GINETTA’S LMP1 NIGHTMARE

WHERE: IN THE WEC WHEN: THROUGHOUT THE SEASON It was with much fanfare Ginetta announced it would build an LMP1 car for 2018, with bold claims of six cars on the grid and Toyotabeating pace. In reality, the Ginetta LMP1 programme has been nothing short of a disaster, challenging Nissan’s pitiful effort three years ago.

The only two G60-LT-P1 machines entered into the World Endurance Championship by the Manor/trs operation failed to take part in the Spa seasonopener amid cashflow problems with sponsors.

The cars did make it to Le Mans but were woefully unreliable and, although one technically made it to the finish, it was 105 laps down. And nowhere near Toyota-beating pace – its best lap was 6.8 seconds off.

Upgrades were planned for Silverstone but a switch to AER engines from Mecachrome wasn’t formally approved in time to race and Manor later withdrew from running the cars. Trsm/ginetta then planned a single-car entry for Fuji and Shanghai but that too failed to materialise. Forget LMP1, this embarrassing affair was Lmp-none.