airflow that collects the rear wheel wake ratio rise to 10%. That will be achieved through a
and rolls it into the flow exiting the diffuser, forming move to ‘E10 fuel’ – featuring 10 per cent ethanol.
an invisible ‘mushroom’-shaped wake.
Crucially, it will be a second-generation biofuel
18-inch wheels made in a sustainable way, meaning it will have
a near-zero carbon footprint. It is, said F1 Chief
Visually, another big move is the switch from 13- Technical Officer Pat Symonds, “an interim step”,
inch to 18-inch wheels. It’s actually the size of the which will also help the sport align with current
rim that changes, adding five inches to the diameter road car fuel regulations.
that has held sway in grand prix racing since the
1960s; with compact, very wide tyres featuring a F1 is committed to keeping its hybrid engines when
‘pot-bellied’ sidewall that have kept Formula 1 on new powerplants are introduced in 2025. In keeping
track for more than half a century. with trends within the automotive industry, they will
utilise an unprecedented level of electrification.
The switch is about relevance to road cars, as
much as it is about aesthetics, but is also in keeping “This is an exciting new chapter in which we
with the theme that runs throughout the rest of the want to entertain and engage the fans,” concluded
car: promoting better racing. Brawn of the new package. “We want new fans to
come into the sport, but we want to respect our
The new Pirelli P Zero F1 tyre has the same tread existing fans. We want them to remain excited
width as before (305 millimetres at the front and about the pinnacle of motorsport.”

14 racetechmag.com September 2021 Issue 250 Subscribe +44 (0) 208 446 2100



www.racetechmag.com

16 MOTORSPORTS PROFESSIONAL

Mugello tops new For its efforts, Mugello scored 48/100, followed by
sustainability index Barcelona (38/100) and Paul Ricard (33/100). The three
circuits were awarded three stars out of a possible four.
MUGELLO, Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and Paul ABOVE Mugello
Ricard have topped a new sustainability index produced was the most There were also notable mentions for Pocono and
by Enovation Consulting and Right Hub. sustainable track Sonoma Raceway in the US, Italy’s Misano World
of the 96 analysed Circuit and Autodromo Vallelunga Piero Taruffi, and
The study, titled ‘Racing towards a sustainable future: the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Spain.
a review of the disclosed sustainability performance of
international racing circuits’, used industry-specific and “Too often motorsport has been accused of
United Nations criteria to analyse and evaluate how greenwashing, where stakeholders have used nice
environmentally-friendly tracks are globally. words and loose promises,” said Dr Christina Pace, a
member of the International Automobile Federation’s
A total of 96 circuits were analysed, with only 31 (FIA) environmental and sustainability commission
demonstrating sustainable practices which met the and founder of Enovation.
criteria. Seven tracks were deemed to have plans
that demonstrate a medium to high sustainability “The Sustainable Circuits Index proposes a
performance, with three of those showing a good robust assessment of racing tracks’ sustainability
stage of implementation. performances based on disclosed data and a well-
developed framework, aiming to enable motorsport
The report discovered that Mugello in Italy is the most venues to benchmark each other and, ultimately,
sustainable circuit. The track hosts MotoGP events and accelerate actions and changes. Because the time for
was the home of Formula 1’s Tuscan Grand Prix in 2020. vagueness has run out.”

Mugello uses 100 per cent renewable energy and Alex Wurz, the chairman of the Grand Prix Drivers’
produces 25 per cent of that using solar panels. Several Association, added: “I have been involved with the
water bottle refill points and a rainwater recovery safety and sustainability of racing tracks for many years
system have also helped it improve its sustainability. now, as a driver, GPDA chairman and a circuit designer.
And while I would argue that big improvements
have been made in terms of safety, I also know that
there is a long way to go in terms of fully embracing
sustainability for racing tracks around the globe.

“Though circuits have started to change the way in
which they approach sustainability, more guidance on
what sustainability means and how a circuit can be
sustainable are needed.

“Motorsport has historically been defined by
its commitment to innovation and excellence
through competition. It’s now critically important
for our sport to demonstrate its commitment to
sustainability through collaboration.

“This paper highlights the new metrics for success in
this global effort and provides circuits with the tools
they need to help win the race for our planet, a race
which we can only win together.”

Brembo to open innovation lab in Silicon Valley

BREMBO, a global leader in the and ambitious goal of addressing the to our partners.”
development and production of brake unprecedented challenges impacting the The Brembo Inspiration Lab is expected
systems, has announced the opening of automotive sector” said Daniele Schillaci,
its first centre of excellence, in California’s Brembo’s Chief Executive Officer. to open in the fourth quarter of 2021.
Silicon Valley (USA). It will welcome talent from various
“We are in an era of data science and the industries to benefit the development of
The “Brembo Inspiration Lab” will be an application of artificial intelligence, which Brembo’s future braking solutions.
innovation lab focused on strengthening the offers us a great opportunity to build our
company’s expertise in software develop- future and strengthen our technological Brembo has been present in North
ment, data science and artificial intelligence. leadership. With the Brembo Inspiration America for over 30 years. It maintains
Lab we accept the challenge to increase manufacturing hubs in Michigan, New
“We are entering and investing in the company’s digital culture and to bring Jersey and Monterrey, Mexico. Its North
this world-renowned location for high ‘Made in Brembo’ innovation even closer American headquarters and R&D centre is
technology and innovation with the clear located in Plymouth, Michigan.

16 racetechmag.com September 2021 Issue 250 Subscribe +44 (0) 208 446 2100



www.racetechmag.com

18 MOTORSPORTS PROFESSIONAL

Worldwide study highlights • 1.5M TOTAL PAID JOBS - The number
motorsport’s role in of paid jobs (full-time, part-time and
fightback from pandemic casual) directly supported by the
motorsport industry
MOTORSPORT is playing an important The main findings of this research are
role in the rebound of the world economy the following: • 302,000 FORMAL (UNPAID) OFFICIALS,
from the Coronavirus pandemic, MARSHALS AND VOLUNTEERS
according to a new report. • €159.2B TOTAL ANNUAL GROSS
OUTPUT - The market value of • 2.7M MOTORSPORT
The study, commissioned by the goods and services produced by the PARTICIPANTS (competitors, officials,
Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile motorsport industry plus the flow- marshals and volunteers)
(FIA), is the first of its kind globally into on, or multiplier, effects of the direct
the economic and social impact of the expenditure throughout the economy • 60,700 EVENTS
motorsport industry.
• €66.9B TOTAL VALUE ADD - The market • 7,200 FACILITIES, TRACKS,
The report reveals that the industry value of goods and services produced AND VENUES
represents 160 billion euros total by the motorsport industry
annual gross output and 1.5 million • 21,600 LOCAL MOTORSPORT CLUBS
total paid jobs. RIGHT This was
the first report
“This is remarkable and it demonstrates on motorsport’s
that our sport efficiently contributes to economic impact
the rebound of the economy in Covid-19 conducted on such
times,” suggested Jean Todt, FIA President. a large scale

The study, conducted by EY-Parthenon,
relies on extensive primary market
research over 20,000 surveys completed
by participants – local clubs, venue
operators, global commercial rights
holders, national promoters and team
managers – existing data sources, official
FIA data, World, International and
Regional Championships, FIA graded
venues, and consultation of over 50
industry stakeholders.

Formula E accelerates audience growth

THE ABB FIA Formula E World for the entirety of the previous season. like CBS in the US, Star India and
Championship has accelerated its audience Over 150 million cumulative viewers Disney+Hotstar in India, and SuperSport
growth and position as one of the fastest tuned to watch coverage of the opening in South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa
-growing sports after broadcast figures races of the sport’s first FIA World amongst others.
revealed a substantial uplift in its live race Championship season.
day viewers across key markets. “Formula E has enjoyed incredible
New media partnerships in Germany with success in just a short space of time, and
Despite continued challenges due to Seven.One, France’s L’Equipe, Sky Sports it is clear from these figures that our fans’
the ongoing pandemic, Formula E is Italia (together with existing media partner appetite for close, unpredictable racing
enjoying one of its most competitive Mediaset) and TV Cultura and GloboTV only gets stronger,” said Aarti Dabas,
seasons so far with eight different in Brazil, have all delivered significant Chief Media Officer at Formula E.
winners from the first nine races. increases in cumulative audiences, already
surpassing those recorded in season six “Behind the scenes, we have forged
Helped by this on-track action and an after just half a season. partnerships with broadcasters who
improved media distribution framework, believe in Formula E and its potential to
initial data for the first seven races of Formula E’s audience has been further engage both existing motorsports fans
the campaign shows the all-electric bolstered by free-to-air partnerships in and new younger audiences through
series recording significantly higher live local race markets, including Saudi Arabia bespoke, localised programming and our
cumulative audiences in key markets – an and Mexico, and strategic collaborations market leading position as a Net Zero
uplift of 125% – compared to the figures with premium sports broadcasters Carbon championship.”

