Do You Know What a GP2 Car Is?
Unlike Formula 1, which relies on different teams’ budgets and abilities to develop and build race cars of different quality under certain regulations, GP2 series exclusively uses Dallara-developed cars since 2008 season. The car for 2015 is still a Dallara GP2/11, a car that had a debut in Istanbul in 2011, replacing GP2/08 used in the previous seasons.
The car uses carbon-aluminum honeycomb monocoque survival cell with carbon front and rear wing and the rest of the bodywork, all made by Dallara, housing a Mecachrome 4l naturally aspirated V8 engine. It redlines at 10.000 RPM and measures 612 HP. Its lifespan is between 4000 and 4500 km. The weight of the car is 688 kg with the driver on-board In 2014, the whole package was good for 332 km/h top speed and 0-100 km/h sprint in 2.90 and 0-200 km/h in 6.60 seconds.
The gearbox is 6 speed longitudinal sequential made by Hewland with electrohydraulic paddle shifters behind the XAP steering wheel with the dashboard, and it has an AP carbon clutch. The suspension is pushrod operated double steel whishbones with twin dampers and torsion bars in the front and spring suspension in the back. In the front, there are two-way, and in the back, there are four-way adjustable Koni dampers. For the stopping power, the drivers rely on 6 pistons monobloc Brembo calipers and Hitco carbon-carbon brake discs and pads. The wheels follow standard F1 dimensions, and the tires are GP2 Series Pirelli slicks.
Carlin’s 2015 Dallara GP2/11
The safety features include wheel retainer safety cables, anti-intrusion survival cell protection panels, and the car has gone through FIA F1 safety front, rear, side and steering column impact tests, as well as front and rear roll hoop, impact structure and monocoqe push test.
The biggest improvement for the 2015 season is the introduction of DRS which will be exactly the same as the one in Formula One, and will be regulated by the same set of rules that apply to F1 events. The teams are to receive the kits in January, and we can expect the first results of the updated Dallara GP2/11 soon!
