In the audience, you could hear the gasps of amazement as Duncan Dayton (Highcroft Racing team owner and DeltaWing leader) and Scott Clark (Chief Operating Officer, Michelin Americas Small Tyres) pulled the black cover off the Project 56 DeltaWing prototype car that will take part in the 2012 Le Mans 24 Hours. And Michelin has announced that it will be the first major technical partner to support the radical project with a tyre solution that pushes the performance envelope and matches the innovative DeltaWing strategy to reduce by half the weight, power, aerodynamic drag, fuel and tyre consumption of a Le Mans prototype race car while delivering the same speed and performance.

Tyres are a critical part of the DeltaWing design and Michelin called on its own unique experience of endurance racing and Le Mans while developing these tyres. The four wheeled DeltaWing features a virtual three-point layout with narrow front track, wide rear track and significantly reduced aerodynamic drag. With this unique chassis layout, the tyre solution presented distinct challenges.

“The DeltaWing presents exciting new territory for Michelin to explore,” said Nick Shorrock, director of Michelin Competition. “Reducing energy consumption and materials — while maintaining, or even enhancing performance— is especially relevant in meeting the needs of consumers worldwide. Project 56 takes fresh ideas and puts them into a dramatic new package and we look forward to these challenges and opportunities.”

During the development process, Michelin engineers worked side-by-side with the DeltaWing team in order to understand the speed, load and stresses that the tyres might experience.

“Michelin is the clear technical and environmental leader in motorsports in the international marketplace,” said Duncan Dayton. “Michelin and its technical partner teams have won the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the last 14 consecutive years, so everyone involved in the program is tremendously excited to have Michelin on-board,” said Dayton.

24 hours of le Mans, Deltawing, Highcroft Racing, Michelin, Petit Le Mans 2011