Honda Announces Ambitious 2012 Le Mans Prototype Program

Honda Performance Development HPD) has an ambitious sports-prototype effort for the 2012 season as it takes part in both LMP1 and LMP2 categories in two series: FIA's World Endurance Championship (WEC) and the American Le Mans Series (ALMS).

This year marks the largest customer endurance program to date for HPD as it will have a total of seven HPD-powered cars on the grid in both series.

"In recent years, teams running HPD engines and chassis have delivered remarkable results at some of the world's greatest sports car races, starting with an amazing LMP2 victory--and second and third overall finishes--at our endurance racing debut, the 2007 Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring," Steve Eriksen, HPD vice president said. " Another highlight was Strakka Racing's LMP2 victory and fifth-place overall finish at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2010, also on our first attempt!"

Eriksen realizes that the return to LMP1 (first time since 2010) and continuing the LMP2 program will be the biggest challenge yet for the team's engineers and associates.

"I'm extremely confident in our capabilities and look forward to another exciting season in 2012," he said. "We expect that the proven design, development and engineering expertise of HPD and its technical partners will provide our teams with the tools they need to succeed. It will be an exciting season."

HPD has three accomplished racing organizations that will campaign its ARX-03a open prototype in the LMP1 class. Strakka Racing, a UK-based team continues its three-year association with HPD, moving from LM P2 to the premier LM P1 category in the new FIA World Endurance Championship. Drivers are Jonny Kane, Nick Leventis and Danny Watts.

JRM Racing, which won the FIA GT1 championship last year, is also campaigning an LMP1 ARX-03a HPD prototype this year with David Brabham (long an HPD stalwart), Karun Chandok and Peter Dumbreck at the helm for the eight-race WEC schedule.

An American-based team recently announced plans to take part in the full WEC schedule. Florida-based Starworks Motorsport had a second-place result at the recent 24 Hours of Daytona (with another engine/chassis combination) and will join the LMP2 grid for the first time with team regulars Ryan Dalziel and Enrico Potoliccio at the wheel.

Greg Pickett's Muscle Milk Racing team debuts the ARX-03a chassis in the American Le Mans Series championship with team regulars Klaus Graf and Lucas Luhr driving the LMP1 open race car.

Level 5 Motorsports, fresh off an undefeated ALMS season with HPD power in ALMS LMP2 competition, continues with a pair of new ARX-03b chassis for drivers Christophe Bouchut and Scott Tucker. The team also plans to return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans and follow up on their strong third-place result in LMP2 last year. Black Swan Racing is moving to LMP2 with HPD power, campaigning a Lola B10/80 coupe in the ALMS championship, after winning the GTC title in 2010. The driving duo of team owner Tim Pappas and Jerome Bleekmolen move up to this prototype class as part of the HPD lineup.

HPD is continuing its technical partnership with Wirth Research in the UK, building on the global successes they've achieved together in recent years. This include numbers class and/or outright victories in all the world's premier sports car races and championships, including both the Le Mans 24-Hour race and the Sebring 12-Hour contest.

Source:
http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1072740_honda-announces-ambitious-2012-le-mans-prototype-program