DSC spoke to Ginetta factory driver and commercial manager Mike Simpson at length recently about the state of its prototype programmes. Currently Ginetta races in LMP3 and in various other series with its G57-P2, and is a year away from its LMP1 project coming to fruition.
But what’s the long-term aims for its commitments and what has gone into the key decisions in recent years that have led to such growth for the Yorkshire-based company? In this two-part interview feature, DSC looked to find out just that.
Here in Part 1, Simpson speaks about the inception of the LMP1 programme, as well as its LMP3 commitments now and in the future:
Let’s start off by talking about Ginetta’s new LMP1 Privateer project Mike. How long has this been in the works for Ginetta?
“We’ve been looking over the last year, and work has been ongoing for several months. It all came together at the right time really.
“You look at what happened at Audi, and if Toyota win this year will they continue? Ask yourself, what is the future of LMP1? You don’t have to go back long to when the privateers were going to Le Mans and had a chance. ‘Shorty’ got a fourth one year, and there’s a resurgence of people like Martin (Short).
“There’s people out there with the passion and resources to go, but it’s been a closed shop.”
Ask yourself, what is the future of LMP1? You don’t have to go back long to when the privateers were going to Le Mans and had a chance.
Do you think that in such a short time this can go from renderings to a class-beating chassis?
“Just like what we have with the G57, we know and everyone else knows that Ginetta can build proper prototypes. We can do it with world-leading partners and can deliver a car which is there on a budget and accessible for people. The LMP1 car is a customer car, it will not be run by team LNT, it’s a car for privateers who we want to support. If there’s space I could see five or ten of these running…
“People pay a million euros for a GT Porsche. The costings for the new LMP1 car haven’t been released yet, but they won’t be that far off, and for that you can challenge at the front of Le Mans. All you need is a couple of hiccups from the hybrids and you’re on the podium and challenging for the win.”
Before that can happen though the gap needs to reduce between the LMP1 Hybrids and privateer-run LMP1 L cars. Are you confident that it will happen? It’s especially important now because LMP2 cars are going to be so much quicker…
“The regulations will ensure that they are very quick cars, they’re 1-2 seconds off the hybrids. They’ll be very quick and the fastest down the Mulsanne. We’ve got customer teams that want to move up to the WEC level and we want to go on that journey with them.”
When Ginetta made the announcement, what was that like? Did it immediately get the phone ringing?
“It sparked people’s imagination. We’ve had well-known teams contact us for details. For the Ginetta brand, Lawrence’s (Tomlinson) commitment to go racing 15 years ago was great. He turned his investment into a business in such a short time.
Cars like the BR01 was a bespoke customer car, but we can build cars like that in volume
“We now have around 200 cars running around the world, and 100 running in the UK. We can commit to volume the support network is there. Some of the other cars like the BR01 was a bespoke customer car, but we can build cars like that in volume.”
For Ginetta internally does the magnitude of its commitment to LMP1 mean that a whole new arm to the business has been created, with new staff?
“There will be a lot of developments at Ginetta, there’s new partners and we’ve got a great technical team in-house. In terms of engineering capability we already match the big guys though.
“Even to the point of initial renders, before we’ve even got into CFD, it’s all been very exciting. Just in the last few years we have grown massively. We’re a very capable company. It’s given customers confidence to commit early.
“For Ginetta as a brand too, it’s going to put us out there further though, and I’m sure the net effect of it will make it grow as a business.”
What’s the future aim here? Do you hope to get a monopoly on LMP1 L like Ligier has effectively done in LMP3 now? Or do you guys hope that the likes of Oreca, Riley, Dome, Ligier and Norma come along with customer chassis too?
“You need that sort of competition. Lawrence with LMP3 was the first to commit, and this now is like two years ago all over again. If we see an opportunity to dominate and take over a marketplace, we’ll take it.
LMP1 L It could end up being a Ginetta one-make class… Why not?
“Look at how much LMP3 boomed after we were first to commit… You have a series like Asian Le Mans which has three manufacturers in LMP3, and we’re out there winning races with our car.
“With competition, motorsport improves, it gets better. We want to be pioneering stuff though, from the road cars we sell, to the juniors coming in. We are a one-stop shop, we can take a kid from karting from GT4, GT3, LMP3, LMP1 the lot.
“LMP1 L It could end up being a Ginetta one-make class though… Why not?”
On the subject of LMP3, the last Asian Le Mans Series season was very successful for Ginetta, winning a race and challenging for the title. Where do you guys stand with LMP3 now? Are you still motivated to be part of that platform with new teams and new cars?
“There’s 80, 90, 100 Ligiers out there, but that car is where it is. We are focused on the G57 P2 programme and but I’m sure that there’s a lot of time to unlock from the LMP3.
“Look at the Road to Le Mans race. We picked that car up from the University of Bolton on the Monday before and Charlie (Robertson) went in and drove away from a grid of ELMS regulars. We’re here, we’re a European company, we want people to try the car.
“We build cars for customers, if someone wants an LMP3, we’ll build it. We know that the car is capable, it wins races on merit. Its a good concept, LMP3, it’s a feeder for LMP2, and a feeder for LMP1 for us I’m sure.”
