Gentlemen, start your engines!
Both of them.
Utah-based Corsa Motorsports has announced plans to compete in the American Le Mans Series with a hybrid-powered racer that will be capable of speeds of over 200 mph. The sleek, open-topped sports car will race against the big guns in the series’ top LMP1 prototype division.
The car was developed by the Zytek Group, which, along with building racing cars, is a major supplier of gas-hybrid technologies to the automotive industry. The Zytek LMP1 will use lightweight lithium-ion batteries to power a 50 horsepower electric motor connected to a 4.5 liter V-8 engine that runs on the E10 blend of 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline.
The car will make its debut in the Petit Le Mans event at Road Atlanta on October 4.
The American Le Mans Series has been on the forefront of adapting alternative fuel technologies to auto racing, this year initiating the “Green Challenge” in conjunction with the Environmental Protection Agency. Along with overall performance, competitors are ranked by the amount of energy they use and their vehicle's carbon footprint. The defending LMP1 champion Audi R10 is powered by a fuel-efficient diesel engine, while several other competitors have switched to running on E85.
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