Series more and more involved in the "Green Caring"

"Green Washing" is fashionable

Le Mans Series has always favoured "Green Caring"

Motorsport has a function, an aim: that of making technological progress and applying the evolutions to everyday cars. Endurance is based on an essential rule:

DRIVING FURTHER, CONSUMING LESS

The idea of saving energy while trying to respect environment is thus one of the foundations of this centennial discipline of motor racing.

This is why, for the creators of Endurance and all those who wish to perpetuate tradition today, there is no point in piling up "green washing" operations to try to make up for all the massive ecologic mistakes made in the past. Motor racing as we apply it must necessarily behave in a responsible manner and treat the ecology problem from the root, by simply finding solutions for preserving automobile without polluting. It is what we call "Green Caring".

The Automobile Club de l'Ouest regulations, which of course are those of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Mans Series, have always taken into consideration the place of motorsport in a civic liability context, particularly in matters concerning the preservation of environment. With its new regulations, more than ever, the ACO claims the original 24 Hours posture. The endurance races are not only to amuse gentlemen drivers looking for new sensations. No. The "classique sarthoise", like Le Mans Series, have a real will to stand guarantor of the original values of motorsport, in total conscience of the responsibilities involved.

It has been proved that through work done on racing car engines, we succeed in developing those of everyday cars, cutting down drastically their effects on environment.

In this state of mind, the ACO regulations, applied in Le Mans Series, have been elaborated: making Endurance an innovation laboratory. The will is not to make an empty show of our environmental responsibility but to work without rest to obtain real results.

Thus, certain measures such as the increase in stop time in the stands, the use of less equipment and less technicians, show a will to penalise tyre changes to lower significantly the number used during each race.

The direct consequence, amongst others, will encourage manufacturers to produce longer-lasting tyres. This step is one of many others which, since the beginning of the History of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, marks the endurance road: direct injection, turbine engines, diesel motorisation, hybrid technology, bio-carburant...

Technology: in perpetual evolution, it takes its most noble sense concerning the future of motor racing, the recognition of ecology in automobile sport will secure its future.

Sport is not just a show. The surpassing of oneself and the continuous efforts made by the engineers must go further than simple amusement. The commitment of Le Mans Series and of all the other actors in Endurance is deep and they are probably the only ones today repositioning motorsport in its original values.

Our Environmental Actions: Simply & in Concrete Terms

Le Mans Series, among the motorsport universe, has a role of spearhead in the technological innovation and of leader in the environmental protection research, thanks to simple and concrete actions:

The Bio carburant Use: the petrol used by the Le Mans Series teams includes 10% of ethanol (for petrol powered engines). The aim is to promote the use but also the research in the field of the new energies. By using some bio-carburants at the highest level of motorsport, Le Mans Series helps the development of the new energies and proves to everybody that the highest level of the competition can be reached at the same time as the environment can be respected.

The "Energy Economy" Development: Le Mans Series and Michelin have updated the "Index of Performance" classification, already set up fifty years ago, in 1959!

The Michelin Green X Challenge (Michelin Energy Endurance Challenge in 2007 & 2008), jointly introduced by the manufacturer and the organisers, is part and parcel of the competition, and contributes to the teams' emulation in the energy economy research field.

Hybrid Technologies Development Valorisation: in September 2008, for the first time, a 908 Peugeot Hybrid appeared in front of the public. From this year on, the hybrid engines are allowed to race but out of the classification. From 2010 onwards, this new technology will allow some teams to participate in a full Le Mans Series season, aspiring to the official classification. 2009 will be a season dedicated to the finalisation of a technical regulations, which is not an easy exercise. It will allow the ACO to perfectly receive the hybrid car candidates in 2010.

Extension of the tyre changing time: this year, the penalisation for the pit stops is introduced by the tyre changing procedure reduction. This simple and concrete measure tends to a diminution of the number of tyres used at each race and as a result, to a steady amelioration of their resistance.

Solar Powered Tyre Heating System: we are delighted to introduce, on the occasion of the Le Mans Series 2009 Official Tests the preview of a revolutionary solar powered tyre heating system initiated by our series and developed by GT Green. You can find all details of this system, tested this week-end in real life by Oak Racing Team and meant to become mandatory from 2010 onwards, in the following pages.

-credit: lms