Highcroft's Deltawing *Update: granted ALMS 2013 full entry! *

[Hun200kmh]

Sorry to revive this one month later but I was browsing and ended up on Highcroft's site and in this particular page, from last month, announcing a new partner that will build the brakes of the DeltaWing.

Here: http://www.highcroftracing.com/news/2011/12/2/deltawing-to-showcase-ultra-light-brake-technolog.html

Of course I had never thought about it but the braking of this thing really is one more problem to solve, with those skinny front tyres you would assume they would get their brakes from a Grand Prix ... bike!

Anyway, I read with great interest all that article and lastly my jaw dropped (again, as many times before regarding this car) when I got to this bit:

“The front of the DeltaWing is extremely compact so we had to be very creative with the packaging of the design to ensure adequate performance over 24 hrs while keeping the component weights to a minimum. The car is unique in that 60 per cent of the braking occurs at the rear wheels, but that doesn’t mean we could ignore the front."

And here I am saying every night I have to tweak a GT5 car setup that Kaz's team must have a moronic brake engineer that sets brake balance to 5/5 in all cars by default

(I wonder, if GT6 features the Deltawing, what will the default brake balance be? For once, 5/5 wouldn't be too far off )

 

[Hun200kmh]

Michelin built and delivered the tyres!

I knew already how they had to look like, but - what can I say - just seeing it done made for another jaw drop.

I was reminded of the 6 wheeled Tyrrel P34. And of how what ultimately killed it was the lack of interest from Goodyear in keeping up the tyre development for those one-of-a-kind front tyres that only fitted one car. So, no tyres ... no car.

Anyway, some may hate this, call it Wang, whatever. IF this car gets to the grid next June and laps competitively, I suspect it won't last the race, or if it lasts it will be with a few hours of pitwork to solve all the many problems a new project always has.

In any case, what I see here is a formidable technological achievement for all involved. Tyre manufacturer included. Great work! 👍



Just take a look at this:

Full press release from Highcroft --------> HERE

 

[TheCracker]

Can't believe how narrow those front tyres are

Originally i wondered how they'd manage to dissipate all the heat generated under braking from such a small confined area of the car (whilst using more traditional width front tyres). Now i wonder how they'll manage to slow it down with such a narrow contact patch at the front.

I still think it will be very pointy and ultimately understeery in the corners.

 

[F1 fan]

I still think it will be very pointy and ultimately understeery in the corners.

I second this. And those front tyres... Wouldn't want to be blasting down the mulsanne and having to make a sharp turn to avoid traffic with those. They look like motorbike tyres that have been cut too flat.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I hope this project doesn't end in disaster.

 

[Tired Tyres]

Four inch wide front tyres.

It will be interesting to watch it in action, I want to see it attack a corner.

 

[MatskiMonk]

So who is the major OEM engine manufacturer?

 

[Furinkazen]

I see this being the "Aston Martin AMR-One" of this year... wait I forgot the car uses the chassis from the AMR-One

 

[Blaze_409]

i tried hard to believe in this car but seeing those front tires.....Im done.

 

[Stavelot]

i tried hard to believe in this car but seeing those front tires.....Im done.

My god we agree on something....

 

[hawkeye122]

That thing needs to create a hell of a lot of front downforce to be able to turn...

 

[Blaze_409]

It does not even have a rear wing or a splitter.....Check the pictures. i just noticed. better be damn good ground effects

 

[Prince.M5]

They're not joking. That's the front tyre!

Look at the size difference between the rear and the front tyres. That's a BIG difference - even looks like a bike tyre!

[Picture courtesy of americanlemans.com]

EDIT: Until I see the car rolls, my hope of seeing it running faster than even a GT car is done.

 

[Snaeper]

I am of the distinct opinion that Dan Gurney, Don Panoz and Highcroft Racing believe in this car and know a helluva a lot more about it's abilities than us armchair racers do!

I would like to see the car show up and surprise the hell out of the rest of the competition but all remains to be seen. I just wanna see a video of the thing in motion.

 

[Northstar]

I am of the distinct opinion that Dan Gurney, Don Panoz and Highcroft Racing believe in this car and know a helluva a lot more about it's abilities than us armchair racers do!

I sure hope they do.

