Skip advert
Advertisement

Nissan’s radical front-wheel drive LMP1 car back again in 2016

Front-wheel drive LMP1 car will join the full WEC circus when the season restarts in April 2016

Nissan has confirmed its front-wheel drive GT-R LM Nismo LMP1 car is set to return to a full racing schedule in 2016.

After making an encouraging, if troubled debut at the Le Mans 24 Hours in June, the car was scheduled to appear at subsequent World Endurance Championship events.

However, continuation of technical issues faced at the world-famous French event led to those plans being delayed, with no clear indication of whether the team would return before next year’s race at Le Mans.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Now, Nismo president Shoichi Miyatani has reaffirmed the company’s focus on competition. ‘We are committed to competing at the highest level and we are not happy when we are not winning,’ he said. ‘Racing is a vital part of our DNA and we will work to get this right.’

In order to prepare the car for next year’s WEC season, Nissan has hired Michael Carcamo from Nissan Mexico to adopt the role of Team Principal.

Previously, this position was held by Ben Bowlby, who also designed the front-wheel drive racer. Far from a vote of no confidence in Bowlby’s abilities, Carcamo’s appointment should allow Bowlby to commit greater focus to the car’s engineering.

‘Ben had his hands full trying to do everything; managing the design and build but also the race and test operation,’ explained Carcamo. ‘My knowledge of Nissan engineering processes and project planning experience will help Ben and the team concentrate on making the car deliver on it’s promise’.

The team reports that multiple changes have been made to the car since Le Mans, though it’s also clear that a major hindrance in its Le Mans specification – that of non-functional KERS – remains non-operational.

On a more positive note, the team suggests the car is already much faster at Circuit of the Americas in Texas than it has previously run, suggesting Nismo has found latent pace within the car. With KERS, and a new bespoke tyre currently under development by Michelin, the car has potential to be even faster.

Whether it’ll be fast enough to compete with the searing pace of 2015 Le Mans winners Porsche, and the consistency of Audi come the opening round at Silverstone in April 2016, remains to be seen.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Le Mans 24 Hours 2025: Ferrari claims victory for the third time running
Ferrari 499P Le Mans winner
News

Le Mans 24 Hours 2025: Ferrari claims victory for the third time running

The world’s most significant endurance race returned for the 93rd time with a packed grid of 62 cars vying for victory, but Ferrari came out on top (a…
17 Jun 2025
Riding shotgun at Le Mans with its most successful driver ever
Le Mans
Opinion

Riding shotgun at Le Mans with its most successful driver ever

Jethro Bovingdon recalls a once-in-a-lifetime passenger ride around Le Mans at the race's 100th anniversary
11 Jun 2025
Here’s the Aston Martin Valkyrie LMH in its final Le Mans-ready form
Aston Martin Valkyrie LMH
News

Here’s the Aston Martin Valkyrie LMH in its final Le Mans-ready form

Two Aston Martin Valkyrie LMH racers will compete at Le Mans and all WEC rounds in 2025, and their final design has now been unveiled
5 Feb 2025
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

VW Golf GTI Clubsport for £6k off – Akrapovic exhaust effectively thrown in free
Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport deal
News

VW Golf GTI Clubsport for £6k off – Akrapovic exhaust effectively thrown in free

The Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport in Mk8.5 guise makes for a tempting prospect at the right price
3 Jul 2025
New 2026 Ferrari Amalfi revealed – physical buttons return in the 631bhp Roma replacement
Ferrari Amalfi front
News

New 2026 Ferrari Amalfi revealed – physical buttons return in the 631bhp Roma replacement

The Ferrari Amalfi picks up where the Roma left off, as a more capable, debugged super GT that’s finally brought back buttons
1 Jul 2025
Best used sports cars – proper performance cars for less than a new Golf GTI
Cheap sports cars
Best cars

Best used sports cars – proper performance cars for less than a new Golf GTI

With the sun shining and fuel prices palatable, now is the time to indulge your used sports car desires
1 Jul 2025