No fix for prototype flips, say engineers

The problem that has resulted in four sports-prototypes going airborne in high-speed accidents so far this season will not go away.

That’s the view of a majority of leading sports car designers and engineers. They argue that when the wrong set of circumstances come together the latest aerodynamic rules, which have been mandatory since 2006, cannot prevent prototypes from taking off.

The head of engineering at British racing car constructor Lola, Julian Cooper, described the problem as like ”holding a piece of paper in the wind”.

”The problem is these sports cars have a large plan area,” he said. ”It doesn’t matter what shape the underfloor is.”

Creation’s Jamie Campbell-Walter and ORECA driver Stephane Ortelli’s cars flipped after snapping sideways at Monza due to suspension and rear-wing failure respectively. Ortelli broke his ankle while Campbell-Walter’s back injuries have put him out of Le Mans.