18 racetechmag.com September 2021 Issue 250 Subscribe +44 (0) 208 446 2100



www.racetechmag.com

20 MOTORSPORTS PROFESSIONAL

New endurance agreement between each manufacturer and IMSA,
deal “a significant which respects its sporting regulations.
moment in history
of motor racing” “Convergence has taken a step closer to reality,
which is great news for all of us involved in
BELOW Endurance endurance racing,” said Mille. “The principles have
racing’s new golden been agreed by all parties. The dream of teams and
era will enable teams manufacturers being able to compete in all of the
to compete in the top top endurance races with the same car for the first
races on both sides time is now at hand. This represents a significant
of the Atlantic moment in the history of motor racing.”

Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club
de l’Ouest, said: “This major announcement stems
from our ambition to forge a common future for
endurance racing. We have all worked together
to achieve this landmark agreement and I would
like to thank all the stakeholders very sincerely. It is
wonderful news for teams and fans alike and maps
out a bright future for endurance.”

John Doonan, IMSA President, said: “What we
achieved as a group a few weeks ago in Paris has
the potential to revolutionize prototype sports car
racing all over the world. The stage is set for a highly
competitive top category that will include many of the
world’s greatest automotive manufacturers, showcasing
relevant technology in the world’s most prestigious
endurance races. Collectively, we have an opportunity
to engage with the next generation of endurance sports
car racing fans and elevate our sport to the highest
levels. I cannot be prouder of the spirit of collaboration
between our IMSA team, our colleagues at the ACO
and FIA, and all of our automotive partners.”

LE MANS Hypercar prototypes will be able to compete “A boyhood dream experience”
in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship from
2023. The agreement has been hailed as “a significant JOHN Doonan was in a unique position as the technical convergence
moment in the history of motor racing” by Richard agreement evolved. He started the process as Director of Motorsports
Mille, President of the FIA Endurance Commission. for Mazda and ended it as IMSA President, having been appointed to
the position in late 2019.
In early 2020, the FIA, the ACO and IMSA announced ¸-YVT H WLYZVUHS Z[HUKWVPU[ 0»T Q\Z[ OVUV\YLK HUK [OYPSSLK [V OH]L
their intention to work hand-in-hand to create a joint been in the room and part of it,” Doonan said. “Work dates to the
top class for endurance racing. The three parties 1980s to make something like this happen in the ’90s, and to now be
have now come to an agreement on the technical part of it is one of those boyhood dream experiences.
specifications for the new category.
“Part of the foundation of IMSA is, ‘What’s good for the sport?’” he
The convergence work done by the triumvirate added. “That’s the most satisfying part of seeing it come together.
to align their technical regulations aims to allow Everybody put a lot of work in toward a common goal.”
cars with different technical definitions to compete
alongside one another on both sides of the Atlantic. The cost-effective nature of IMSA’s LMDh formula has enticed
They are: LMH, or Le Mans Hypercar, officially Porsche, Audi and BMW back into prototype competition. Acura
introduced in 2021; and LMDh, or Le Mans Daytona will continue its successful prototype programme by developing its
h, officially introduced in 2023. own LMDh, and other manufacturers are expected to follow suit. A
key selling point for those returning manufacturers was the removal
The manufacturers involved in LMDh and LMH of barriers preventing IMSA’s top prototypes from competing for the
programmes were also involved in a high-level overall victory at Le Mans and other WEC events.
technical meeting bringing together the FIA, ACO
and IMSA. They came to an agreement that aims “Without sounding too clichéd, I really believe this type of
to balance the performance of these different types announcement is something folks across so many different audiences in
of car (most notably the powertrain and the four- the sports car community have wanted for some time,” said Doonan.
wheel-drive set-up) so that LMH cars can compete
in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
LMH eligibility will also require an individual business

20 racetechmag.com September 2021 Issue 250 Subscribe +44 (0) 208 446 2100



www.racetechmag.com

22 MOTORSPORTS PROFESSIONAL

Porsche seeks to Personalised content production made
revolutionise fan possible by RAMP allows viewers to
engagement access drivers’ profiles and compare their
performance in real-time in an
PORSCHE has expanded its start-up portfolio a mission to make motorsport more innovative way. This can include a range
in a move it believes could transform the accessible by providing new and innovative of datasets such as driver stress levels,
motorsport viewing experience. ways for racing organisations, leagues, battery status of the vehicle, predicted lap
franchises and car manufacturers to engage times or tyre data.
Porsche Ventures, the venture capital with fans. The company’s personalized
division of the sports car manufacturer, digital media platform, RAMP (Racing “Motorsport has always been part of
has taken a minority stake in Griiip. The Media Platform), offers a unique approach Porsche’s DNA and digitisation is part of our
start-up has developed a cloud-based data to fan engagement in motorsport in order Strategy 2030. This investment is another
platform which enables the transmission of to attract younger audiences that seek a exciting and promising step to transfer
motorsport data directly from the racing more immersive and personalised viewing our heritage into the future,” says Lutz
car, and then both analyses and visualises experience via digital mediums. Meschke, Deputy Chairman of the Executive
this data in the cloud. Board and Member of the Executive Board
The solution includes direct access of for Finance and IT at Porsche.
Griiip intends to introduce a new dimension raw data from the vehicle electronic units
of user engagement, data analysis and through a hardware component known as Porsche Motorsport recently conducted
viewing experience aimed at bringing the the “Red Box”. This data is directly extracted a successful proof of concept to verify the
excitement of motorsport directly to every during live races and used to create data- company’s technology.
level of end-user: drivers, teams and fans. driven products including live content.
“Griiip offers a future-oriented and
The Israel-based start-up set out on innovative motorsport data platform which
connects all stakeholders (up to mixed reality
LEFT The investment races) and creates a new era of motor racing
supports Porsche’s viewing experience,” says Fritz Enzinger, Vice
core business through President of Motorsport at Porsche. “This is
new approaches to outstanding in motorsport.”
fan engagement and
audience capturing Griiip was founded in 2015 by Tamir
Plachinsky and Gil Zakay in Petah Tikva.
“We are delighted to have Porsche, one
of the most iconic sports car brands in
the world, joining Griiip as a strategic
investor, sharing our vision of a new digital
universe for the racing and sport driving
ecosystem,” says CEO Tamir Plachinsky.

Griiip has already signed cooperation
contracts with several racing series as it
develops new approaches to
fan engagement.

Gen3 Supercars debut delayed the S650 Mustang, likely to be unveiled next
year, could be used for a Gen3 build.
SHIPPING delays and local lockdowns have run into some challenges on the project. We
played a big part in Supercars’ decision to air-freighted three ton of steel from Europe, “We are still going flat-out, the teams are
postpone the debut of its new Gen3 chassis as an example, for the chassis. still going flat-out developing the cars,” said
until midway through 2022. Seamer. “We’re doing everything we can.
“And then there was the lockdown in [Head of Motorsport] Adrian [Burgess] and
The original plan was for the new lower- Melbourne and we had teams on the road, his team are putting in huge hours. No one
cost Gen3 cars to debut for the start of the many of them critical to the development, is taking their foot off the case.
2022 season, before delays in development design and engineering work that was going
forced Supercars to shift it back to August. on for Gen3.” “The extension of the timeline affords us
That decision was made after a crisis a lot more testing, durability work, getting
meeting with all 11 teams to clarify a Instead, a mid-season introduction of the everything to a position we’re extremely
number of aspects of the new rules. new car is now planned for August ’22, comfortable with.
with the Sydney SuperNight meeting as the
“We needed all of the wind in our back target. That would fit well with the run-up to “And it also allows us more modest
to be able to deliver in March,” explained Bathurst. It might also work for Ford teams, expectations around international freight.
Supercars CEO Sean Seamer. “We needed who were facing the prospect of developing If we had air-freighted every single
everything going for us and we started to new cars in consecutive seasons. Instead, component for that car the costs would
start blowing out. That’s really what that
extra time has bought us.”

