The DeltaWing that will take to the track at the 12 Hours of Sebring in a substantially different from the one seen at the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2012.

The DeltaWing is now equipped with a new engine, based on the 2 litre Mazda used in the American USF2000 championship. This new version will be 1.9 litre and equipped with a turbocharger. It is rated at 345 hp, nearly fifty more than the Nissan used in 2012 in its two racing appearances at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and Petit Le Mans.

The return of the DeltaWing is expected on the 16th of March at the 12 Hours of Sebring, the opening of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS). On this occasion, the DeltaWing will be admitted to the LM P1 prototype class, alongside the Audi R18 e-tron quattro, the Rebellion Racing Lola-Toyota and HPD Honda of Muscle Milk Pickett Racing. ALMS founder Don Panoz continues this project that is close to his heart, and also announced a programme of two races in 2013: Laguna Seca (California, 11th May) and Baltimore (Maryland, 31st August) that will see the emergence of a DeltaWing with an enclosed cockpit.

In June 2012, the Nissan DeltaWing was the first tenant of the '56th pit' at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (reserved for innovative cars running unclassified). After promising performances that had placed it midfield in LM P2 prototypes, it was forced to retire early in the race on Saturday evening following an accident. Four months later, on the Road Atlanta circuit, it finished fifth in the fifteenth edition of the Petit Le Mans, the traditional closing round of the American Le Mans Series. Now qualified overseas in the LM P1 category, could the DeltaWing she returns to La Sarthe? Time will tell.

Jean-Philippe Doret

Photo: CIRCUIT OF 24 HOURS (LE MANS, SARTHE) 24 HOURS OF LE MANS, RACE, June 16, 2012. The appearance of the Nissan DeltaWing Le Mans has caused tremendous media attention and showed promise on the track.