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Courage LC70

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An LC70 at the 2008 Silverstone 1000km race

The Courage LC70 is a Le Mans prototype of the LMP1 class developed by Courage Competition and used in sports car racing since 2006. The name Courage remembers F1 driver Piers Courage. During development, however, Courage Compétition has been taken over by ORECA , so the original name Courage LC70 has been changed. The Courage-ORECA LC75 is almost identical in construction but was designed for the LMP2 class. Other modifications of the LC75 are the Acura ARX-01a and Acura ARX-01b, which has been used in the American Le Mans Series since 2007. The type designation LC stands for Lillian Courage, the wife of Yves Courage who died in 2004.[1]

Racing history

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An LC75 at the 2009 Spa-Francorchamps 1000km race

The LC70 has been used since 2006 by Courage Compétition and ORECA itself, as well as teams such as Swiss Spirit and Saulnier Racing. In addition to being used in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the chassis is primarily used in the Le Mans Series. The LC70, equipped with a Judd V10, made its racing debut in the hands of Swiss Spirit at 1000 km of Istanbul in 2006. Courage Competition itself relied on a brand new V8 unit from Mugen. In 2008, at the second round of the Le Mans Series in Monza, Stéphane Ortelli had a serious accident when his LC70 under-inflated before the first chicane and took off.[2]

The LC70 was also successful on other continents. An LC70 used by Mugen was able to win the 1000 km of Okayama in the Japan Le Mans Challenge twice. The Courage chassis were also successful in North America, albeit modified LC75s under the Acura banner.[3]

Achievements

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2006

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  • 1000km Spa-Francorchamps: 2nd overall (2nd LMP1)
  • 1000 km Donington: 5th overall (4th LMP1)
  • 1000 km Jarama: 3rd overall (2nd LMP1)
  • 1000 km Okayama : 1st overall (1st LMP1)
  • 24 Hours of Le Mans 2006: no car finished

2007

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  • 1000 km Monza: 5th overall (5th LMP1)
  • 1000km Okayama: 1st overall (1st LMP1)
  • 24 Hours of Le Mans: 26th overall (12th LMP1)

2008

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  • 1000 km Monza: 6th overall (6th LMP1)
  • 1000 km Spa: 3rd overall (3rd LMP1)
  • Nürburgring 1000 km race: 6th overall (6th LMP1)
  • 1000 km Silverstone: 8th overall (7th LMP1)
  • 2008 24 Hours of Le Mans: 8th overall (8th LMP1)
  • Le Mans Series 2008: 6th Constructors' Championship LMP1

Design

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The vehicle was developed in accordance with the ACO and FIA rules applicable in 2005 so that it is eligible to start in all sports car races up to and including 2010. Courage officially unveiled the prototype at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show. The car has been designed to compete in both the LMP1 and LMP2 classes with minor modifications. The LC70 thus also forms the basis for the smaller sister car, the Courage-ORECA LC75 for the LMP2. The six-speed gearbox used comes from Xtrac. The engines are sourced from various suppliers such as AER, Mugen, or Judd.[4]

For 2008 the aerodynamics of the LC70 has been significantly revised by ORECA. For example, the central air intake at the front was converted into two lateral ones in the wheel arches. In addition, the front spoiler has been heavily modified. The project by students from Tokai University brought further significant changes. They modified the entire aerodynamics and only adopted the underbody and monocoque for their Le Mans participation in 2008. They also used a YGK engine for the first time.[5]

Chassis

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All built chassis of the LC70 or the LC75 were numbered consecutively, since they are largely identical. So chassis 2 was converted from LC70 to type LC75. When Acura officially entered the American Le Mans Series in 2007, three LC75 chassis were purchased, but these were used as the Acura ARX-01a and in 2008 as the Acura ARX-01b. In 2008 another chassis was added for De Ferran Motorsports. The chassis were also further developed by Acura itself.[6][7]

No. Year Type Team Engine Racing Series
1 2006 Courage Compétition Development & Testing
2007 LC75 Noel Del Bello Racing AER LMS& Le Mans
2008 LC75 ORECA Development & Testing
2009 LC75 Pegasus Racing AER LMS
2 2006 LC70 Swiss Spirit Judd LMS & Le Mans
2007 LC75 Saulnier Racing AER LMS & Le Mans
2009 LC75 Ibanez Racing Service AER LMS
3 2006 LC70 Courage Compétition Mugen LMS & Le Mans
2007 LC70 Courage Compétition AER LMS & Le Mans
2008 LC70 Team Oreca Matmut Judd LMS
4 2007 LC70 Courage Compétition Mugen Le Mans
2007 LC70 Courage Compétition AER LMS & Le Mans
5 2006 LC70 Courage Compétition Mugen LMS
2006 LC70 Team Mugen Mugen JLMC
2007 LC70 Team Mugen Mugen JLMC
2008 LC70 Terramos Mugen Le Mans
6 2008 LC70 Tōkai-Universität YGK Le Mans
7 2007 ARX-01a Highcroft Racing Acura ALMS
2008 ARX-01b Highcroft Racing Acura ALMS
8 2007 ARX-01a Andretti Green Racing Acura ALMS
2008 ARX-01b Andretti Green Racing Acura ALMS
9 2007 ARX-01a Honda Performance Development Acura test vehicle only
2008 ARX-01b Fernández Racing Acura ALMS
2009 ARX-01b Fernández Racing Acura ALMS
2010 ARX-01b Strakka Racing Acura
10 2007 LC70 Courage Compétition AER LMS
2008 LC70 Team Oreca Matmut Judd LMS & Le Mans
2009 LC70 / ORECA 01 Team Oreca Matmut AIM LMS
11 2008 LC70 Team Oreca Matmut Judd LMS & Le Mans
2009 LC70 Signature-Plus Judd LMS & Le Mans
12 2008 ARX-01b De Ferran Motorsports Acura ALMS
13 2008 LC70 Team Oreca Matmut Judd LMS
2009 LC70 / ORECA 01 Team Oreca Matmut AIM LMS

References

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  1. ^ Engineering, Racecar (March 9, 2009). "Le Mans: Courage LC70".
  2. ^ D, Nick (April 1, 2016). "2007 Courage LC70 |".
  3. ^ "Courage LC70 group LMP1 (2006) - Racing Cars". tech-racingcars.wikidot.com.
  4. ^ Engineering, Racecar (May 20, 2008). "Courage LC70".
  5. ^ "2006 Courage LC70 Mugen - Images, Specifications and Information". Ultimatecarpage.com.
  6. ^ "2007 Courage LC70 AER - Images, Specifications and Information". Ultimatecarpage.com.
  7. ^ D, Nick (April 1, 2016). "2008 Courage-Oreca LC70 | Race Car".
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