David Floury, the ORECA Group technical director, describes the ORECA 03 point by point, the result of several months’ work carried out by the design office.
David, what was the first objective in the design of the ORECA 03?
“In fact, there were two: build the best LM P2 in the field, and respect the ACO cost limits by offering an affordable car that’s economical to run. These two aims are a little contradictory, but we used our previous experience to combine them.”
The ORECA 03 seems to have a few points in common with its big sister, the ORECA 01…
“Well, don’t always trust what you see! The ORECA 01 is one of the best prototypes around in terms of sheer speed and reliability, and we’ve taken all that into account. We’ve also used the lessons learned with the Formula Le Mans, which is certainly the best there is in terms of quality/price. So we’ve got a solid working base; we’re not starting from scratch. We’re talking about a brand-new car in fact.”
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What are the differences with the ORECA 01?
“Apart from the aero design and the monocoque everything else is different. We’ve looked at the assemblies and the sub-assemblies to see where we could make gains in both performance and reliability while keeping costs in mind. The suspension and gearbox are different, as is the electronic/electrics system. The engine will be new. All this has consequences from a mechanical and aerodynamic point of view. The design office has come up with different solutions.”
What about the aero design?
“The ORECA 03 bears a family resemblance to the ORECA 01. There would have been no sense in starting from a blank sheet of paper for an economical car, but it will undergo specific development. We also took advantage of the ORECA 02. The integration of the shark’s fin obviously has an influence as do the smaller wheels. Above all, the working margin is reduced. The evolutions are limited and the ORECA 03 will have to be competitive on circuits varying from Le Mans to the Nürburgring, so we have to find the right compromise.”
Source : ORECA