RACING FORWARDS

Revamped R1T raises its game for the 2021 Britcar series

IT MAY LOOK VERY SIMILAR TO LAST YEAR’S CAR, BUT THE new R1T is a thorough evolution for the 2021 season, with up to ten cars set to compete within their own class in the Britcar Endurance series.

The Praga engineering team have added further carbonfibre to the structure, increasing its strength and stiffness in specific areas, while extremely tough Zylon panels form the bodywork around the sides and A- and B-pillars, the aim being to assist with distributing the force over a wider area in the event of a heavy impact.

Naturally, the car’s aerodynamics have been given a further honing, although the changes are not so radical that a 2020 car can’t be upgraded to 2021 spec. After CFD work with Praga’s aero partner, a 15 per cent increase in downforce and 5 per cent decrease in drag is the claim, thanks largely to a new front splitter and underfloor and a new rear wing.

There are also new, much more effective headlamps, useful for any endurance appearances, especially when coupled with a 50 per cent larger fuel tank (now 92 litres) and additional fuel pumps that make extracting the fuel more effective. The R1T can now cover a one-and-a-half-hour stint as opposed to the 56 minutes previously, which gives many more options for race strategy.

The pedal box is now adjustable from within the cabin (at pit stop time when switching drivers, hence saving time) and there’s a completely new electronics package incorporating a digital dash, many more sensors, and PCBS in place of analogue fuses. Fuel level and brake pedal pressure are among the parameters that can now be shown, and there are hazard lights for the first time. A new pump-based system keeps the coolant flowing after the engine is switched off – useful if the car is directed straight to parc fermé at the end of a race.

The powertrain is unchanged, with the same Renault 2-litre turbocharged engine and sequential paddleshift gearbox, but, with 567bhp per ton and up to 3G of cornering force potentially generated, the R1T’S performance stats are as formidable as ever.