Nissan DeltaWing Finishes Fifth at Petit Le Mans
Nissan’s DeltaWing racecar and the victory that almost wasn’t.
Nissan’s radical looking DeltaWing racecar just won a much-needed victory. The team powered through the competition to a fifth-place finish at last week’s Petit Le Mans. Surprisingly, it’s a win that almost didn’t happen.
During a practice session at Road Atlanta earlier in the week the experimental vehicle made contact with a GTC-class Porsche, causing a roll-over collision and significant damage. Luckily the driver, American Gunnar Jeannette, was unharmed and well enough to participate in the big event. Nissan’s pit crew worked hard to rebuild the DeltaWing before the official race on Saturday.
The car suffered a similar fate earlier in the year at its debut event, the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It was forced out of that competition after just six hours.
Making the DeltaWing’s fifth-place finish all the more impressive is where the team had to start. They were pushed to the back of the 42-car grid to run unclassified as an invitational entry.
Putting the vehicle’s power-to-weight and aerodynamic advantages to good use, Jeannette passed eight other cars on the first lap of the race, a testament to how capable the car’s 1.6-liter engine is.
Spaniard Lucas Ordoñez finished the final 110 laps of the 1,000-mile contest. He crossed the line in sixth place but gained an additional spot because a driver ahead of him was disqualified. This finish marks a significant achievement for both Nissan and the DeltaWing.
Born and raised in metro Detroit, Craig was steeped in mechanics from childhood. He feels as much at home with a wrench or welding gun in his hand as he does behind the wheel or in front of a camera. Putting his Bachelor's Degree in Journalism to good use, he's always pumping out videos, reviews, and features for AutoGuide.com. When the workday is over, he can be found out driving his fully restored 1936 Ford V8 sedan. Craig has covered the automotive industry full time for more than 10 years and is a member of the Automotive Press Association (APA) and Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA).
More by Craig Cole
Comments
Join the conversation