22 racetechmag.com September 2021 Issue 250 Subscribe +44 (0) 208 446 2100



www.racetechmag.com

24 MOTORSPORTS PROFESSIONAL

ŠKODA prepares for
electric rally future

ŠKODA Motorsport, ŠKODA Austria, battery technology only share the vision for the sustainable future of ABOVE The ŠKODA
solutions specialist Kreisel Electric and operational partner motorsports. We as well follow the same strategy of RE-X1 Kreisel delivers
Baumschlager Rallye & Racing have teamed up to transferring technologies and engineering solutions 260 kW of power and
develop a fully electric rally car: the ŠKODA RE-X1 Kreisel. from racing to road cars.” 600 Nm of torque

Based on a ŠKODA Fabia Rally2 evo bodyshell and Kreisel Electric, from Rainbach, Austria, has also
powered by an 860 volts system delivering 260 kW developed a bespoke charging station called CHIMERO,
peak power, the concept car was homologated by the working with 200 kW, to be used during rallies.
Austrian Motorsport Federation AMF (ÖAMTC).
The first chassis built by ŠKODA Motorsport is in
When Kreisel Electric, supplier of the mandatory hybrid asphalt spec. However, Baumschlager Rallye & Racing,
technology of the generation 2022 World Rally Cars the project’s partner for the testing programme and
for the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), looked future competition activities, has started to put the
for partners to develop a fully electric rally car, ŠKODA ŠKODA RE-X1 Kreisel through its paces on gravel as well.
Motorsport saw an interesting opportunity. Building
on its experience and competence, the Mladá Boleslav- “As a long-time partner of ŠKODA Motorsport in
based manufacturer’s motorsport department updated a Austrian rallying, we are excited to be part of the
ŠKODA Fabia Rally2 evo chassis to be fitted with Kreisel’s innovative project,” commented Max Egger, CEO of
electric powertrain. The resulting concept car combines ŠKODA Austria. “For us, it’s a matter of heart to help
the best know-how from a builder of high-end rally cars rallying enter a new era. After the very successful launch
with the innovative battery technology of Kreisel. of the fully electric road car ŠKODA Enyaq iV this is the
perfect next step on our way to e-mobility.”
With more than 400 units sold and numerous rally
victories and title wins worldwide, the rally version of the To be ready for future entries into FIA-sanctioned
ŠKODA Fabia is the most successful car of its category. rallies, ŠKODA Motorsport supported Kreisel Electric
during the homologation process for the ŠKODA RE-X1
“The concept car ŠKODA RE-X1 Kreisel is an exciting Kreisel’s bodyshell. ŠKODA Motorsport will also provide
combination of traditional and future-orientated further know-how and technical consultation during
technology. We provided our best experience, based on the ongoing development process run by its long-time
developing already three generations of the rally-going customer Baumschlager Rallye & Racing.
ŠKODA Fabia,” commented Michal Hrabánek, Head of
ŠKODA Motorsport. “The concept car offers all the setup
possibilities of the latest generation ŠKODA Fabia Rally2
evo, but with a fully electric powertrain and I really believe
rally fans will find such a combination truly interesting.”

Electric vs conventional

The Kreisel Electric engineered e-motor delivers a peak
power of 260 kW and a maximum torque of 600 Nm; in
comparison the ŠKODA Fabia Rally2 evo 1.6-litre turbo
petrol engine produces 214 kW and 425 Nm of torque.

With the exception of the drivetrain, the car is based
on the well-known ŠKODA Fabia Rally2 evo rally car
with some modifications. The suspension has been
modified to implement the battery into the car; a major
modification of the bodyshell floor was also necessary.

The Kreisel high performance lithium-ion battery has a
capacity of 52.5 kWh and provides an electrical tension
of 860 Volts. For optimum performance, the battery
block is mounted as low as possible in the chassis and
liquid-cooled by Shell E-Fluids.

“We are very excited about the cooperation
with ŠKODA Motorsport,” says Philipp Kreisel, the
company’s Managing Director. “Together we not

24 racetechmag.com September 2021 Issue 250 Subscribe +44 (0) 208 446 2100



www.racetechmag.com

26 MOTORSPORTS PROFESSIONAL

Puma WRC car revealed as Ford event of an accident.
goes all-in on electrification M-Sport managing director Malcolm Wilson said

M-SPORT Ford became the first team to reveal its ABOVE The new the new era of WRC cars marked one of the biggest
new-generation hybrid challenger for the landmark Puma Rally1 broke technological advancements in WRC history. “The
2022 FIA Word Rally Championship – based on the cover at Goodwood introduction of the hybrid means that the cars will
Puma road car. be more powerful than ever whilst also directly
reflecting the powertrains within their road-going
After months of speculation that the British squad counterparts,” he enthused.
would switch to a Puma after campaigning a Fiesta
since 2011, the wraps were taken off a prototype “The switch to the Puma is very exciting with the name
version of the car at last month’s Goodwood already having rally heritage. The car looks fantastic.”
Festival of Speed.
Ford Performance global director Mark Rushbrook
The WRC’s new hybrid era will combine the current said Ford was 100 per cent committed to an electrified
1.6-litre turbocharged engine with a 100 kW electric future. The company earlier this year announced that
motor and 3.9 kWh battery in top tier cars. The battery 100 per cent of its passenger vehicle range in Europe
will store energy gained from braking to provide a will be zero-emissions capable, all-electric or plug-in
performance boost and will also be rejuvenated at hybrid by mid-2026; moving to all-electric by 2030.
sustainable plug-in charging stations in the service park.
“The white heat of competition has been responsible
Weighing 95 kg, the hybrid system is liquid- and for many of the innovations that appear in our road
air-cooled and housed in a ballistic-strength casing cars today,” Rushbrook added. “The M-Sport Ford
to resist the impact of debris and g-forces in the Puma Rally1 will put hybrid power to the ultimate test,
and prove that the technology is capable of delivering
thrilling performance.”

The new plug-in hybrid powertrain will provide
competition-level performance as well as the ability to
travel through towns, cities and service parks between
stages using pure-electric power.

In addition to hybrid power, from next season
Rally1 competitors will use a 100 per cent fossil-free
hydrocarbon-based fuel provided by P1 Racing Fuels,
blending synthetic and bio-degradable elements.

Earlier this year Hyundai Motorsport and Toyota
Gazoo Racing joined M-Sport Ford in embracing the
hybrid era by pledging their futures to the production-
car based series for three years from 2022 to 2024.

New F4 car unveiled output has been adjusted so that the power
to weight ratio remains at the appropriate
THE FIA has unveiled the second- a powertrain package that includes level for this first step into single-seater
generation Formula 4 car to be used in the significant scope for modernisation while racing, with a target of 3.6 kg/BHP across
next homologation cycle of FIA-certified also providing for cost-control measures. all cars from the various championships.
Formula 4 championships around the world. The package comprises as many carry- The base of the FIA’s single-seater pyramid,
over parts as possible from the previous FIA-certified Formula 4 Championships
Featuring a Halo, the car’s survival cell has specification, whilst also allowing for have proved to be a success since their
been upgraded to be in line with the most hybridisation should championship introduction in 2014, with racing currently
up-to-date safety standards. Stringent load organisers wish to include it. The power organised in 11 countries.
tests will be implemented for the survival
cell side strength and the side and frontal ABOVE A Mygale-designed car “The second-generation Formula 4 car has
anti-intrusion panels of the new car. was used for the FIA launch been carefully developed by the FIA and its
suppliers and partners to offer a significant
National Formula 4 Championships upgrade in the key areas of safety and
certified by FIA are the first step out of performance whilst remaining cost-
karting into cars for young drivers at various effective,” said FIA Formula 1 Race Director
stages of physical development, and and Single Seater Sporting Director Michael
therefore the car unveiled in Monaco boasts Masi. “By continually working to cascade
more ergonomic flexibility to accommodate the knowledge and advancements made
different driver sizes and increased visibility in Formula 1 to junior categories, we are
to ensure maximum accessibility. offering the best possible preparation to the
next generations of drivers.”
Updates continue under the skin, with

