The Dallara P217 is a sportscar prototype built by Dallara Automobili to the 2017 FIA/ACO regulations for the Le Mans Prototype LMP2 class. The car also meets the regulations for the Le Mans Prototype 2 Class of the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship. It was active in the FIA World Endurance Championship,[1] and the European Le Mans Series. The prototype made its debut at the 2017 4 Hours of Silverstone.

Dallara P217
CategoryLe Mans Prototype 2
ConstructorDallara
Designer(s)Jos Claes
Technical specifications
ChassisCarbon-fibre monocoque with aluminium honeycomb and Zylon side panels
Suspension (front)Double Wishbone Independent Pushrod
Suspension (rear)As Front
Length4745mm
Width1900mm
Height1050mm
Wheelbase3010mm
EngineGibson GK-428 4.2 litre V8
mid-engined, longitudinally mounted
TransmissionXtrac P1159F 6-speed sequential semi-automatic paddle-shift
Power603 hp (450 kW)
Weight930kg
FuelVarious
LubricantsVarious
BrakesBrembo Carbon Disks
TyresMichelin, Dunlop, Goodyear
Competition history
Notable entrantsNetherlands Racing Team Nederland
Italy Cetilar Villorba Corse
Russia SMP Racing
Italy Cetilar Racing
Denmark High Class Racing
United Kingdom Thunderhead Carlin Racing
Spain AVF by Adrián Vallés
Notable driversRussia Matevos Isaakyan
Russia Egor Orudzhev
Netherlands Frits van Eerd [nl]
Netherlands Jan Lammers
Italy Andrea Belicchi
Italy Roberto Lacorte
Italy Giorgio Sernagiotto
Denmark Dennis Andersen
Denmark Anders Fjordbach
Portugal Henrique Chaves
Russia Konstantin Tereshchenko
Russia Viktor Shaytar
Brazil Felipe Nasr
United Kingdom Ben Barnicoat
United Kingdom Jack Manchester
France Olivier Pla
United Kingdom Harry Tincknell
United Kingdom Harrison Newey
Netherlands Giedo van der Garde
Netherlands Nyck de Vries
Italy Antonio Fuoco
Debut2017 4 Hours of Silverstone
First win2017 4 Hours of Castellet
Last win2017 4 Hours of Castellet
Last event2021 24 Hours of Daytona
RacesWinsPodiumsPolesF/Laps
351500
Teams' Championships0
Constructors' Championships0
Drivers' Championships0

Development edit

The car is a result of the bid made by Dallara, for one of the four licenses to build the new for 2017 Le Mans Prototype 2 cars. It is also the first LMP constructed by Dallara since the original Audi R18 TDI.[2] The car was first spotted testing at the Autodromo Riccardo Paletti in Northern Italy in late early October, by the Italian magazine Autosprint.[3]

During the 2017 racing season, the car was discovered to have a fundamental issue with a critical element of the sprint kit which was firmly homologated and carried over in the Le Mans low-drag kit. Resulting in major balance issues for the car which first surfaced at Le Mans. With the car being noted for its speed on the long straights, such as the Mulsanne Straight, but also for its lack of pace in the twistier sections of the track.[4] This element was later revealed to be the splitter. The car was subsequently fitted with an Evo kit for the 2018 racing season to resolve issues with the car. With a new splitter for the Standard High Downforce Aero package and a revised Le Mans Low Drag Kit.[5] Ahead of the homologation of the Evo Package, the revised car was revealed to have undergone testing at the Algarve International Circuit, in the hands of customer team Cetilar Villorba Corse.[6] The car has also been known for its relative similarity to the Porsche 919 Hybrid.[2]

Cadillac DPi-V.R edit

 
Action Express Racing's Mustang Sampling Racing Cadillac DPi- V.R. at the Petit Le Mans.

A Daytona Prototype International variant of the car, has been developed in partnership with General Motors (under its Cadillac marque), as well as Wayne Taylor Racing. It was unveiled on the 30th of November and is a successor to the successful Corvette Daytona Prototype that was fielded in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series, as well as the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship.[7] It is powered by a LS based GM small-block engine, originally a 6.2L V8 designed, developed, and produced by ECR Engines, mated to a 6 Speed Xtrac transmission, producing 600 hp.[2][8] In this guise, the car was extremely dominant, with the car winning on its debut at the 2017 Rolex 24 at Daytona, where Wayne Taylor Racing leading a 1–2 with Action Express Racing, while also winning 8 of the 10 races in the calendar. In 2018, the displacement of the LS engine was changed to 5.5L, again built by ECR Engines and producing 580 hp, following a series of BoP adjustments during 2017 to slow down the car the previous season, that had made the car hard to drive, with most notably a tall first and second gear mandated after the low-end torque became an advantage against the turbocharged four and six-cylinder engines.[9]

