Many new cars have started in 2009. After the Acura ARX-02a and the Audi R15, it is now ORECA’s turn to unveil their new weapon. We already know that the team from Var made good use of the winter to make a brand new car. If the new engine – AIM – and new suspension have already been used at Barcelona, the new aero has still not be uncovered. It should be done very soon as the team finalized the assembly of the first prototype a few hours ago. To whet our appetite, David Floury gave us a few tips…
David, we will discover the new ORECA soon. What is the philosophy of the design?
“First of all, we had to comply with the change of the regulation; this led to the downsizing of the rear wing. We so have worked on it to fit as well as possible and to get a more efficient balance than in 2008. As to the wing, we have studied several possibilities, including fixing it at the top. But we have made a different choice.
“More generally, we have taken into account what we have learnt from the 2008 season and we had various goals: to improve the car’s behavior and performance, and a few details to optimize the reliability. We also wanted to level off the quality of finishing. At the same time, we have studied the yaw to try to understand the mechanisms involved in cars’ take-off when spinning. We have integrated the findings into the new aero’s concept.”
Is this new aero radical?
“We have tested configurations that we could see on the Audi R15 or the Acura. We have tried other ones which were radical as well. But our choices have been dictated by efficiency. Each concept has its own solution. Especially as we kept the same chassis and as we had so some constraints. To tell you the truth, we have even tested a closed car! It could not be possible for the 2009 season, but the design was nice and the findings have been educational.”
Have some decisions been guided by aesthetic quality?
“Unlike some of our opponents, there was no such an obligation. But we wanted a more efficient car but also more elegant. We can say that we wished to mix pleasure with business, which was not the case in 2008. This time, we wanted a more harmonious car, with a more flowing style… of course, without it being detrimental to performance!”
Are you looking forward to the shakedown?
“Yes, for sure! We are looking forward to get the verdict of timing, to look at the data from telemetry and to hear the drivers’ impressions. We have gotten to the bottom of things, but there are always working hypothesis with CAD or scale-model testing. We have worked very hard and we took care over every detail, more than we did last year. As we commonly say, there is no real substitute for the track!”
Cécile Bonardel and Anthony Megevand