INDUSTRY UPDATE
Bedford Autodrome: motorsport on an industrial scale
Entrepreneur and one-time Formula 1 driver, Jonathan Palmer, has long been synonymous with operating successful motorsport businesses. His current UK-based Palmer Sport and Motorsport Vision operations can lay claim to four of Britain’s great racing circuits – Brands Hatch, Cadwell Park, Oulton Park and Snetterton – all of which have seen extensive investment during MSV’s stewardship. In addition to this, the company owns the Bedford Autodrome facility and runs the FIA Formula 2 single-seater championship, along with a very successful corporate track day operation. It is the Autodrome,
however, that is the heart of the Palmersport / MSV operation, and it is unlikely there is a facility like it outside NASCAR. In the centre’s expansive workshops, the entire 24-car F2 grid is maintained between races. Each car is stripped by a dedicated team of mechanics, before being serviced and re-assembled, with the process taking place once every two weeks during the
The Palmer JPLM was developed specifically for novice driver experience days and training sessions
racing season. On the opposite side of the workshop are a host of other competition cars from the Palmersport track day business, which are also maintained and serviced on a daily basis. The vista that greets anyone
entering the shop floor is arresting, with up to 50 cars in residence at any one time.
JPLM – RS SPYDER LOOKALIKE The latest addition to Palmersport’s fleet is the JPLM, a two-seater Sports Prototype, designed to be used for track days and driver tuition. For members of the public (and a fair few racing drivers) this car is as close to a true LMP as one is ever likely to get. Featuring an effective
aero package and motivated by a 3.0-litre Jaguar V6 producing 265bhp, transmitted through a Hewland semi-automatic gearbox, it has all of the components you would expect to find on a thoroughbred competition machine. The car is a development of the Palmersport Jaguar JP-1, the company’s previous two-seat
Transport iNet provides MIRA wind tunnel time
Three UK companies have benefited from involvement with the Transport iNet organisation, thanks to it providing wind tunnel time at the MIRA test facility. The three companies – Cougar RED, Great British Sports Cars and Norton Motorcycles – all took up the opportunity for a two-hour slot in the wind tunnel funded by Transport iNet. This enabled each team to carry out important tests with advice on hand from the MIRA aerodynamicists. Mark Taylor, director at Cougar RED, which offers manufacturing services to the motorsport industry, commented: ‘Our wind tunnel test was to provide data on the aerodynamic efficiency of various bodywork designs. This information was vital to our future plan of developing our
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www.racecar-engineering.com • September 2011
own motorbike and it allowed our rider to see how small changes in body position affect airflow, and ultimately performance. ‘This was a really worthwhile experience
for us, and we wouldn’t have been able to do it if it wasn’t for the support of Transport iNet.’ Georgette Hall, Transport iNet advisor, said: ‘Our remit is to provide support, as well as opportunities for innovative companies to further develop their business. The MIRA wind tunnel is a fantastic facility and the expertise on offer has been invaluable for these companies. I’m really pleased that our clients had a worthwhile experience and look forward to our continued work with them.’ For more information on iNet, visit www.
eminnovation.org.uk
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