Complete IMSA SportsCar Championship results edit

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

Year Entrant Class Drivers No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Points Pos
DAY1 DAY2 SEB MOH BEL WGL1 WGL2 ELK LGA LBH ATL
2021   Cetilar Racing LMP2   Andrea Belicchi 47 6 6 0 NC
  Antonio Fuoco 6 6
  Roberto Lacorte 6 6
  Giorgio Sernagiotto 6 6

Complete FIA World Endurance Championship results edit

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

Year Entrant Class Drivers No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Points Pos
SPA

 

LMS

 

SIL

 

FUJ

 

SHA

 

SEB

 

SPA

 

LMS

 

2018 - 2019   Racing Team Nederland LMP2   Giedo van der Garde 29 8 7 5 7 5 5 6 15 85 6th
  Frits van Eerd [nl] 8 7 5 7 5 5 6 15
  Jan Lammers 8 7
  Nyck de Vries 5 7 5 5 6 15
SIL

 

FUJ

 

SHA

 

BHR

 

COTA

 

SPA

 

LMS

 

BHR

 

Points Pos
2019 - 2020   Cetilar Racing LMP2   Andrea Belicchi 47 6 7 7 9 8 5 10 6 72 7th
  Roberto Lacorte 6 7 7 9 8 5 10 6
  Giorgio Sernagiotto 6 7 7 9 8 5 10 6

Complete European Le Mans Series results edit

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

Year Entrant Class Drivers No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Points Pos
SIL

 

MNZ

 

RBR

 

LEC

 

SPA

 

POR

 

2017   SMP Racing LMP2   Matevos Isaakyan 27 6 1 3 3 63 4th
  Egor Orudzhev 6 1 3 3
  Racing Team Nederland   Frits van Eerd [nl] 29 11 10 7 12 11 8 12.5 11th
  Jan Lammers 11 10 7 12 11 8
  Cetilar Villorba Corse   Andrea Belicchi 47 6 5 NC 10 7 5 35 9th
  Roberto Lacorte 6 5 NC 10 7 5
  Giorgio Sernagiotto 6 5 NC 10 7 5
  High Class Racing   Dennis Andersen 49 3 3 8 9 8 7 46 6th
  Anders Fjordbach 3 3 8 9 8 7
LEC

 

MNZ

 

RBR

 

SIL

 

SPA

 

POR

 

Points Pos
2018   AVF by Adrián Vallés LMP2   Henrique Chaves 30 11 Ret 14 8 9 Ret 6 15th
  Konstantin Tereshchenko 11 Ret 14 8 9 Ret
  SMP Racing   Matevos Isaakyan 35 NC Ret 7 Ret 6 14th
  Egor Orudzhev NC Ret 7
  Viktor Shaytar NC Ret 7 Ret
  Cetilar Villorba Corse   Andrea Belicchi 47 14 4.5 17th
  Roberto Lacorte 14 9 11 13 10 11
  Giorgio Sernagiotto 14 9 11 13 10 11
  Felipe Nasr 9 11 13 10 11
  High Class Racing   Dennis Andersen 49 13 14 12 9 Ret 9 5.5 16th
  Anders Fjordbach 13 14 12 9 Ret 9
LEC

 

MNZ

 

BAR

 

SIL

 

SPA

 

POR

 

Points Pos
2019   Thunderhead Carlin Racing LMP2   Ben Barnicoat 45 11 11 9 Ret Ret 3 16th
  Jack Manchester 11 11 9 Ret
  Olivier Pla 11
  Harry Tincknell 11 9 Ret Ret
  Harrison Newey Ret
  Cetilar Villorba Corse   Andrea Belicchi 47 Ret 0 NC
  Roberto Lacorte Ret
  Giorgio Sernagiotto Ret

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Racing Team Nederland Steps Up to WEC – Sportscar365". Retrieved 2018-12-04.
  2. ^ a b c "Dallara P217 - Racecar Engineering". Racecar Engineering. Retrieved 2018-12-04.
  3. ^ "Dallara LMP2 Car Breaks Cover – Sportscar365". Retrieved 2018-12-04.
  4. ^ "Dallara, Ups & Downs In LMP – dailysportscar.com". www.dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 2020-01-04.
  5. ^ "Dallara Details LMP2 Evo Kit Updates – Sportscar365". Retrieved 2018-12-04.
  6. ^ "Dallara 'Joker' Package On Track At Portimão – dailysportscar.com". www.dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 2020-01-03.
  7. ^ "Cadillac DPi-V.R Unveiled – Sportscar365". Retrieved 2018-12-04.
  8. ^ "Cadillac Pressroom - United States - DPi-V.R race car". media.gm.com. Retrieved 2018-12-04.
  9. ^ "Cadillac DPi teams to race with smaller engine". RACER. 2018-01-04. Retrieved 2018-12-04.