24h Le Mans
Of the 60 cars entered in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, two are equipped with a French engine: CEFC TRSM Racing's two Ginettas powered by a 95-degree turbo V6 designed by Mecachrome for the LMP1 class.
In 1998, the public at large was introduced to Mecachrome, the new engine supplier for the Williams F1 team. But the V10 in question was simply a repurposed Renault engine block. Yet this initiative had the benefit of highlighting the remarkable work of a company long in the shadows, manufacturing motors since 1977.
Two decades later, nothing has changed. The company based in Aubigny-sur-Nère in France remains just as understated, to the point of furnishing engines without a logo. "In two weeks that will be taken care of, we will have a cylinder head cover our models," says Pierre-Julien Hubert, technical director of Mecachrome's endurance program. Clearly, the priority is not exposure but level of competitiveness.
In early 2017, the company's involvement in LMP1 was launched at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in a baptism by fire! Pierre-Julien Hubert explains: "Fortunately, we didn't have to start from scratch. The foundation of this V6 is none other than the one developed three years ago for the GP3 Series, to which we grafted a turbo last year for Formula 2. The 3.4-liter engine seemed ideal as a good compromise between lightness and reliability. So we moved forward."
Initially capable of covering a distance of 8,000 kilometers in its F2 version, the engine was designed according to the specific parameters of endurance racing. "In single-seaters, we have to provide identical equipment to all competitors since it's a monotype formula. Here it's entirely different, we are in direct competition with other engine suppliers. Researching performance is the priority," clarifies Pierre-Julien Hubert. With that in mind, the design office doesn't hesitate to reimagine its product from top to bottom: cylinder head cover, lower housing, alternator, throttles…
The main constraint of the LMP1 regulations is the limitation on fuel consumption. Pierre-Julien Hubert: "Normally, a gasoline engine does not control the amount of fuel consumed because that depends directly on the amount of air entering the motor. It's not easy to stay close to the regulatory limit without remaining 2-3% below it." In addition to this consumption limit, the regulations also impose a per lap restriction, something the Toyota team was able to bypass with the adoption of a fuel cut, a system capable of adjusting the mapping of the engine in real time. "It sounds simple, but it represents hundreds and hundreds of hours of typing lines of code and testing them out. It amounts to a level of complexity we would not be able to finance as part of a private team. Therefore to us it's up to the driver to manage fuel consumption. The indicators on the dashboard must be taken into account and driving should be adapted accordingly. "
Expert drivers such as Léo Roussel, Alex Brundle and Oliver Turvey will have no problem adjusting their driving during the legendary endurance race. The goal remains modest for the big debut of a French engine supplier in the LMP1 class: finish the race, well-placed if possible. One thing is certain, the CEFC TRSM Racing (Manor) team fielding two Ginetta-Mecachromes is more motivated than ever!
