Darren Cox, Director of Nissan Europe, explains the reasons for the involvement of the Japanese manufacturer in the DeltaWing project. It also confirms the interest of Nissan in the LM P1 class where Audi will be battling with Toyota.

What is the involvement of Nissan in the project?

Darren Cox: "We are supplying the engine and  concentrating on the down sizing benefits through Direct Injection and Turbo technology. The engine has been developed specifically for Le Mans, but the basic layout and technology is closer to that of a current European road car than any other engine in a prototype racer on the grid at Le Mans. "

For example?
"The gearbox electronics are extremely innovative. The car can run a torque vectoring system, which is unusual on a racecar - normally it's banned but this car is outside rules and regulations so we can use this technology, which is relevant to our road cars."

Is Nismo (Nissan's motorsport arm) involved?
"NISMO has been involved in the project from the beginning. Its knowledge, gained through Super GT for example, has allowed it to validate the simulation and wind tunnel data."

But if it doesn't work it will be a very public failure.
"You've got to gamble, to take a risk or we won't be able to innovate and learn. Innovation hurts sometimes. To use a motorsport analogy; "If you are not going off once in a while, you are not trying hard enough". Look at Audi's Le Mans 24 Hours last year - a multi-million Euro programme, a decade of knowledge, the best drivers. Two cars out by midnight. They had three bullets in the gun. Nissan DeltaWing has one. All it takes is a German dentist in a Porsche turning in on us at the wrong time to end our race. That's the beauty of Le Mans. But, whatever happens, we will learn from it."

Does Nissan's involvement with DeltaWing have a life after Le Mans?
"Some people are suggesting Le Mans is the end of the story. We see it, potentially, as the start of something much bigger. If it works in the way that the partners envisage it will work, then this is just the start. There are a number of different directions this could take, which I won't elaborate on just now."

An electric racer or one powered by a standard road car engine?
"Well, it's certainly light enough for either scenario..."

What next for Nissan in motor sport? Formula 1?
"No. Our sister brand Infiniti is already there thanks to its involvement with Red Bull and Alliance partner Renault provides the motive power for a number of teams."

LMP1 then?
"There is a global review into our motorsport activity underway just now, and while we are at Le Mans we will have the perfect opportunity to look at the competition in LMP1 and review the new technical regulations due in 2014. If there's an efficiency element brought into the programme that might well interest Nissan a bit more."

Julien Hergault - Nissan Europe