26 racetechmag.com September 2021 Issue 250 Subscribe +44 (0) 208 446 2100

www.racetechmag.com

MOTORSPORTS PROFESSIONAL 27

Festival of Speed makes
triumphant return

GOODWOOD burst back into life with the 2021 explore the electric transition coming in 2030. BELOW The Festival
Festival of Speed last month, given the go-ahead In addition, taking home some silverware at the took place under the
as a pilot event by the UK Government’s Event government pilot scheme
Research Programme. end of the four days was the 1974 Lancia Stratos HF
Stradale owned by famed designer Marc Newson,
This year the Festival of Speed celebrated “The judged to be the finest and best-presented car on
Maestros – Motorsport’s Great All-Rounders” and the Cartier Style et Luxe Lawn.
key amongst them was ‘The Captain’ Roger Penske,
returning to Goodwood for the first time since he The Forest Rally Stage was once again host to a line-up
raced at the Goodwood Motor Circuit in a Ferrari of machines representing the long history of the World
250 GTO in 1969. As well as the man himself, who Rally Championship. This year saw the inaugural Hannu
was ever-quicker up the Hill in the Penske Porsche Mikkola Trophy, created in honour of the driver who
RS Spyder, was a collection of cars illustrating Team originally designed the stage for Goodwood and who
Penske’s incredible multidisciplinary haul of titles over sadly passed away in February, presented to James
the years including NASCAR, IndyCar, the Indy 500, Sunderland MP from the Armed Forces Rally Team
Australian Supercars and Le Mans. driving a Land Rover Wolf XD – judged to be the driver
who best emulated the Flying Finn’s fearless style.
Celebrated alongside Penske was Mario Andretti,
reunited with some of his championship-winning The passing of motorsport commentary legend
machines while Jacky Ickx, sadly unable to attend, Murray Walker was also marked at the Festival of Speed
was well represented by a class of sports, GT and with a moving tribute from Damon Hill.
saloon car winners.
The competition highlight of the Festival of Speed
After an 18-month hiatus with virtually no motor is the Shootout which this year saw cars from vintage
shows taking place, a host of new cars made their Mercedes to all eras of Formula 1, Touring and Le Mans
debuts in the First Glance and Michelin Supercar cars set a time up the 1.16-mile hillclimb passing in
categories. Stars in the former included the INEOS front of Goodwood House. Leading going into the final
Grenadier, Ford Mustang Mach E GT, Hyundai day was Travis Pastrana in his no-holds-barred Subaru
Ioniq5 and Land Rover Defender V8 take to the WRX STI (featured in RT249) with a time of 48.10.
Hill. Alongside them a number of cars made world
premieres: the Toyota GR 86, Genesis G70 Shooting The final was brought to a halt after a huge shunt
Brake, BMW 2 Series Coupé and Lotus Emira, by the Chevrolet Camaro NASCAR of Jack Tetley just
showcased alongside the Evija hypercar. metres from the finish line and by the time the track
cleared, rain was threatening to hamper the runs of
Likewise, the Michelin Supercar Run was a momentous the fastest qualifiers from the previous day. Despite a
collection of new metal being graced by the Bugatti strong challenge from final runner Pastrana with a time
Chiron Pur Sport, Aston Martin Vantage F1 Edition, of 46.20, it was a millimetre-perfect drive by Rob Bell in
Lamborghini Huracan STO, Lamborghini SCV12, the factory-backed McLaren 720S GT3X that tamed the
Maserati MC20, McLaren Artura, Rimac Nevera, Hill and took top honours in 45.01 seconds.
Porsche GT3 Touring, SCG 004S and Kimera 037.

The Hill was even graced with some competition car
debuts including the hydrogen-powered H24 Racing
LMPH2G, hybrid Toyota Corolla BTCC and Ford Puma
WRC and the Le Mans challenger SCG 007 LMH.

Future Lab presented by bp, Goodwood’s glimpse into
the future of mobility, continues to go from strength to
strength since its debut in 2017. This year the “festival
within a festival” encompassed a mission to Mars, deep
oceans exploration, flying and transforming cars and
even robot agriculture.

‘Electric Avenue – The Road To 2030’ presented by
Sky Zero, the home of electric mobility at the Festival
of Speed, proved to be one of the most popular
exhibits over the weekend. With a huge array of current
EVs from the diminutive Citroën AMI to the elegant
Pininfarina Battista hypercar, visitors were able to

Subscribe +44 (0) 208 446 2100 September 2021 Issue 250 racetechmag.com 27

www.racetechmag.com

28 MOTORSPORTS PROFESSIONAL

Jaguar boost for
Gen3 Formula E

JAGUAR Land Rover has pledged Jaguar World Championship,” our sustainable future and our ABOVE Jaguar
Racing’s long-term future to the Gen3 commented Thierry Bolloré, digital transformation.” will join a Gen3
era of the ABB FIA Formula E World Chief Executive Officer of series featuring
Championship – set to commence in the Jaguar Land Rover. “It is “Ahead of another important more powerful,
2022/23 season. already proving to be the technical milestone for lighter cars and
perfect environment to the FIA Formula E World fast-charging
Jaguar Racing’s race-winning motorsport design, collaborate, test and Championship, I salute capabilities
operation will help Jaguar Land Rover develop new sustainable Jaguar Racing as a premium
develop new sustainable technologies technologies at pace. manufacturer to commit to
and support Jaguar’s renaissance as an all- the next era of the discipline,”
electric luxury brand from 2025. “Jaguar Racing will not only said FIA President Jean Todt. “It
play a role in the renaissance of is positive to see such a team
The Formula E programme will Jaguar as a pure-electric luxury continue with us on a shared
contribute to Jaguar Land Rover’s brand, but across the entire mission to develop electric
Reimagine strategy – a commitment to electrified Jaguar Land Rover vehicle technology and promote
achieve zero tailpipe emissions by 2036, ecosystem, helping to deliver sustainable mobility.”
and net zero status across supply chain,
operators, and products by 2039.

Jaguar’s all-electric I-TYPE race cars have
achieved four victories and 12 podiums in
its 59 Formula E races and will continue
to be a real-world test bed for developing
new technologies.

Jaguar Racing will continue its successful
long-term technical partnership with
Williams Advanced Engineering into the
Gen3 era of Formula E.

“The Gen3 era of Formula E is an
exciting new chapter for the all-electric

Champion Lubricants reaffirms season for everybody in the sport, it is
commitment to World RX testament to the strength, resilience and
commitment of our two brands
CHAMPION Lubricants will continue quickest driver to reach the first corner, that we not only conquered this
to support the FIA World Rallycross and it will return in 2021. challenge but indeed emerged from it
Championship as Official Lubricant even more united and ready to embrace
Partner in 2021, as the series heads into Thomas Tap, Senior Director Marketing the future together.
an intriguing new season. & Sales, Rallycross Promoter GmbH, said:
“We are well aware of the company’s “We have been collaborating closely
Champion Lubricants first joined World passion for producing and supplying with Rallycross Promoter over the last few
RX last year as a key cornerstone of the first-class products from previous months, and we fully embrace and share
brand’s long-term global strategy. Not experience, but have also been greatly their vision for the championship’s future.
only did its top-quality products play an impressed by Champion’s commitment We believe World Rallycross is on the cusp
essential role in keeping the show on to helping us to build a bright future for of an exceptional new era.”
the road throughout a COVID-affected the World Championship as we embark
campaign, but the ‘Champion Fast Start upon our exciting new journey towards ABOVE The Champion Fast Start Award will continue
Award’ proved to be a popular addition electrification and sustainability.” to add further spice to the exciting first corner sprint
to the spectacle.
Yves Decat, Global Brand Manager
This accolade highlighted the cars’ at Champion Lubricants, added: “Last
eye-watering acceleration – with the year was our first as Official Lubricant
headlining 600 bhp Supercars (now RX1) Partner to the FIA World Rallycross
hitting 100 km/h in under two seconds, Championship, and whilst the global
faster than Formula 1 – by rewarding the pandemic clearly made it a challenging

