Lotus LMP2

In 2000, the staff of Lotus LMP2 made its first steps in motorsport and competed in Formula 3. One year later, the crew with its driver Pierre Kaffer could celebrate four race wins and also fight for the championship. There were more successful seasons in this series, in which the team got manufacturer support. Young talents like Formula 1 drivers Vitantonio Liuzzi, Adrian Sutil and Sakon Yamamoto and DTM racer Jamie Green are only some examples for those, who were supported by the team.

Already in 2006, the squad started for the first time with two Audi A4 DTM in the German Touring Car Series (DTM), at that time under the name of Futurecom-TME. In its debut season Jeroen Bleekemolen and Nicolas Kiesa, the five-time Formula 1 Grand Prix driver, were at the wheel of the Audi A4 DTM. The following years Adam Carroll, Markus Winkelhock, Christian Bakkerud and the former Formula 1 driver Christijan Albers took a seat in the TME cockpit just like Vanina Ickx and Katherine Legge did. The cooperation with Audi was expanded continuously and therefore, the team concentrated its engagement in the touring car and sports car sector.

In 2009, the team additionally spent time on the Le Mans Series (LMS) in which two Audi R10 TDI were running. Its first season in LMS with its drivers Christijan Albers, Christian Bakkerud, Andrew Meyrick, Giorgio Mondini, Narain Karthikeyan and Charles Zwolsman the team concluded being 4th of the constructors’ championship.

In June 2009, the crew based in Greding participated in the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans for the very first time and finished the race in positions 7 and 9 respectively. One year later, both cars had to retire just before the end of the race placed in promising positions. Two hours before the chequered flag dropped, the racers Christijan Albers, Oliver Jarvis and Christian Bakkerud were eight laps ahead of their competitor that finished the race in 4th position.

At the premiere of the Asian Le Mans Series in Okayama in 2009, the drivers Christian Bakkerud and the British Audi factory driver Oliver Jarvis succeeded in finishing in third position and consequently on the podium.

The staff members are bringing a lot of experience and knowledge with them from their engagement in the German Touring Car Series DTM, Formula One and other Formula series as well as from the sports cars and GT series. With this good staff, the team managed the impossible in spring 2010 and established the Hispania Racing, HRT F1 Team with a preparation time of only three weeks. The team made its debut at the opening Grand Prix and has surprised experts and fans with this effort and success. At the 2011 Canadian Grand Prix in Montréal, Hispania Racing, HRT F1 Team was able to achieve its best race result so far.

While one part of the crew participated in the Canadian Formula One Grand Prix in June 2010, the other part was in France to race at the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans that took place at the same weekend as the race in Montréal.

In 2012, the team is participating under the name of Lotus LMP2 in the newly created FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) contesting with Lotus-powered Lola B12/80 LMP2 Coupe.

The team is confident to build on its success from the past and wants to become a real challenger in the FIA WEC.

(information © Lotus LMP2)

Drivers 2012 season:

Thomas Holzer

Mirco Schultis

The car

Lotus LMP2 is using the new Lola B12/80 LMP2 Coupe that is powered by a V8 Lotus engine and compliant with the new regulations for the FIA World Endurance Championship. The car is fitted with an Xtrac gearbox with pneumatic paddle shift system and Carbon brakes with AP Racing six-piston calipers.

The team has decided to run a Lola chassis because Lola is the world’s leading manufacturer of costumer race cars and counts five LMP2 wins at the Le Mans 24 Hours since 2000.

Car

• Lola one-piece construction carbon composite monocoque chassis
• Carbon monocoque
• Weight of petrol-engined coupe 900 kg
• Adjustable pedal box and steering wheel/column for driver safety and comfort
• Optimized aero configurations offering wide range of low-drag/high-downforce set-ups
• Wind tunnel and CFD tested aerodynamic configuration
• Suspension with wishbones and pushrods, adjustable dampers, springs and anti-roll bar

• V8 Lotus engine
• Total cylinder capacity 3600 cc
• ECU with Motec data logging server
• AP carbon clutch