Next generation LMP1 car to feature Aston engine and chassis

2009 Aston Martin LMP1

2009 Aston Martin LMP1

2009 Aston Martin LMP1

2009 Aston Martin LMP1

Aston Martin boss David Richards has revealed that the company is working on an all-new LMP1 Le Mans challenger for 2011.

Aston's current Le Mans cars use a Lola-derived chassis powered by a 6.0-litre V12 originally developed for the DBR9 GT1 racer. The twelve-cylinder mill won't be eligible under 2011 Le Mans rules, however, so Aston Martin Racing needs a new powerplant.

Rather than using bought-in engine tech, however, Richards has revealed to US car mag Auto Week that Aston Martin Racing is hard at work developing an all-new bespoke racing engine - and that the chassis around it will also be a fully in-house Aston Martin design.

Aston could take the new car and engine racing next year, but the team feels that the 2010 Le Mans rules - set in stone late last month - still favour diesels over petrols, and Aston won't be producing a diesel-powered racer (thank goodness).

"We are far enough down the road with the design that we could have done it for next year if the petrol-diesel equivalence had been sensible" Team principal George Howard-Chappell told Auto Week. "That is clearly not the case."

Richards also said that he was keen for Aston Martin Racing to stop working on a year-to-year basis and concentrate instead on three-year campaigns. That could mean that there will be no works Astons at Le Mans next year, while the team concentrates on its 2011 car, although this year's Lola-Aston coupes could end up racing in private hands.

Aston Martin to develop all-new LMP1 car for 2011

Lola-Aston Martin LMP1

For its current Le Mans prototype racing program, Aston Martin has teamed up with veteran chassis builder Lola to create a car powered by a race-ready version of its production V12. But the current 6.0-liter twelve-cylinder won't be allowed under the new Automobile Club de l'Ouest prototype rules that go into effect for 2011, so a new powerplant will be required.

To that end, AutoWeek is reporting that Aston Martin chairman Dave Richards has revealed that the British firm has begun work on a successor – and this time, the work is being done in-house, with the new car slated to be powered by an all-new bespoke race engine. Details are slim, however, with Richards only confirming that the engine will be powered by gasoline.

Work on the new car has been ongoing for more than two months. However, the team opted not to run the new chassis in 2010 because the gas-diesel equivalency rules are still unfavorable. Richards has also confirmed that financing for the new car has already been lined up.