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Like I said, WPC and Mike Kojima have a great relationship. They were handing out these MotoIQ reprints at the show!
If you haven't witnessed what WPC can do, it's easier just to show you with one of our YouTube videos. If you want to reduce friction, this is the way to do it. Check out this demonstration with WPC's Izumi Ogawa and our own Mike Kojima!
Sharing the booth with WPC was WRD, which stands for Williams Racing Development. They had a 1998 BAR Honda F1 car that was once driven by 1997 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve. WRD sells differentials and transmissions for full race-prepared cars ranging from sports car to professional open-wheel. I would have gotten pictures of the driveline components had I not been so tranced out by the F1 car. My apologies.While this F1 car has spent the last several years not running and on display only, WRD is rebuilding the car so it can race again. In fact, the current owner enlisted WRD to rebuild a lot of parts to make it even better than it was.
While most of parts, like the aerodynamic components, remain unchanged, the suspension system has been redone, and it’s even getting a new engine . The previous F1-spec 3.0-liter V10 engine was good for around 900hp at 19,500 RPM on pump 93 (98 RON in Europe). However, WRD is dropping in a Judd 4.5-liter V10 so that it can get 750 of those ponies by an astounding 11,000 RPM.
So, while it won't have quite the top end it did during its professional years, this BAR will have gobs ot torque. Whereas the original F1 3.0-liter V10 was rated at around 250 lb-ft at peak (but flat through 15000 RPM before seeing a decline, which is how these small engines made so much power), by our calculations this new Judd engine should see over 100 lb-ft more in the midrange!
No expense is spared when building an F1 car, almost the entire car is built from carbon fiber. Check out the dry carbon weave inside the air scoops.
The suspension system was super impressive. Take note of the carbon fiber work and knife-edging so that it doesn’t cause any drag at high speed!
