Lister Storm LMP
| Lister | |
|---|---|
 Lister Storm LMP at the Spa-Francorchamps 1000 km race in 2005
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| Storm LMP | |
| Production period: | 2003-2004 |
| Class : | race car |
| Body versions : | Roadster |
| Engines: |
Otto engine : 6.0 liters (479 kW) |
| Length: | 4645 mm |
| Width: | 2000 mm |
| Height: | |
| Wheelbase : | 2750 mm |
| Empty weight : | 908-918 kg |
| successor | Storm LMP (2005-2006), Lister-Judd (2007) |
The Lister Storm LMP is a Le Mans prototype built by Lister in the UK.
The management of the British racing car manufacturer Lister decided back in the 1990s to build a vehicle for the large prototype class, the LMP 1. Vehicles for this class are now usually produced according to the ACO regulations for the 24 Hours of Le Mans and can therefore also compete in the ALMS and the Le Mans Series .
Although Lister had gained enough experience building sports cars with the Lister Storm GT , a focus on the prototype could never take place due to a lack of resources. The LMP was only used for racing in 2004. In the 6 Hours of Vallelunga - a sports car race that did not have championship status - the car won. However, the two drivers Stefano Zonca and Angelo Lancelotti only competed against less powerful LMP2, Group CN and various GT classes. In the Le Mans race , the Nielsen / Møller / Elgaard team crossed the finish line in 24th place, but the technical problems were considerable, and the car only just made it into the classification.
The Storm LMP, an open prototype, was powered by a Chevrolet V8 engine. In 2005, the car's suspension and chassis were improved, which now partially complied with the future ACO regulations. Until the introduction of the new regulations in 2007, the ACO allowed these vehicles, also known as hybrids , to have more power with less weight. However, the car's performance did not improve. After not starting at Le Mans, triggered by a serious training accident, the car made its debut at the 1000 km of Silverstone with an 18th place. Only in the 6-hour race in Vallelunga did the car run flawlessly for a long time. A suspension break just before the end almost prevented second place, which was finally achieved.
2006 was not a successful year for the Storm LMP either. The original idea of contesting the entire season of the Le Mans Series failed because of the still unsolved teething problems with the drive and transmission. At the beginning of the season, Justin Keen , Nicolas Kiesa and Jens Møller finished third overall in the shortened 1000 km race in Istanbul (the race had to be stopped after two thirds because the track operator could not provide enough fuel). However, seven laps on the victorious Pescarolo C60 were missing , and the driver trio was also overtaken by the class winners of the less powerful LMP2 class. A serious accident at the 1000 km of Spa-Francorchamps and a completely botched race at Le Mans were another setback. The penultimate championship run in Donington also ended for the works team with an oil leak in the engine. The team did not compete at all for the 1000 km race on the Nürburgring and the Jarama race.
In 2007 the Storm LMP was to be completely rebuilt. Lister hired former Bentley and Radical designer Peter Elleray and bought a Pescarolo chassis. Elleray modified it and replaced the Chevrolet with a Judd engine. Although the base is now a Pescarolo, the ACO granted homologation for the vehicle as Lister-Judd. However, the Le Mans race had to be skipped because the car was not ready in time. The debut of the new car, announced for the 1000 km from Spa, is still pending.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Olivier Loisy / Jean-Marc Teissedre: 2006 Le Mans Series Yearbook. 2006, p. 52