HPD ARX-03

(Redirected from HPD ARX-03a)

The HPD ARX-03a, ARX-03b, and ARX-03c are Le Mans Prototypes race cars developed by Honda Performance Development in 2012. The 03a model utilizes a Honda V8 engine for use in the LMP1 category, while the 03b uses a turbocharged V6 engine for the LMP2 category. Three teams have already announced their use of the ARX-03 in the FIA World Endurance Championship and the American Le Mans Series, as well as at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Muscle Milk Pickett Racing have purchased an 03a for use in the American Le Mans Series,[1] joined by two 03bs for Level 5 Motorsports.[2] In the 2012 FIA World Endurance Championship, Strakka Racing and JRM Racing campaigned a single 03a each,[3] joined by a single-car 03b entry by Starworks Motorsport in LMP2.

HPD ARX-03a/b/c
The No. 21 ARX-03c during the 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans
CategoryLe Mans Prototype LMP1 and LMP2
ConstructorHPD (Wirth)
Designer(s)Nick Wirth
PredecessorAcura ARX-01, Acura ARX-02
SuccessorHPD ARX-04b
Technical specifications
ChassisCarbon fibre monocoque
Suspension (front)Double wishbone with adjustable toe, camber, ride heights. Four-way damber units with separate coil springs, pushrods with anti-roll bars
Suspension (rear)Double wishbone with adjustable toe, camber, ride heights. Four-way damber units with separate coil springs, pushrods with anti-roll bars
Width2000 mm
Height1030 mm
Engine03a/c: Honda AR6-LMV8 3.4-litre naturally aspirated V8
03b: Honda HR28TT 2.8-litre V6 turbocharged
TransmissionHPD-Hewland 6 sequential with manual paddle-operated selection
Weight900 kg
FuelIMSA: VP MS100 E10, 100-octane gasoline + 10% ethanol
WEC:Elf LM24 E10, 101-octane gasoline + 10% ethanol
TyresMichelin
Dunlop
Competition history
Notable entrantsUnited States Muscle Milk Pickett Racing
United Kingdom JRM
United Kingdom Strakka Racing
United States Starworks Motorsport
United States Level 5 Motorsports
United States Extreme Speed Motorsports
Debut2012 12 Hours of Sebring
First win2012 12 Hours of Sebring
Last win2014 Monterey Grand Prix
Last event2015 6 Hours of Silverstone
RacesWins
4034
Teams' Championships5 2012 FIA WEC LMP2
2012 ALMS P2
2013 ALMS P2
2012 ALMS P1
2013 ALMS P1
Constructors' Championships4 2012 ALMS P2
2013 ALMS P2
2012 ALMS P1
2013 ALMS P1
Drivers' Championships4 2012 ALMS P2
2013 ALMS P2
2012 ALMS P1
2013 ALMS P1

Racing history

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2012

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The HPD ARX-03 made its racing debut at the 2012 12 Hours of Sebring. The race would be the opening round of both the American Le Mans Series and the brand new FIA World Endurance Championship seasons. Muscle Milk Pickett Racing campaign a brand new ARX-03a LMP1 car, while Level 5 Motorsports campaigned two LMP2 ARX-03bs in the American Le Mans Series. After some bad luck with a fueling hose at Sebring, the Muscle Milk team went on to win the next five races in a row as well as another win at Virginia International Raceway. At the seasons final race, Petit Le Mans, Lucas Luhr was hit by a GTC class Porsche. Despite repairs needed during the race, the team was able to complete 70% of the race in order to win points. Muscle Milk Pickett Racing won both the LMP1 drivers and team championships with just 5 points over their main rivals, Dyson Racing. The Level 5 Motorsports team took first in class at the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring and went on to win 7 of the next 9 races, losing only at Mosport and Road America to their main rivals, Conquest Endurance. The team was able to secure the LMP2 Teams' Championship and Drivers' Championships.

Strakka Racing, JRM and Starworks Motorsport would contest the first series of the brand new FIA World Endurance Championship. The Starworks team would claim three class victories including the season opening 12 Hours of Sebring and the 24 Hours of Le Mans and claim the LMP2 trophy with their HPD ARX-03b. Strakka Racing and JRM, competing with ARX-03a's, would finish second and third in the LMP1 Privateer Trophy behind the Swiss Rebellion Racing squad with Strakka racing claiming just one class victory.

2013

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Muscle Milk Pickett Racing would continue with the HPD ARX-03a for the first three rounds of the 2013 ALMS season before moving to the updated -03c package for the remainder of the year. The team would claim eight wins in ten races losing out to Rebellion Racing and Audi Sport Team Joest at Sebring and suffering an overheating issue that took them out of the season ending Petit Le Mans. Extreme Speed Motorsports would join the Level 5 Motorsports team in LMP2 with the ex-Starworks -03b and another brand new chassis for 2013. Level 5 would claim wins at every race except Long Beach where they were beat out by ESM. Muscle Milk claimed the LMP1 Teams' and Drivers' Championship and Level 5 claimed the LMP2 Teams' and Drivers' Championship.

Strakka Racing would be the only team to campaign an HPD car in the 2013 season of the FIA WEC and would only campaign the first three rounds. The team retired the car at Silverstone due to damage but would go on to finish second in the privateer ranks and Spa Francorchamps and first at Le Mans in front of rival Rebellion Racing.

Competition history

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Complete American Le Mans Series results

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(key) Races in bold indicates pole position. Races in italics indicates fastest lap.

