Jaguar XJR-14
The Jaguar XJR-14 was a Group C sports car that was used in sports car races in 1991 and 1992.
Development history
In 1991 , new regulations came into force in the sports car world championship , which resulted in the engines being switched from turbo to naturally aspirated engines . Turbo engines were not explicitly forbidden, but due to the consumption limit applicable to them compared to the newly approved 3.5-liter naturally aspirated engines that had no limit, they had no chance. At Jaguar and the Tom Walkinshaw Racing team, who carried out the races , Ross Brawn had already developed a first concept for an aerodynamically high-quality, extremely light prototype in 1989. On the basis of this concept, Brawn designed the new racing car with a high floor and Venturi effect in the second half of 1990 . The front wing consisted of partly movable parts and the rear wing sat down so as not to protrude over the roof. The XJR-14 no longer had any doors. As with the later closed LMP prototypes (see Peugeot 908 HDi FAP , Toyota TS030 Hybrid , Audi R18 and Porsche 919 Hybrid ), the drivers had to get in and out through a window hatch.
Since Brawn was already involved in projects for Formula 1 vehicles in the 1980s , his experience flowed into the construction of the XJR-14. For many observers of the sports car scene, the XJR-14 was nothing less than a disguised Formula 1 racing car. As with formula cars, the front end was very short. To save space, the torsion bar springs built into the front wheels were placed over the pedals.
The 1989 XJR-11 engine was a revised twin-turbo engine from the Metro 6R4 . The XJR-12 had a 7.4 liter V12 engine. Both engine concepts were therefore out of the question for further use. Since Jaguar has now been taken over by the Ford Motor Company , Tom Walkinshaw came up with a suitable engine. The 3.5-liter Ford HB - V8 engine was in the Formula 1 1990 season in Benetton B190 installed and came now in the XJR-14 is used. This increased the competition's accusation that the Jaguar prototype was a Formula 1 racing car with built-in wheels and a roof.
Races
The XJR-14 made its racing debut at the 430 km race in Suzuka , the first world championship run of the season. Walkinshaw had reported two vehicles that were driven by Derek Warwick , Martin Brundle and Teo Fabi , with Brundle entered for both the number 3 and the number 4 car and in the race between the two prototypes should change. In practice, Warwick drove a time of 1: 48.084 minutes and was thus 2.5 seconds faster than second-placed Keke Rosberg in a Peugeot 905 . For comparison, the times achieved in Formula 1 training for the 1991 Japanese Grand Prix . Warwick was 1.4 seconds short of the slowest in qualification, Eric van de Poele in the Lambo 291 . However, the gap to the fastest in training, Gerhard Berger in the McLaren MP4 / 6, was already considerable with just under 11 seconds. In the race, Warwick led the field for 64 laps, then he had to retire due to a valve damage. Martin Brundle had to stop after just four laps because defective electrical systems caused the car to coast. The victory went to the Peugeot 905 owned by Mauro Baldi and Philippe Alliot .
The strength and speed of the XJR-14 was demonstrated in the following two races at Monza and Silverstone , which were won with superiority. At the 24 Hours of Le Mans , Walkinshaw decided not to use the XJR-14 because the Ford engine was not expected to run continuously for 24 hours without problems.
In the following races after Le Mans, the 430 km race on the Nürburgring , there was an XJR-14 double victory. Derek Warwick and David Brabham won ahead of Fabi and Brabham, who this time had the task of driving in two car turns. It was the last victory for the XJR-14 in the world championship, the last three races could not be won. Jaguar nevertheless clearly won the Manufacturers World Championship and Teo Fabi secured the Drivers World Championship.
In 1992 XJR-14s were driven in the IMSA-GTP series . Davy Jones won the championship runs in Road Atlanta and Mid-Ohio with this Jaguar model .
In 1992 five chassis without engine were built for Mazdaspeed, which used these cars as Mazda MXR-01 in the 1992 World Sports Car Championship .
literature
- Thomas Nehlert, Group C: The sports car races 1982-1992 , Verlag Petrolpics, Bonn 2011, ISBN 3-940306-14-2 .
