There is still a lot of work to be done at Acura Motorsports to advance the development of the all-new ARX-06 LMDh.
The technicians of the American brand of Honda Performance Development are working hard together with Oreca’s colleagues, who have built the chassis of the new prototype that Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian and Wayne Taylor Racing will bring into action in the 2023 season of IMSA SportsCar Championship.
After the last race of the current year, the teams stopped at Road Atlanta for the collective test session reserved for the racing cars of the future GTP Class.
The official drivers Tom Blomqvist, Ricky Taylor and Filipe Albuquerque took turns driving the car, trying to discover every hidden point, weakness and strength in order to then be able to give the right indications.
Ricky Taylor, Wayne Taylor Racing Acura ARX-06
Photo by: Andreas Beil
“The car has a different driving position from the ARX-05 and this obviously seems a bit strange. You have a different perception, but you immediately feel the power, which is greater,” Blomqvist told IMSA microphones, also the protagonist of an accident. .
“On the other hand, when cornering, it’s a slower car because it’s bigger and heavier, of course it also has less aerodynamics.”
“It is clear that there is always a lot of confidence to be able to do well, but here we are facing a new chapter for everyone. There are a lot more Constructors involved on the grid and things get a lot more challenging. “
“We know that we have to raise the bar to stay at a high level and play for it, but to be competitive we can’t stop and relax because there is very little time.”
Tom Blomqvist, Meyer Shank Racing W / Curb-Agajanian Acura ARX-06
Photo by: Andreas Beil
Being able to try a new car from the very first km also means shaping it at will, as you grow your child. One thing that excites particularly when you are involved in development right away.
“This is a dream come true, as a driver it is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I believe that every driver dreams of being able to work on a new car, to be able to put their own footprint on it,” explains Taylor.
“We often talk about it with Filipe. This is an opportunity to make this car truly ours by working with HPD. It was built from scratch with my and Filipe’s experience in the DPi era, together with that of HPD and WTR in the over the years “.
At the beginning of December there will be another collective test, then we will have to start thinking seriously about the first commitment of 2023, the legendary 24h of Daytona, scheduled for January and preceded by the test week ‘Roar Before the 24’.
Ricky Taylor, Wayne Taylor Racing Acura ARX-06
Photo by: Andreas Beil
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