 

[nitrorocks]

Mark my words in turn one at Le Mans this year, that car is going to be in the gravel. And Stavelot is lucky enough to see it firsthand!!!!!! 👍

 

[Hun200kmh]

Mark my words, either this car fails miserably its first test run and the whole project is shelved, or it doesn't and it will not pit in the turn one gravel.

To be honest, I still can't imagine how this car can possibly work. How will it brake with such skinny front tyres, how will it turn ... but with so many great engineers and companies behind it ... I am forced to believe there's got to be something here. Something I - not being an engineer - cannot understand.

 

[nitrorocks]

Dan Gurney knows what he's doing

 

[Tired Tyres]

As do Don Panoz and Highcroft Racing. These guys are not idiots.

Wait until you see it in action before you rubbish it. It might surprise you.

 

[nitrorocks]

I still think its ugly

 

[Blaze_409]

As do Don Panoz and Highcroft Racing. These guys are not idiots.

Wait until you see it in action before you rubbish it. It might surprise you.

Yes because Don Panoz built the Ferrari,Porsche, BMW and corvette killer Abruzzi....the Abruzzi canes those cars regularly.....(yes I'm being sarcastic)

And Highcroft completely knew what they were doing when after they finished second at Sebring and then left....

 

[Stavelot]

Highcroft couldnt stop the Japanese earthquake so it's not their fault they lost the giant killing HPD they ran...

 

[Bram Turismo]

As do Don Panoz and Highcroft Racing. These guys are not idiots.

Wait until you see it in action before you rubbish it. It might surprise you.

This.

I hate it when people blindly smash the development of new technology within motorsports. I have no reason to believe why this project could not work like the original goal behind it intended it to.

Being harshly honest now, I'd put my money on Highcroft racing and a crew of highly educated engineers instead of members of a random forum dismissing a project because "the tires are skinny, how will it brake!11!!!!"

 

[TheCracker]

I hate it when people blindly smash the development of new technology within motorsports. I have no reason to believe why this project could not work like the original goal behind it intended it to.

The original goal behind it was to do something different for the sake of being different. Doesn't come across like sound engineering principle to me.

The Delta Wing concept was developed as an alternative idea for oval racing, and it very well could have worked in that discipline. After being rejected it was picked up and proposed as a sports prototype. It was never designed to run on regular circuits with massively differing speed and radius corners, bumps, curbs or heavy braking zones. It wasn't designed to run with regular shaped GT's and LMP's either.

At best it will be slow, at worst it will be dangerous to anyone else out on track.

I wouldn't fancy turning into Mulsanne or either of the two chicanes, only to be speared in the side by the DW that can neither turn or brake effectively.

 

[Cap'n Jack]

After being rejected it was picked up and proposed as a sports prototype.

If the Deltawing does turn out to be a failure on a circuit, then I think IndyCar will be quite pleased with their decision to reject the design, considering only four rounds this year are on ovals. I can hardly imagine the Deltawing getting around Le Mans, let alone a circuit like Long Beach!

 

[Stavelot]

Apparently it has been designed to get around the Long Beach hairpin...

However, I will be so happy to watch it not even make the first hour at Le Mans this year.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

However, I will be so happy to watch it not even make the first hour at Le Mans this year.

What's with the negativity? They dared to be creative about it, and you're just swatting them down like flies.

 

[Prince.M5]

However, I will be so happy to watch it not even make the first hour at Le Mans this year.

As much as I doubt it being able to turn or even going faster than a GTE car after all the clues given, I never being so negative hoping them to not even making into the first corner, now the first hour...

 

[Blaze_409]

It's one thing to simply not believe in the car like me, its a little extreme to wish bad things.....

 

[Stavelot]

I'm allowed to dislike it, it's a ton of lies (where's the innovation?) and other than looking ridiculous it just comes off as ludicrous that anyone believes such a light car will be able to handle the abuse that will be thrown at it over the course of the race.

It has no place on the grid and that is my opinion.

 

[Prince.M5]

Whatever you're saying is your opinion and I thoroughly respect that but that is not a ticket for you to wish anything bad like being happy the car not able to make into the first corner, not even finish the first hour and if I remember correctly, only able to run in a demonstration lap.