Ginetta-Juno P3-15 Explained

Brakes:6 Piston Alcon Ventilated Disks
Weight:930kg
Constructor:Ginetta Cars
Length:4650mm
Width:1950mm
Height:1085mm
Tyres:Michelin
Lubricants:Various
Fuel:Various
Category:Le Mans Prototype (LMP3)
Chassis:Carbon Fibre/Aluminium Honeycomb Monocoque
Debut:2015 4 Hours of Silverstone
Wins:7
Races:31
Designer:Ewan Baldry (technical director)
Engine Name:Nissan VK50DE V8
Front Suspension:Pull-rod double wishbone
Rear Suspension:Pull-rod double wishbone
Gearbox Name:X-Trac 6 Speed Sequential
Teams Champ:1 (2015 European Le Mans Series (LMP3))
Drivers Champ:1 (2015 European Le Mans Series (LMP3))
Successor:Track Day:Ginetta G57 P2
LMP3: Ginetta G61-LT-P3
Team: Team LNT
University of Bolton
Lanan Racing
Speed Factory Racing
TKS
Villorba Corse
ARC Bratislava

The Ginetta-Juno P3-15, also known as the Ginetta-Juno P3 is a Le Mans Prototype LMP3 built to ACO Le Mans Prototype LMP3 regulations. It was designed by Ewan Baldry, and built by Ginetta Cars. The car was the first car to launch, and run in the class, with it making its debut at the 2015 4 Hours of Silverstone. It subsequently formed the basis of the G57 P2, and the later G58. A direct successor to the P3-15, the G61-LT-P3, was developed to meet the new 2020 LMP3 regulations, while retaining the original tub utilised in the P3-15.[1] [2]

Development

In 2013, the ACO announced a new category of Le Mans Prototypes, known as LMP3, which would replace the previous Le Mans Prototype Challenge (LMPC) class in 2015.[3] [4] Shortly afterwards, Juno Racing Cars announced that it would be building a car for the class, before it was purchased by Ginetta.[5] The engine is a Nissan VK50VE producing 420 hp, paired to an Xtrac 6-Speed Manual Sequential Gearbox. The car had its first shakedown run at Leeds East Airport, with Ginetta chairman Lawrence Tomlinson at the wheel.[6]

The car was initially overweight, due to a misprediction of the mass of the powertrain, until the minimum weight of the class was raised to 930 kg by the ACO.[7] After the 2015 season, it was announced that Ginetta would be moving on from the project, and focusing on the G57 P2 Track day car.[8] This was due to a dispute between powertrain components supplier ORECA, and Ginetta.[9]

The tub of the car is shared with its successors, the Ginetta G57 P2, the Ginetta G58, and the Ginetta G61-LT-P3, and can be upgraded with new bodywork and engine configurations to be built up into its successors.[10]

Roborace Devbot

The car also formed the base of the Roborace Devbot, used for the development of the Artificial Intelligence software for the future electrically powered autonomous racing series.[11] The Devbot incorporates the same internal units that are used in the actual RoboCar, and is stripped off all bodywork, to provide better cooling and access.[12] The Devbot would have its initial public test during Pre-Season testing for the 2016–17 FIA Formula E Championship, at the Donington Park Circuit.

Competition History

In October 2014, the first car was announced to be sold to the University of Bolton, under its Centre for Advanced Performance Engineering (CAPE).[13] For the 2015 season, 6 cars would be run in the European Le Mans series, with 2 run by the factory Ginetta team, Team LNT.[14] The factory cars secured the 1st and 2nd in the LMP3 Championship. The Ginettas also won all races in the season,[15] while the sole non-Ginetta car, a Ligier JS P3 run by Graff Racing managed a podium on its debut, at the end of the season.

Following the end of the season, after Ginetta's announcement, that it would shift its focus towards the G57 P2, the car was dropped by most teams, which switched to the Ligier JS P3.[16] [17] [18] The car has remained more popular in Asia since the 2015 season, although it is noted to be similarly quick to the Ligier.[19]

Complete European Le Mans Series results

Results in bold indicate pole position. Results in italics indicate fastest lap.

