The Drum
FRENCH CONNECTION
29.03.2018
3 questions to… Philippe Dumas, Onroak automotive General Manager and ESM Nissan Onroak DPi programme coordinator.
Story related to Motul’s partnerships with ESM Nissan Onroak Dpi (technical) and IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship.
Philippe Dumas has worked with Michael Carcamo, Nissan motor sport’s global manager, to make the ESM Nissan Onroak DPi programme a success. After victory in the 2017 Petit Le Mans, the combination of a French chassis and a Japanese engine again proved its effectiveness in scintillating style in the Sebring 12 Hours.
How did you create this alchemy between the partners in the project?
“We had to work extremely quickly. The contract was signed at the end of September 2016 and the car had its first test at Sebring on 22nd December. Of course, the base is a Ligier LM P2 but with quite a few changes. The Onroak design department focused on the development of the car, in particular the installation of the Nissan engine that came from the GT-R GT3. It’s powerful but also a bit bulky.
How many people work on the two cars and what are the main nationalities?
“The team comprises around 25 people. Americans make up 50%, the French 40%, and the Japanese 10% for the engine. Today, under normal working conditions Americans make up 70%.”
American motor sport is very different to its European equivalent. Can you give us an illustration?
“Well, for example, spectators can watch what's happening in the pits. This system makes a radical change in the ambience in the paddock for the public and for the players. The fact that we’re not stuck in a garage means that team members get to know one another better. In America, everything is different, the strategy, the circuits, the atmosphere. It’s another philosophy, but I’d say that the US approach is more in keeping with the times.”
©ESM
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