28 racetechmag.com September 2021 Issue 250 Subscribe +44 (0) 208 446 2100

www.racetechmag.com

MOTORSPORTS PROFESSIONAL 29

Audi’s Dakar challenger up and running

JUST under a year after the initial concept development that we have realized together The Audi RS Q e-tron only needs one
idea, Audi Sport has started testing the with a partner,” says Stefan Dreyer, Head of forward gear. The front and rear axles are
new Audi RS Q e-tron, with which it will Development at Audi Sport for motorsport not mechanically connected, as is also
take on one of the greatest challenges left projects. “As engineers, we basically see common in electric vehicles. The software
in international racing in January 2022: development potential in every component. developed by Audi takes over the torque
the Dakar Rally. But in terms of the drivetrain system, we distribution between the axles and thus
have already achieved a system efficiency of creates a virtual and freely configurable
Audi wants to be the first car manufacturer over 97 per cent in Formula E. There’s not centre differential, which has the positive
to use an electrified drivetrain in much more room for improvement. side effect of being able to save the weight
combination with an efficient energy and space that would have been required
converter to compete for overall victory “The situation is quite different with the by propshafts and a mechanical differential.
against conventionally-powered rivals. battery and energy management. This is
where the greatest development potential Futuristic looks
Because there are no charging lies in electromobility in general. What we
opportunities in the desert, Audi has chosen learn from the extremely challenging Dakar Visually, the Audi RS Q e-tron also differs
an innovative charging concept: on board significantly from conventionally-powered
of the Audi RS Q e-tron, there is the highly ABOVE & BELOW Audi’s RS Dakar prototypes. “The vehicle looks
efficient TFSI engine from the DTM. It is Q e-tron is already testing futuristic and has many design elements
part of an energy converter that charges the that are typical of Audi,” says Juan Manuel
high-voltage battery while driving. Since project will flow into future production Diaz, Team Leader of Motorsport Design.
the combustion engine is operated in the models. As always, we are also working “Our aim was to symbolize Vorsprung durch
particularly efficient range of between 4,500 closely with our colleagues from road car Technik and the future of our brand.”
and 6,000 rpm, the specific consumption is development on this project.”
well below 200 grams per kWh. The prototype of the Audi RS
The maximum system power of the Q e-tron had its first roll-out in Neuburg
Formula E MGU e-drivetrain is 500 kW. How much of this at the beginning of July. An intensive test
may be used during the Dakar Rally is programme and the first test entries at
The drivetrain of the Audi RS Q e-tron is still being finalized by the organizers. The cross-country rallies are on the agenda
electric. The front and rear axles are both electric drivetrain offers many advantages. from now until the end of the year.
fitted with a motor-generator unit (MGU) The electric motors can be controlled
from the current Audi e-tron FE07 Formula extremely precisely and can thus ensure “This project’s schedule is extremely
E car which has been developed by Audi good drivability. In addition, braking packed and challenging,” says Andreas
Sport for the 2021 season. Only minor energy can be recovered. Roos, responsible for the Dakar project at
modifications had to be made to use the Audi. “Less than 12 months have passed
MGU in the Dakar Rally. since the project officially started. We
had to begin the development while the
A third MGU, of identical design, is part regulations for alternatively-powered
of the energy converter and serves to vehicles had not even been finalised yet.
recharge the high-voltage battery while
driving. In addition, energy is recuperated “And all of the development took place
during braking. The battery weighs about during the Corona pandemic. You mustn’t
370 kilograms and has a capacity of underestimate that either. What the team
around 50 kWh. has achieved so far is unique. The roll-out
was a very special moment for everyone.”
“The battery is also a proprietary

Subscribe +44 (0) 208 446 2100 September 2021 Issue 250 racetechmag.com 29

www.racetechmag.com

30 COVER STORY F1 2022

THE PUZZLE
COMES
TOGETHER

Will the 2022 car really revolutionise grand
prix racing? Our Expert Witness, an F1
insider who wants to protect their anonymity
– and job – delivers their verdict

THE governing body usually delivers the
new technical regulations, then waits with
trepidation to see how teams ‘interpret’ the
rules. This time, the F1 tech team has delivered a
new car itself. What’s going on?
“It simply highlights the strategic shift in learning,
preparation and implementation from the very top
of Formula 1. They have properly researched the car
geometry and characteristics that they want these
new regulations to produce. Therefore, they have the
CAD from this process and to strongly communicate
it have presented, produced YouTube videos and
even chosen to take another unprecedented step of
showing a full-scale version of their vision for F1.”

F1 MD Ross Brawn says the 2022 car marks
the start of a new philosophy. Is he right?
“Yes. Before, awkward F1 regulations were
often inherited over time with process
difficulty in renegotiating individual clauses
without significant consensus from the
participants. You could and did end up
with a flawed platform and an inability
to move swiftly or sufficiently away from it.

“This time the fundamental studies have
been done by those running the category
and then the regulations have been
written to turn those desirable aerodynamic
behaviours into reality. To bake them in.
Even with teams’ interpretations and
migration away from this ideal position,
the foundations for this starting point are
inherently correct.”

30 racetechmag.com September 2021 Issue 250 Subscribe +44 (0) 208 446 2100

www.racetechmag.com

COVER STORY 31

BELOW F1’s tech team have Most of us are cynics, yet this genuinely feels like
painstakingly researched an exciting development, doesn’t it?
the car geometry and “To remove the cynicism normally requires
characteristics that they proof. For a long time, the teams have been far
want the new regulations more concerned with their own vehicle’s relative
to produce. This is the performance and far less interested in the overall
embodiment of their vision success of the category as a whole. It has required
a takeover by Liberty Media to put the performance
of the entire field as the priority, then the structural
steps to make that happen. The direction of travel is
right; it now requires delivery on that promise. The
potential is exciting.”

The public want to see overtaking, not an
interesting start that becomes a procession”

Research shows that current F1 machines lose
35% of their downforce when running three car
lengths behind a leading car (approximately 20
metres, measured from the lead car’s nose to
following car’s nose), while closing up to one car
length (around 10 metres) results in a 47% loss.
How will this change – and why?
“The changes show these sensitivities to the wake
of the car in front will drop to only a 4% loss of
downforce at 20 metres and an 18% loss at 10
metres. A huge eight- and three-fold improvement
respectively. This is predominantly a result of the size,
shape and intensity of the wake – the low energy
airflow created by the car in front – being much

tidier and therefore better to follow. There is also the
evolution in the type of aerodynamic devices utilised
being much less sensitive to changes in those still
adverse flow conditions.”

Subscribe +44 (0) 208 446 2100 September 2021 Issue 250 racetechmag.com 31

www.racetechmag.com

32 COVER STORY F1 2022

What, for you, is the headline “This is one of the areas that has been RIGHT The open-
technical change? heavily refined and makes a strong return wheel concept was
“Approach. What are you trying to as part of the 2022 package. Interaction retained, considered
achieve? The fastest, most impressive, with the ground for aerodynamic benefit a central part of F1’s
entertaining racing series on the planet and has been in F1 since 1979, but has gone DNA, but the new car
still the ultimate challenge for the driver through multiple regulation and geometric will feature wheel
where only the very best will succeed. changes to try and manage its power, fairings and covers
stability and safety. By dictating wholesale
“Previously the ingredients to achieve key parameters through the 2022 rules,
that were in a regulation pot and the the strength and stability of this can be
teams extracted the most out of those largely controlled by the governance,
parameters they possibly could. Now greatly improving its overall performance.”
the Liberty F1 end product ambition has
driven the research, which has created One insider refers to the new front wing
the regulations platform for the series and nose section as an “anti-outwash”
to produce more competitive close package? What does he mean?
proximity racing and overtaking.” “The traditional exposed wheels in F1,
part of its DNA, are actually extremely
Ground effect has been banned since detrimental to its aerodynamic behaviour
1982, but the cars have still used this and performance. This can only be
phenomenon, haven’t they?

