Pagenaud: The HPD ARX-03a will surprise

It is announced this year as one of the LMP1s likely to play spoilsport in Endurance. This is the HPD ARX-03a, the new weapon from Honda Performance Development, an evolution of the ARX-01e which caused a sensation last year by finishing second in the 12 Hours of Sebring. Yesterday, Muscle Milk Racing took its new car for the first time during the ALMS Winter Test on the Sebring track. The only LMP1 present, it quite logically set the best time in 1:48:192, with Lucas Luhr at the wheel. As a reminder, last year, its big sister completed a qualifying lap in 1:49:802. The pole was achieved by the Peugeot 908 by Stéphane Sarrazin in 1?46??571. However, it is difficult to compare to different track conditions and regulations.

" It's awesome, jubilant at the end of the day simon pagenaud, who will compete in the 17 Hours of Sebring on March 12 with regular drivers Lucas Luhr and Klaus Graf. This is one of the best Wirth Research designed cars I have driven. This is such an evolution compared to last year. The engine provides the expected power, the front splitter gives more downforce. I think this car will surprise a lot of people. I was very excited before getting in and am even more excited now. It’s going to be a great challenge”.

Among the regular pilots, who had never flown an HPD before, the satisfaction was also palpable. “I didn?t want to get out of the car, admitted Lucas Luhr. When Brandon (Fry.Ed.) called me to return to the pit at the checkered flag, I wanted to pretend not to have heard him. It was a shakedown. All systems worked, and the car responded as expected.” “I think we’re going to have a lot of fun this season” concluded Klaus Graf. Enough to make fans salivate a little over a month before the 12 Hours of Sebring, an event which will see three HPD ARX-03as compete in particular with the Audi R18 TDI.

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