Year Entrant Class Drivers No. Rds. Rounds Pts. Pos.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
2012   Muscle Milk Pickett Racing P1   Klaus Graf
  Lucas Luhr
  Simon Pagenaud
  Romain Dumas
6 All
All
1
10
SEB
2†
LBH
1
LGA
1
LRP
1
MOS
1
MOH
1
RAM
2
BGP
3†
VIR
1
PLM
3
195 1st
  Level 5 Motorsports P2   Scott Tucker
  Luis Díaz
  Ryan Hunter-Reay
  Franck Montagny
  Ricardo González
  Christophe Bouchut
95 All
1-5, 7-10
1
3
6, 8
10
SEB
Ret
LBH
3
LGA
1
LRP
DNS
MOS
MOH
3
RAM
4
BGP
2
VIR
DSQ
PLM
1
203 1st
P2   Scott Tucker
  Christophe Bouchut
  João Barbosa
  Franck Montagny
  Dario Franchitti
  Marino Franchitti
055 All
1-9
1-2
3
10
10
SEB
1
LBH
1
LGA
3
LRP
1
MOS
2
MOH
1
RAM
3
BGP
1
VIR
1
PLM
2
2013   Muscle Milk Pickett Racing P1   Klaus Graf
  Lucas Luhr
  Romain Dumas
6 All
All
1, 10
SEB
4
LBH
1
LAG
1
LRP
1
MOS
1
ELK
1
BAL
1
COA
1
VIR
1
PET
Ret
182 1st
  Extreme Speed Motorsports P2   Scott Sharp
  Guy Cosmo
  David Brabham
  Anthony Lazzaro
01 All
1-6
1, 10
7-10
SEB
5
LBH
1
LAG
3
LRP
2
MOS
2
ELK
2
BAL
2
COA
4
VIR
2
PET
2
166 2nd
P2   Ed Brown
  Johannes van Overbeek
  Anthony Lazzaro
  Rob Bell
02 All
All
1
10
SEB
4
LBH
2
LAG
Ret
LRP
4
MOS
4
ELK
Ret
BAL
3
COA
3
VIR
Ret
PET
4
  Level 5 Motorsports P2   Scott Tucker
  Ryan Briscoe
  Marino Franchitti
  Simon Pagenaud
551 All
1-2, 4, 7-10
1, 3, 5, 10
6
SEB
1
LBH
3
LAG
1
LRP
1
MOS
1
ELK
1
BAL
Ret
COA
1
VIR
1
PET
1
199 1st
P2   Scott Tucker
  Ryan Hunter-Reay
  Simon Pagenaud
  Marino Franchitti
  Ryan Briscoe
  Mike Conway
  Ricardo González
  Guy Cosmo
  Stefan Johansson
  Jonny Kane
  Peter Dumbreck
552 1-8
1
1
2, 4, 6-9
3
5
6
7-10
9
10
10
SEB
2
LBH
4
LAG
2
LRP
3
MOS
3
ELK
2
BAL
1
COA
2
VIR
3
PET
3
Sources:[4][5]

Complete United SportsCar Championship results

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(key) Races in bold indicates pole position. Races in italics indicates fastest lap.

Year Entrant Class Drivers No. Rds. Rounds Pts. Pos.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
2014   Extreme Speed Motorsports P   Ryan Dalziel
  Scott Sharp
  David Brabham
1 1–5, 7–10
1–5, 7–10
1–2
DAY
15
SEB
2
LBH
6
LGA
11
DET
5
WGL
10
MOS
8
IMS
5
ELK
3
COA
PET
10th 228
  Ed Brown
  Johannes van Overbeek
  Simon Pagenaud
  Anthony Lazzaro
2 1–5, 7–10, 12
1–5, 7–10, 12
1–2
1, 7
DAY
7
SEB
5
LBH
7
LGA
1
DET
7
WGL
11
MOS
7
IMS
7
ELK
8
COA
4
PET
7th 262
2015   Tequila Patrón ESM P   Scott Sharp
  Ryan Dalziel
  David Heinemeier Hansson
1 2
2
2
DAY
SEB
9
LBH
LGA
DET
WGL
MOS
ELK
COA
PET
45* 12th*
  Ed Brown
  Jon Fogarty
  Johannes van Overbeek
2 2
2
2
DAY
SEB
8
LBH
LGA
DET
WGL
MOS
ELK
COA
PET
42* 13th*
Sources:[4][6][7]

* Points were scored with the ARX-04b

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References

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  1. ^ "Muscle Milk Pickett Racing turns to HPD for ALMS assault". americanlemans.com. American Le Mans Series. 2011-12-19. Retrieved 2012-01-04.
  2. ^ Mercier, Laurent (2011-12-26). "Le premier équipage Level 5 Motorsports connu..." endurance-info.com (in French). Endurance-Info. Archived from the original on 2012-01-08. Retrieved 2012-01-04.
  3. ^ "Strakka Racing to enter WEC with new HPD ARX-03a". Planet Le Mans. 2011-09-11. Retrieved 2012-01-04.
  4. ^ a b "Complete Archive of HPD ARX-03". Racing Sports Cars. pp. 1, 2, 3, 4. Archived from the original on 11 February 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  5. ^ "2013 AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES PRESENTED BY TEQUILA PATRÓN CHAMPIONSHIP POINT STANDINGS" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on April 4, 2024. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  6. ^ "2014 TUDOR Championship Official Points REVISED.pdf" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  7. ^ "2015 TUDOR Championship Points Standings - Official.pdf" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
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  • HPD ARX-03a - Racecar Engineering, HPD ARX-03a, 14 March 2012