32 racetechmag.com September 2021 Issue 250 ABOVE LEFT &
BELOW LEFT Kiss
goodbye to dirty
air? Well, not quite,
but unprecedented
work has gone into
researching the
new car’s wake
characteristics

Subscribe +44 (0) 208 446 2100

www.racetechmag.com

COVER STORY 33

The front wing tip and
endplate have generated
‘outwash’, a bit like an
aerodynamic snowplough”

mitigated for with the rules you have a much worse and wider wake for any car “Tidying up that exposed wheel wake
available, the front wheels being of behind or alongside you trying to overtake. is critical to improving aerodynamic
particular concern as their wake would stability, both for your car and others.
propagate down the rest of your car, “The new package clearly identified this Adding fairings and wheel covers
disrupting its aero behaviour. as undesirable for close racing and the produce a much more consistent
F1 tech team has therefore come up with surface for some of these features to be
“A method employed by the grid to solve features to prevent this characteristic.” aligned and controlled. The difference
this was to use the front wing tip and front to 2009, though, is again that it is not
wing endplate to generate ‘outwash’, a Two of the striking features on the implemented solely for your own car
bit like an aerodynamic snowplough. This 2022 car are its over-wheel winglets performance, but to improve and reduce
would pull the wake of the front wheel and a return to a feature last seen in the wake effect of the tyre behaviour for
sideways, out and away from your car, a F1 in 2009 – wheel covers. Why have everyone on the grid.”
considerable overall benefit, but producing we done this?

Subscribe +44 (0) 208 446 2100 September 2021 Issue 250 racetechmag.com 33

www.racetechmag.com

34 COVER STORY F1 2022

What’s your take on the switch to ABOVE The switch to “The wake control of the new rear wing regulation
18-inch wheels? low-profile 18-inch simply illustrates the shift in emphasis enforced by
“Overdue. The world’s cars have wheels is long overdue F1, employing this principle but for the car behind.
migrated to bigger and bigger wheels as It is ‘anti-outwash’ and instead designed to produce
rims are typically much more attractive ‘upwash’. It narrows the wake of your car, collects it
than expanses of black rubber sidewall. centrally and pulls it up and over the car following.
F1’s 13-inch rims have become more and This from behind the car gives the wake the shape of
more out of step, but again ingrained a mushroom: narrow at the centre and wide and high
in the understanding, culture and at the top, entraining good quality clean flow from
architecture over time. the outside of your vehicle for the following car to
behave much more normally within.
“It is also fair to say that despite this
continuity, F1 tyre suppliers have had a “As the figures discussed from the research earlier
few challenges in providing a completely
robust product, so changing it completely
has had to be carefully implemented.
With much less sidewall it should provide
less movement, so perhaps a return to
more suspension compliance, notably at
the front. Also, a more consistent shape
for aerodynamic development due to less
tyre deformation.”

How important will that rear wing be BELOW The underbody
to the FIA’s attempts to reduce the tunnels will harness
turbulent wake? Go on, I bet you’re ground effect to generate
desperate to talk ‘mushrooms’! a downforce that is less
“The front of your own car is often a disruptive than that of
primary focus for a team, as the rest of the existing cars
your car has to perform in the resultant
wake from it.

34 racetechmag.com September 2021 Issue 250 Subscribe +44 (0) 208 446 2100



www.racetechmag.com

36 COVER STORY F1 2022

show, it is not quite as good as clear air or being in sure they were ready to develop accurately from this RIGHT The drivers
front, but a large multiple step in the right direction.” point going forward. got their first glimpse
of the full-size car
The teams have been granted regulatory “As ever, this starting point is idealistic and the at Silverstone
freedom to test the current 2022 car iteration for teams, as always, will try and evolve away from this
methodology development in their wind tunnels point for their own car performance. How robust the
and CFD (provided they don’t alter the shape). regulations are, and how much of the close racing
Was this good sense or will the teams already intent is maintained over time, will be the real test of
have ideas of how they can circumvent the the whole concept process.”
intention of the new rules?
“With any rule change this large the teams will have What are your thoughts on the switch to E10 fuel
been working at them for some time. You have to, or next season? Is this gesture politics?
you will be left behind. Getting guidance geometry “It’s an important step as part of an increasing
from F1 is completely new, but also allowed the teams sustainability and zero carbon agenda for F1. E10 is
to see, understand and realign their tools to make composed of 10% renewable ethanol, which reduces
fossil fuel use and reduces CO2 emissions. Like

36 racetechmag.com September 2021 Issue 250 Subscribe +44 (0) 208 446 2100

www.racetechmag.com

COVER STORY 37

Liberty Media have moved
some significant mountains”

anything it will give the F1 engine suppliers some
initial reliability and performance challenges, but
again it is alignment toward the direction of travel of
road car use and their adoption of E10.

“Part of a road map, you can expect this approach
to increase over time on the fuel F1 uses as well as
many other areas, driving a necessary serious green
philosophy for the future.”

LEFT The rear wing Ross Brawn says the raceability of the new car is
seeks to change crucial to the future of F1. Is he right?
‘outwash’ to ‘upwash’ “Yes. It has been at the core of this whole regulation
change strategy: how do we improve the quality
of the racing and therefore increase the audience
appeal? This feedback came directly from the TV
viewers due to the inherently poor characteristics of
the cars racing.

“Liberty Media know exactly how competitive that
sports viewing market is and want a return on their
considerable investment. They have moved some
significant mountains to redefine what was required
to improve that product. The 2022 season will finally
show if all that preparation has paid off. We all can,
and should, really look forward to it.”

Subscribe +44 (0) 208 446 2100 September 2021 Issue 250 racetechmag.com 37

www.racetechmag.com

38 BATTERY TECH Extreme E

“A STEP INTO
THE UNKNOWN”

Chris Pickering discovers how Extreme E, a series that competes in some of the
world’s most hostile environments, is helping to drive forward battery development

MOTORSPORT sits at the forefront of what’s possible BELOW Working with limited
with electric powertrains. Racing on a street course space in the car, simplicity,
is hard enough with these machines, but when your serviceability and modularity
venues range from an Arctic glacier to the deserts of Saudi were all critical design
Arabia, it adds a whole extra degree of complexity. requirements for the battery

Such is the world of Extreme E – Formula E’s muddy, sandy and
sometimes icy twin. It’s not necessarily a range of environments
that you’d normally choose for an electric vehicle, with
temperature-critical components and high voltage electronics.
But the series has demonstrated that electric vehicles can not
only operate in these conditions, but put on a spectacle worthy
of a TV audience.

The job of engineering a battery for this one-make series fell
to Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE). Arguably the most
experienced supplier in the world when it comes to propulsion

Williams Advanced Engineering

38 racetechmag.com September 2021 Issue 250 Subscribe +44 (0) 208 446 2100

www.racetechmag.com

BATTERY TECH 39

batteries for electric motorsport, WAE at times. Extremes of temperature, project was a discussion with Spark Racing
was the company that produced the from sub-zero overnight conditions in Technologies, which builds Extreme E
first-generation Formula E battery. After a temporary service parks in Greenland to cars. Here, the series organisers laid down
break from the series, it’s currently gearing +40 deg C in the desert, bring their own the power target for the vehicles, as well
up to return on the new Gen3 cars, as well challenges, as does the abundance of as an indication of the event format, race
as powering the ETCR electric touring cars sand, dust, gravel and water depending duration and the type of terrain involved.
and providing the battery for the fixed- on the location. This gave the WAE engineers a set of
spec hybrid system in the forthcoming
LMDh sports car category. The starting inputs from which to build their own
point for the drive cycle to use as a template for
There’s not much in international-level the battery development. From
electric racing that the company hasn’t there they could start to look
done. And yet Extreme E is also a step at cell chemistry and
into the unknown in some respects. The module design.
cars are battered by constant vibration “Mass is a key
and harsh shocks as they race across the consideration for any
course, with jumps that motorsport project, so
send them fully airborne we started looking

Subscribe +44 (0) 208 446 2100 September 2021 Issue 250 racetechmag.com 39

www.racetechmag.com

40 BATTERY TECH Extreme E

Extreme E surfaces and steep gradients mean that
the cars require a lot of power to deliver
at the technologies out there that could ABOVE The biggest dramatic-looking performance.
deliver the specific power and specific challenges in Saudi
energy that we needed,” recalls Glen Arabia were sand, More than 3,600 of them are used in
Pascoe, principal design engineer at WAE. temperature and each battery, with a series of modules
“At the early concept stage you have to thin air that are combined to make each pack.
make a choice between the available cell These follow a bespoke design, tailored
formats, such as small cylindrical, large to the short, intense periods of running
cylindrical or pouch cells. We always look in Extreme E. Most notably, they run
at how those compare to things that without any form of onboard cooling
we’ve done before.”
Subscribe +44 (0) 208 446 2100
Ultimately, the decision was taken to
go for a bespoke module design using
cylindrical cells that were commercially-
available, but also new to WAE. The
engineers began by running cell-level
models to verify that the selected
chemistry was capable of meeting the
requirements, before progressing to
physical testing.

