Eight N24h Class Wins
Underlining ATL's years of success within European endurance racing, the dominance of ATL's fuel cells reached new heights last weekend, when no fewer than eight class wins were achieved by cars running with ATL fuel systems onboard.
Confirming ATL's commitment to all levels of racing and all racing budgets, these victories were spread across the whole range of categories - from the fastest 'SP9 G' class, down to the 'D1T+D3T' category, which was won by UK-based Saxon Motorsport and its highly-successful BMW 1 Series Diesel.
Overall Podium Lock-Out
A Black Falcon-entered Mercedes-Benz AMG SLS GT3 took overall victory by just 2 minutes and 39 seconds, from a Marc-VDS BMW Z4 in second place and a ROWE Racing Mercedes-Benz AMG SLS in third.
As a result of supplying most Le Mans teams for a number of years, ATL has developed several engineering solutions which offer Endurance competitors competitive advantage: The SLS and Z4 fuel cells are both fitted with rapid-refuelling features, low-fuel level warning systems, and sophisticated in-tank, low-pressure plumbing. The low-pressure pick-up system allows for complete fuel scavenge - important for getting full fuel range from each refuelling-stop. 'Reserve' scavenge pumps are also fitted - providing important back-up for endurance races such as these.
Hydrogen-Powered Aston Martin Rapide S
Powered by a twin-turbo 6-Litre V12, the Prototype car can run on hydrogen, gasoline or a mixture of both fuels. ATL is proud to have supplied the gasoline fuel cell for this groundbreaking endurance vehicle, which finished the race just 24 laps down on the front-running GT3-spec machines.
All LMP2 entrants to use ATL Fuel Systems at Le Mans
These N24h successes come just a month ahead of the Le Mans 24-Hour race, at which 60percent of the entire field will use ATL fuel systems (including all LMP2 entrants) and 90percent of the grid will use ATL refuelling equipment.
As with the Z4 and SLS systems mentioned above, ATL supplies more than just the outer safety fuel bladders for LMP and GT cars - custom systems are designed for each car, which incorporate internal features to facilitate: the fastest refuelling speeds possible; optimum fuel scavenge (with back-up pump provision in the event of lift-pump failure); and last-lap low fuel-level warning devices.
ATL's Head of Design, Alex Ng commented: "In recent years, our growing design team has spent increasing amounts of time designing, testing and fine-tuning endurance-focused fuel systems. We have built so many now, to suit different budgets and classes, that we have developed several ways of achieving the same goals - whether low-level warning, refuelling speed or ultimate fuel scavenge are regarded as the top priority".
ATL was one of the first suppliers of refuelling rigs that comply with the ACO's 2013 rig-drum rules. With the rule change being issued close to the start of the season, ATL allocated significant resources to designing, manufacturing and assembling ACO-compliant rigs for the beginning of the European endurance racing season. More than a dozen rig drums have been supplied in the run-up to Le Mans.
NOTES FOR EDITORS
ABOUT ATL
Aero Tec Laboratories (ATL) was founded in 1970, as a design and testing facility for "flexible composite" materials. Shortly thereafter, the firm broadened its scope to include the actual fabrication of end products from its own outstanding fibre/elastomer composites. This led to the development of ATL's remarkable bladder-type cells, which deform under high-energy impacts.
From ambitious beginnings in engineered inflatables and crashworthy fuel cell bladders, ATL has further spread its technologies into compensators, accumulators, potable water vessels, self-healing ballistic tanks, bulk storage bladders and scores of similar endeavours. The common thread among ATL's products is the remarkable toughness and durability coupled with extreme light-weight, high flexibility and compactness.
With ATL's ongoing development into high performance fabrics and complete fuel system products, ATL remains the World's leader in Fuel Cell Design and Technology, and is a supplier to every Formula One team.
Please explore our website for more information about ATL's many products - www.atlltd.com.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Press Enquiries
Adam Pointer,
Aero Tec Laboratories Ltd,
One Patriot Drive,
Rooksley, Milton Keynes
MK13 8PU, UK.
Email: apointer@atlltd.com
Tel: +44 (0)1908 351700
Fax: +44 (0)1908 351750
High resolution images are available on request - please contact Adam Pointer (above).
[Press release distributed by CDWrite on behalf of Aero Tec Laboratories (ATL). To unsubscribe from all CDWrite email lists, please reply with "STOP" as the subject line]
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Topics: 24 Hours Nürburgring
