Back in February at the re-launch of the Nismo brand, Nissan’s CEO Carlos Ghosn announced they will contest the Le Mans 24 Hours in 2014 with an all-electric car.
The car has been granted a Garage 56 entry – normally reserved for experimental cars – which was the same route taken by the Nissan Deltawing in 2012.
Even though the race is a whole year away, Nissan will reveal its 2014 Garage 56 entry on 21st June live on Nismo.TV showcasing its hopes for an LMP1 future.
In a statement made earlier this year, Ghosn said “The entry will test innovative new powertrain technology and provide the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) and the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) with data to enable all parties to evaluate the incorporation of this breakthrough technology ahead of a potential return to LMP1 in the future.”
Darren Cox, Nissan’s Global Motorsport Director, said at the time “Endurance Racing is the future for Nissan, as long as I have my hand on the tiller. Our focus is providing Motorsport fans access to our Innovative and Exciting programs from around the world from V8 Supercars to SUPER GT in Japan and the global sensation that is GT Academy. These will be complemented by surprises on and off track as we explore more innovative approaches to motorsport.”
The new car, as well as some of its innovative technology, will be unveiled next week together with more details about Nissan’s plans for 2014 and beyond.
Meanwhile in 2013..
For 2013, the rookie in the team is Jann Mardenborough, winner of the 2011 GT Academy. He joins Lucas Ordóñez, who realised his dream of racing at Le Mans in 2011 and Nismo Ambassador and Super GT racer, Michael Krumm.
Ordóñez, who was the GT Academy programme’s first winner, made his Le Mans debut in 2011 whereupon he scooped an incredible podium finish at his first attempt. He now returns to France to take part in his third Le Mans 24 Hours. How time flies for the man who’d never driven a race car before 2009.
(Left to right): Lucas Ordóñez, Jann Mardenborough and Michael Krumm next to the No.42 Greaves Motorsport Zytek Nissan.
They’ll be driving the No.42 Greaves Motorsport Zytek Nissan, which is powered by the Nismo-tuned Nissan VK45DE V8 engine. In 2013 a staggering 15 out of 22 LM P2 cars will be powered by this engine, making Nissan the dominant engine manufacturer on the grid.
So far in the 2013 FIA World Endurance Championship Nissan has dominated the LM P2 class, taking the top eight positions at Silverstone and the top six at Spa, so Ordóñez and his team mates must stand a good chance for another podium finish this year.
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