The module has
been designed to
allow air cooling,
direct liquid
cooling or indirect
liquid cooling”

“We’ve got the facilities here to RIGHT Williams
characterise a cell and not just read the Advanced Engineering
official information off a data sheet,” had to meet tough
notes Pascoe. “These in-depth studies on power and mass
the performance and degradation of the performance targets
cell tell us what it can really do, because and deliver a bespoke
quite often we’re pushing them beyond battery pack design in
the capabilities that are officially given under 12 months
on the data sheet.”

Keeping cool

He describes the chosen type as a ‘power
cell’ – aimed primarily at delivering a
high specific power output for a relatively
short amount of time. This is particularly
relevant to Extreme E where the loose

40 racetechmag.com September 2021 Issue 250

www.racetechmag.com

BATTERY TECH 41

system. Instead, the cars are connected be transported around the world by the from the cells once they are no longer
up to an external air conditioning system series, and it gave us the performance suitable for use in the Extreme E car).
prior to each run, which either cools or that we needed.”
heats the air as required before passing it The benefits of using this concept are
through the system. WAE didn’t have an air-cooled module in plain to see. It provides a lighter, simpler
its existing line up, so much of the early and potentially more reliable battery,
“The module design had to allow design work focused on developing this but that’s not to say it was a foregone
for this blown-air system,” comments concept. It had to be readily serviceable conclusion, Pascoe points out: “The
Pascoe. “Going down this route simplified and capable of being broken down into module has been designed to allow air
the construction of the overall battery, it sub-assemblies at the battery’s end of life cooling, direct liquid cooling or indirect
removed the need for dielectric fluids to (with a view to providing ‘second life’ roles liquid cooling. That flexibility means we

Williams Advanced Engineering

Subscribe +44 (0) 208 446 2100 September 2021 Issue 250 racetechmag.com 41

www.racetechmag.com

42 BATTERY TECH Extreme E

Extreme E

could deploy different configurations into different and shock work before we went anywhere ABOVE With races being head-to-
projects in the future and respond to any changing near the first development car,” he notes. head over short distances, batteries
needs of the series. As it stands, we’re happy with the are sized to manage high intensity
way the battery performed in 40-degree heat in Saudi Ease of assembly operation over a shorter time than
Arabia, but we’re fairly close to the limits with the in other e-racing series, but in a far
current design.” Simply the logistics of getting engineers harsher environment
out to Extreme E’s remote locations
Extensive CFD simulation was used to find a layout can be challenging. Even under COVID BELOW Extreme E takes
that would provide the right cooling at a module level. precautions it’s possible to get overnight battery technology away from
A prototype was then built and tested to validate the deliveries or hand luggage sent out to traditional circuits and into hostile
model before moving on to pack-level studies using most of the normal motorsport locations, environments where humidity, dust,
the dedicated high voltage lab at WAE’s Grove HQ. but there’s only one flight a week to extremes of temperature, shock
Greenland, Pascoe points out. Miss it and and vibration all play a huge part
“We try to keep the costs in check by doing small you miss the race.
scale tests and then relating these back to the Extreme E
models,” comments Pascoe. “That means we gain Typically, the support team consists of
confidence in the model as we build up towards a full
pack. The aim is to get a complete pack that matches
the thermal performance that you’ve modelled along
the way. By that point, you can optimise it and make
further changes through modelling alone. That
applies equally to thermal work and structural work,
and we can be optimising both in parallel.”

Much of the structural development focused on a
vibration and harshness cycle that’s been built up
over the course of WAE’s electric projects, looking at
a combination of motorsport, road car and shipping
standards. Again, this required a mixture of simulation
and physical testing, both at a module and pack level.

“The travel restrictions [due to COVID] last year really
limited our opportunities to get batteries into real cars
for testing. Instead, we did a lot of full-pack vibration

42 racetechmag.com September 2021 Issue 250 Subscribe +44 (0) 208 446 2100



www.racetechmag.com

44 BATTERY TECH Extreme E

three people – a data engineer, a battery technician Checks are carried out BELOW 1120
and a software integration specialist – looking after electronically, with special kWh energy was
11 batteries (nine teams, one complete spare car and scripts that allow the discharged in Senegal
one spare battery). engineers to do a deep and nearly 2000
dive into information” kWh across the
The Extreme E battery was designed with one eye championship’s first
on ease of manufacture. This also brings benefits shipping those around with the series, but we don’t two events
in other areas, Pascoe explains, because something plan to use them for normal running.”
that’s easy to build is generally also easy to service
and repair: “We don’t have the luxury of a battery The WAE engineers will strip each battery and carry out
build workshop or a clean room in the locations that a series of electrical checks when they return at the end
the Extreme E series visits. We’re working in tents in of the season. Individual parts will be replaced if required,
the desert. So the pack is heavily modular and easy but it’s hoped that the vast majority of the pack,
to build. We tried to qualify that throughout the including the cells, will be re-used for a second season.
design phase and that’s now set a new template for
our future projects.” Driven by data

The complete battery packs were all loaded onto The use of battery data to monitor performance and
the Extreme E support vessel, the RMS Helena, at predict future degradation has come on leaps and
the docks in Liverpool in January, along with the bounds since WAE developed the battery management
cars themselves. All being well, they won’t return to system (BMS) for the first-generation Formula E car,
Grove until the end of the season. Pascoe points out. There are voltage and temperature
measurements for every single cell, along with other
All routine checks are carried out electronically, with monitoring systems throughout the pack.
special scripts that allow the engineers to do a deep
dive into information that’s not part of the normal “The level of development in the software and control
onboard battery monitoring; this includes analysing systems has been comparable to the hardware. We
any historical trends that may develop from one race learn from all our projects, whether it’s a battery for a
to the next. They also check historical data to ensure mining truck or a racing car. It all gives us data about
that the batteries have been stored under the correct the different types of cells and their degradation,”
conditions in between rounds, as excessively high or he notes. “I think we’ll start to see predictive and
low temperatures can accelerate degradation. preventative maintenance that will help to extend
the first life applications of batteries, along with much
“All of the regular work is hands-off and data- better tools to predict second life applications.”
driven,” comments Pascoe. “There aren’t really any
service items that need to be replaced in between Extreme E provides a particularly good opportunity
events, and our lab tests have shown that the
batteries are fundamentally reliable. We do carry a
small number of spares, mindful of the implications of

Subscribe +44 (0) 208 446 2100

www.racetechmag.com

BATTERY TECH 45

to carry out this work as it involves taking a fleet of Porsche AG
high-performance vehicles to the world’s most extreme
environments. It also helps the engineers to optimise Jaguar
their data points and identify trends.
ABOVE WAE learned battery was back in service later on in that event.
“We have an almost unlimited number of data a lot about how to All of this highlights the fact that the Extreme E
channels,” comments Pascoe. “Over the course of extract the highest
various projects, we’ve come to realise that the way levels of performance powertrain is successfully delivering on the targets
we were logging certain things was unnecessary. By from a battery through laid down for the first season. If the rate of evolution
reducing that, we’re able to focus our attention on the likes of Porsche’s seen in Formula E is anything to go by, there should
things where we do benefit from logging at a greater hybrid WEC programme be plenty more to come, but that begs the question
frequency. That helps our engineers to work more (top) and its technical of just how far battery technology could go in off-road
efficiently on the analysis that they’re doing now, but partnership with Jaguar racing. A fully-electric car successfully completed the
it also drives the next version of the BMS software. The in Formula E Dakar Rally for the first time in 2017, but it finished
rate at which we’ve been learning from the battery is in last place, well behind any of the conventionally-
on another level for this project.” powered contenders. So could we see an all-electric
vehicle on the Dakar?
Another key topic is safety. In some respects, Extreme
E pushes this even further with the inhospitable
conditions in which the engineers, mechanics and
support crews have to work. And yet the cars use a
well-proven and comparatively simple safety light
system, which has already demonstrated its worth in
this series as well as others.

