Photo : Prudencio CASALES (ACO)

 

The designers of the prototypes that occupy Garage 56 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, reserved for particularly innovative vehicles, often receive awards for their productions. Two years ago, Ben Bowlby, who designed the DeltaWing present in La Sarthe in 2012, was given the trophy for aerodynamicist of the year.

This year, Arnaud Martin, head of RML's Engine Department, a team that won the LM P2 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2005 and 2006, accepted the trophy for the most innovative engine of the year for the Nissan ZEOD RC's three-cylinder turbo. The Japanese manufactuer had entrusted the engine design to RML and more precisely to Arnaud Martin, to whom the trophy for motorist of the year was awarded in 2012.

The symposium, presided over by Ulrich Baretzky, head of Audi Sport's engine department, the record of which demonstrates the extent of his capabilities, and John Iley, technical director for the F1 Caterham, team created a new trophy to award the revolutionary advances pushing the boundaries of race car engine design, which corresponds perfectly the spirit of Garage 56 initiated by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest.

Arnaud Martin: "From a technological point of view this project is, and will continue to be, one of the most interesting that I personally have been involved in. Without doubt it was not an easy task to power the ZEOD RC to a world first, but despite several challenges along the way, our team of experts did just that. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to them for enabling such success, and of course to Nissan for giving us the opportunity to mastermind something as special as this. Regrettably we didn't manage the full race distance so to that extent is does feel a little bit like unfinished business."

Nissan is currently working on an even more special project for its return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2015 on June 13th and 14th to attempt to clinch the overall victory up against Audi, Toyota and Porsche. It is a revolutionary project says Nissan!

Cécile Bonardel / ACO (quotation from RML communication) - Translation by Nikki Ehrhardt / ACO

PHOTO: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, 24 HOURS OF LE MANS, SATURDAY JUNE 14 2014, RACE. The designer of the Nissan ZEOD RC engine, tenant of Garage 56, was awarded by his peers.