YearEntrantClassDrivers123456Points

SIL

IMO

RBR

LEC

EST
2015 Team LNTLMP3 Gaëtan Paletou22Ret3Ret1582nd
Michael Simpson2RetRet1
Mark Shulzhitskiy3
Chris Hoy31Ret113941st
Charlie Robertson1Ret113
Villorba Corse Roberto Lacorte5Ret22Ret365th
Giorgio SernagiottoRet22Ret
University of Bolton Rob Garofall731404th
Jens Petersen3
Morten Dons1
Lanan Racing Alex Craven11Ret3167th
Joey FosterRet
Charlie HollingsRet
Mark Shulzhitskiy3
SVK by Speed Factory Konstantīns Calko1542Ret34573rd
Dainius Matijošaitis42Ret34
Jesús Fuster42Ret4
Mirco van Oostrum3

SIL

IMO

RBR

LEC

SPA

EST
Points
2016 MurphyP3-3Dimensional.comLMP3 Tony Ave14Ret0N/A
Michael CullenRet
Doug PetersonRet

Complete Asian Le Mans Series results

Results in bold indicate pole position. Results in italics indicate fastest lap.

YearEntrantClassDrivers1234Points

ZHU

FUJ

BUR

SEP
2016 - 2017 ARC BratislavaLMP3 Darren Burke44216632nd
Miroslav Konopka421
Mike Simpson421
Konstantīns Calko6
Neale Muston75427465th
Konstantīns Calko542
Miroslav Konopka7
Mike Simpson7
PRT Racing Ate de Jong67Ret54Ret228th
Charlie RobertsonRet54Ret
Martin RumpRet5
Aylezo Ecotint Racing Zen Low69Ret684247th
Weiron TanRet684
Giacomo BarriRet
Riki Christodoulou684

ZHU

FUJ

BUR

SEP
Points
2017 - 2018 TKSLMP3 Yuta Kamimura993156th
Shinyo Sano3
Takuya Shirasaka3

ZHU

FUJ

BUR

SEP
Points
2018 - 2019 ARC BratislavaLMP3 Neale Muston449210th
Mike Simpson9

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ligier Names Its 2020 LMP3 Chassis – dailysportscar.com. www.dailysportscar.com. 2019-04-14.
  2. Web site: Ginetta At The Racing Car Show: LMP1, LMP3 & GT3 Updates – dailysportscar.com. www.dailysportscar.com. 2019-04-14.
  3. News: LMP3 officially launched. Sam. 2014-07-19. Racecar Engineering. en-US. 2018-12-09.
  4. Web site: ACO creates new LMP3 class for European and Asian Le Mans Series. Tremayne. Sam. Autosport.com. en. 2018-12-09.
  5. Web site: Ginetta-Juno reveals LMP3 prototype design. Autoblog. en. 2018-12-09.
  6. Web site: Ginetta Nissan LMP3 Shakedown Video – dailysportscar.com. www.dailysportscar.com. 2018-12-09.
  7. News: LMP3: The state of play. O'Gorman. Leigh. 2015-08-24. Racecar Engineering. en-US. 2018-12-09.
  8. Web site: Ginetta Shifts Focus from LMP3 to New G57 Prototype – Sportscar365. Dagys. John. sportscar365.com. 4 November 2015 . en-US. 2018-12-09.
  9. Web site: What's New In 2016? Part 3, LMP3 & LMPC – dailysportscar.com. www.dailysportscar.com. 2018-12-09.
  10. Web site: It's All Systems Go For LMP3 Gen II – dailysportscar.com. www.dailysportscar.com. 2019-09-02.
  11. Web site: Roborace. Kannenberg. Sven. e-racing.net. en-GB. 2019-04-14.
  12. Web site: Roborace DevBot debuts at Donington. 2016-08-24. Current E. en-GB. 2019-09-02. 2 September 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190902041144/https://current-e.com/chatter/roborace-devbot-to-make-public-debut-at-donington/. dead.
  13. Web site: First Ginetta LMP3 Customer announced. Sportscar365. 16 October 2014 .
  14. Web site: ELMS: 2015 Full Season Entry List – dailysportscar.com. www.dailysportscar.com. 2018-12-09.
  15. Web site: Ginetta Complete 2015 LMP3 Clean Sweep. www.europeanlemansseries.com. 2018-12-09.
  16. Web site: Speed Factory Switch To Ligier For 2016 ELMS & VdeV LMP3 Campaign – dailysportscar.com. www.dailysportscar.com. 2018-12-09.
  17. Web site: United Autosports switch to Ligier for 2016 ELMS campaign. www.motorsport.com. 2 October 2015 . en. 2018-12-09.
  18. Web site: Scuderia Villorba Corse Switches to Ligier JS P3 – Sportscar365. Dagys. John. sportscar365.com. 25 January 2016 . en-US. 2018-12-09.
  19. Web site: What's New In 2017, LMP3 (Part 1) – dailysportscar.com. www.dailysportscar.com. 2018-12-09.