“The implementation of safety lights is the same
across Formula E, ETCR or Extreme E,” he reports. “If
you see the green light on the car you know what
that means. We saw that in action following Claudia
Hürtgen’s crash, where the car barrel-rolled four
times and the first responders noted that the green
light was still on, so the battery and the high-voltage
system was in a safe condition.”

There was nothing in the data to suggest any
problems, but the WAE engineers opened up the
battery as a precautionary measure. Satisfied that
everything was okay, they sealed it back up, having
used a vacuum cleaner to remove any sand. The same

Ultimate endurance event

“The Dakar is the ultimate endurance event. Battery
technology isn’t quite there yet and I think the range
extender option [taken by Audi] is a smart move right
now,” comments Pascoe. “But when you look how far
battery technology has come from the first season of
Formula E – when the drivers were swapping between
two cars just to complete the race – to the present
day, the trajectory is such that I think we will get there.
Obviously, you could achieve that goal sooner if you
reduced the power, but motorsport is partly about the
speed and the spectacle.”

For now, Extreme E certainly has speed and spectacle,
with cars launching off the top of sand dunes and
blasting across deserts – all of which is testament to the
work put in by WAE and the other organisations involved
in building and running these remarkable machines.

Subscribe +44 (0) 208 446 2100 September 2021 Issue 250 racetechmag.com 45

www.racetechmag.com

46 POWER TECH Delta Cosworth

COSWORTH
ACCELERATES
ROADMAP TO
ELECTRIFICATION

;OL HJX\PZP[PVU VM +LS[H HU LSLJ[YPÄLK WV^LY[YHPU
ZWLJPHSPZ[ Z[YLUN[OLUZ *VZ^VY[O»Z WVZP[PVU H[ [OL OLHY[ VM
[OL [YHUZWVY[ [LJOUVSVN` YL]VS\[PVU )` Chris Pickering

EARLIER this year an acquisition Carpenter] and I had grown up with, and
took place involving two companies we thought that Cosworth’s capabilities
with nearly 70 years of combined would complement Delta’s very well.”
motorsport experience. One, Cosworth,
is a household name that’s been present Within the group, Cosworth already has
in the upper echelons of the sport since an electronics division based in Cottenham
1958. The other, Delta, is a comparative and a propulsion centre in Northampton.
newcomer that those outside of the Delta brings a wealth of expertise on
industry might not know by name; but electrification, systems integration and
the chances are that they’ll be familiar vehicle-level engineering, which means
with its work, because Delta has worked that the group could now feasibly create
behind the scenes with some of the an entire electric or hybrid powertrain
biggest brands in the business. in-house. And while much of Delta’s
previous work has focused on concept
“We’d reached the point where we development, Cosworth has a long history
thought it was best to get a partner of commercialising technology and
onboard to grow the business,” comments bringing it into the market. Combined,
Simon Dowson, managing director of they give the Cosworth group a
Delta. “We spoke to various people, but formidable set of abilities.
it was Cosworth that stood out as the
best fit. It’s a brand that [co-founder Nick “We’re looking at how we can go
beyond the sub-system side of things,”

46 racetechmag.com September 2021 Issue 250 LEFT The BTCC’s new drop-in
hybrid system, designed and built
by a Cosworth-led consortium,
offers tangible benefits to
performance and efficiency but
at an affordable level

Subscribe +44 (0) 208 446 2100

^^^ YHJL[LJOTHN JVT

POWER TECH 47

LEFT Delta’s industry-
leading work with battery
technology further
strengthens Cosworth’s
hand at a time when
innovative battery and EV
solutions are shaping the
future of transport

Subscribe +44 (0) 208 446 2100 September 2021 Issue 250 racetechmag.com 47

www.racetechmag.com

48 POWER TECH Delta Cosworth

Delta has worked automotive engineering, having started off in BELOW & RIGHT The
behind the scenes with motorsport. That’s particularly true of Delta, which GP Masters project
some of the biggest started off building single-seaters under the Delta was a baptism of fire
brands in the business” Motorsport banner, but later diversified to such an for Delta, but was
extent that the last part of the name was dropped. a launchpad into
comments Dowson. “There are many cars out there Ironically, the growing interest in electric and hybrid developing full vehicles
with Cosworth electronics systems, and the company powertrains is now luring Delta back into motorsport,
has a huge amount of experience in developing as part of the Cosworth group.
and producing race engines; with Delta’s expertise
on batteries and integration there’s the potential to “It was always said that motorsport led the way
deliver a complete package.” for automotive technologies, but a lot of the work is
now the other way around, with automotive leading
Both companies have moved into mainstream into motorsport,” comments Dowson. “Motorsport
is very technically challenging, but automotive
poses greater challenges in terms of cost targets,
robustness and ease of use. Those are factors that

48 racetechmag.com September 2021 Issue 250 Subscribe +44 (0) 208 446 2100

www.racetechmag.com

POWER TECH 49

are becoming far more important as electrification starts to
filter down from the very highest levels of motorsport into
more affordable categories.”

A good example of this is the new hybrid system employed by
the British Touring Car Championship. Built to a cost target of
£20,000 per car, per season, this drop-in hybrid system has been
designed and built by a Cosworth-led consortium, in which Delta
[prior to the acquisition] acted as a battery supplier.

Racing roots BELOW With its roots
in motorsport, Delta
Delta was founded in 2005, but its roots can be traced back to has provided behind-
the 1990s. Dowson joined Reynard – one of the largest racecar the-scenes support to
constructors in the world at the time – as a graduate engineer partners at all levels
in 1995. Having done stints in various departments he ended on the racing ladder
up as operations manager, overseeing the firm’s production
activities until it closed its doors in 2002.

After that, Dowson joined up with a group of former-Reynard
engineers to continue supporting the manufacturer’s vehicles
that were still in circulation across the world. He was later
contacted by Carpenter – another Reynard colleague – who was
looking for someone to provide support for a project he was
working on at Piper Design. The pair worked well together and
soon decided to form their own company.

Subscribe +44 (0) 208 446 2100 September 2021 Issue 250 racetechmag.com 49

www.racetechmag.com

50 POWER TECH Delta Cosworth

“This was around the time that the GP Masters LEFT The Delta S2 flexible vehicle
series was being developed,” explains Dowson. platform, an autonomous-capable
“They’d already lined up a supplier, who it turned electric vehicle test bed, enables
out wasn’t able to deliver the cars in time. We got rapid and low-risk development of
introduced to GP Masters via a friend of mine who new vehicle configurations
was aware that I’d acquired the original Reynard
Champ Car tooling. We reckoned we could modify Subscribe +44 (0) 208 446 2100
the design enough to avoid any IP issues, and still
use the tooling as the basis for a batch of cars.
That was around June – by the time we’d actually
signed the contract I think it was July – and the cars
were due in November, so it was a bit of a baptism
of fire, but we were able to do it. That gave us a
launchpad into doing full vehicles.”

The company went on to provide behind the
scenes support to a number of Formula 1 teams,
as well as running ADR’s World Endurance
Championship squad. Other competition projects
followed, but the company began to focus on
mainstream automotive and other sectors outside
of motorsport. In 2010 it even produced its own
road-legal four-seat electric coupé, the Delta
E4, largely as a showcase for its whole-vehicle
engineering capabilities.

Dowson and Carpenter successfully grew the
business to a team of more than 50 people. The
decision was then taken to seek shareholders or
a buyer who could help Delta take the next step
in commercialising its IP, which is when Cosworth
enters the story.

Sadly, Carpenter passed away shortly before the
acquisition was announced, but the management
team that he and Dowson had established ensured
that the company was well-placed to take the next
step under Cosworth’s ownership.

Hybrid revolution

The E4 coupé is one of a number of fully-electric
projects that Delta has undertaken on the road car
side (most of them behind the scenes). It’s an area
that clearly has potential in motorsport too, but
Dowson says that he sees hybridisation as a more

50 racetechmag.com September 2021 Issue 250