>>Lola-Aston Martin B09/60

Lola-Aston Martin B09/60

Lola-Aston Martin B09/60
(Aston Martin DBR1-2)

Category	Le Mans Prototype LMP1
Constructor	Lola Cars International Prodrive
Technical specifications
Chassis	Carbon fibre monocoque
Suspension (front)	Double wishbone with adjustable Koni dampers
Suspension (rear)	Double wishbone with adjustable Koni dampers
Length	4,634 mm (182.4 in)
Width	1,990 mm (78.3 in)
Axle track	1,990 mm (78.3 in)
Wheelbase	2,890 mm (113.8 in)
Engine	Aston Martin 6,000 cc (370 cu in) 60°V12, DOHC, 94 x 71.96 mm (bore xstroke), naturally aspirated, mid-engined, longitudinally mounted
Transmission	6-speed sequential manual
Weight	appr. 900 kg (2,000 lb)
Fuel	Gulf
Tyres	18" Michelin
Competition history
Notable entrants	Aston Martin Racing  AMR Eastern Europe  Signature-Plus  Muscle Milk Aston Martin Racing
Notable drivers	Tomáš Enge  Jan Charouz  Stefan Mücke  Darren Turner  Harold Primat  Miguel Ramos  Adrián Fernández  Klaus Graf
Debut	2009 1000 km of Catalunya
Races Wins Poles Fastest laps 27 9 4 5
Teams' Championships	1 (2009 LMS)
Constructors' Championships	1 (2009 LMS)
Drivers' Championships	1 (2009 LMS)

The Lola-Aston Martin B09/60, also known as the Aston Martin DBR1-2, is a Le Mans Prototype sports car built by Lola Cars International and co-developed with Prodrive for use by Aston Martin Racing. It is the first prototype to bear the Aston Martin name since the AMR1 in 1989. Aston Martin's internal name for the car, DBR1-2, refers to the specific DBR1 chassis which won six races in 1959 en route to clinching the World Sportscar Championship as well as that year's 24 Hours of Le Mans.

2009 Lola-Aston Martin B09/60 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed

Development

The B09/60 is an evolution of the Lola B08/60 LMP1 design used by Aston Martin Racing in 2008. As before it uses the same racing prepared 6.0 L (370 cu in) V12 engine from the Aston Martin DBR9 GT1 car, but with larger air restrictors allowing for an increase of 50 hp (37 kW) due to using a production-based engine. This V12 is a little heavier, taller and longer than custom-built prototype racing engines. The standard Lola gearbox was replaced by a more compact Xtrac 6-speed which is operated with paddle-shifting. An unusual feature to the car is the rearward brake cooling, which feeds the air to the brakes through two fans, and eliminates brake ducts on the body.

Racing history

Two B09/60s competed in the full Le Mans Series season, while a third car entered under the AMR Eastern Europe banner for Charouz Racing Systems also competed at the 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans and in the last three races of the LMS. The number 007 car won the Le Mans Series overall, and the number 009 finished fourth.

At Le Mans the B09/60 of Jan Charouz, Tomáš Enge and Stefan Mücke finished fourth behind the factory entries of Peugeot and Audi, as well as being the highest finishing petrol-fuelled car. The 008 car was running as high as 3rd overall in the morning until Anthony Davidson had a collision with a GT1 Aston. Subsequent repairs and a 5-minute stop and go penalty—for causing the collision—dropped the car out of contention.

A Lola Aston Martin competed at the 2010 12 Hours of Sebring, which marked the first time the Lola - Aston Martin entered a race in the United States. The Lowe's-sponsored car finishing the race in 3rd position, three laps behind the two winning Peugeots. No factory cars were entered into the 2010 1000km of Spa. Three cars have also been entered in the 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans, although only the 007 and 009 cars will be run by Aston Martin Racing; the 008 car is scheduled to be run by the French team Signature-Plus. Both the 008 and 009 cars suffered from problems and had to be retired, leaving only the 007 to finish 6th overall and completing 365 laps, less than it did in 2009. It was the third highest petrol finisher behind Oreca and the LMP2 winner Strakka HPD.

At the 1000km of Silverstone, the Lola-Aston Martin finished 4th and the highest petrol finisher.

	Lola-Aston Martin B09/60 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed
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As of 2011, the car is being competed by Team Cytosport in the American Le Mans Series with regular drivers Klaus Graf and Lucas Luhr. The team failed to finish the first round at the 12 Hours of Sebring, but rebounded by overtaking the polesitting Dyson Racing car at Long Beach to take the win. So far, the team has won all of the rounds in the 2011 season except for Sebring and Lime Rock.

After suffering reliability problems and a lack of speed with its new AMR-One prototype, Aston Martin Racing will revert to using a B09/60 for the final three rounds of the 2011 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup as well as round eight of the 2011 American Le Mans Series season, the American Le Mans Monterey at Laguna Seca. The lone factory Aston started third behind the two Dyson Lola machines, but the race would end with the Aston winning by three laps, notching up another victory for the car. The grandfathered car also got a surprise podium finish at Petit Le Mans after 3 of the 4 factory cars (Audi and Peugeot) crashed.