Next Saturday, the long journey of the DeltaWing comes to fruition as the car will take part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. What started as a project given to Ben Bowlby by Chip Ganassi to design a new IndyCar, the DeltaWing was shown at the Chicago Auto Show in 2010 and it was the design that got the ball rolling for the ICONIC Committee. Eventually, what is now known as the DW12 chassis was selected to be used in IndyCar. Many were uncertain what the future held for Bowlby and his design after not being selected but Bowlby did not accept the defeat and give up. During the year after the ICONIC Committee's decision, Bowlby went to meeting after meeting with the likes of Don Panoz, sanctioning body of the 24 Hour of Le Mans, the Automobile Club de l'Ouest and Duncan Dayton of Highcroft Racing. At the 2011 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, it was announced that the DeltaWing would be the Garage 56th entrant, an entry reserved for innovative race cars, for the 2012 24 Hours of Le Mans. With additional help from Dan Gurney's All American Racers, Bowlby's design is finally going to be on a race track. Other partnerships include those of Michelin and Nissan.
A few weeks ago, it was announced that the 2013 Garage 56 entry will be given to GreenGT and there hydrogen-electric race car, the H2 that will release no emissions. The car will use hydrogen to power two electric engines and the goal is to have the car under 1000kg for 2013, as well as run the car in the full 2013 World Endurance Championship.
This year's 24 Hours of Le Mans will see two diesel-hybrids Audi R18 e-tron quattro and the first race ever for the Toyota TS030 hybrid. Clearly, innovation is present at Le Mans and manufactures are willing to try new technologies to evolve the sport into a more efficient product. One can only wonder what else is being discussed by engineers across the globe as each looks for a great advantage over the competition.
After Le Mans, the future of the DeltaWing is unknown. It is an unclassified car for this year's race meaning it does not belong to either the Le Mans Prototype or Grand Touring class. With no other races schedule for 2012, it is uncertain if the ACO will allow the DeltaWing to return to Le Mans in 2013 and it is uncertain where the car will be racing, if at all in 2013. Many think the American Le Mans Series makes perfect sense for the DeltaWing but is it all possible that the DeltaWing ends up where it originally meant to be and IndyCar? Innovation was once a major part of the Indianapolis 500 and IndyCar racing and if the ACO says no after this year, IndyCar should capitalize on this opportunity.
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