NEW MB SPORTS CAR CHASSIS
The new MB Sports Car Chassis 'the Osprey' underwent FIA Crash Testing in preparation for the FIA Sports Car Championship. The Car passed both the front and rear roll bar tests, and the chassis passed all the safety push tests that were carried out on it. The last piece of the puzzle was the nose box, which has passed its side push test, but has yet to pass the high speed ram test. In the first nose box test its structure was built too strongly and it didn't absorb the energy of the high speed ram that hurtled it into a wall at 12 metres per second. So further modification will need to be done to it so that it is in effect 'under engineered' to be weaker and will therefore crumple to absorb all of energy from the action of the ram.
But having passed at least 80 per cent of the FIA Tests the new chassis was launched in 2001 under its new name of the MB Osprey. The new chassis is lighter and stiffer than the MBR972 Chassis, that since 1997 has fronted the Team's assaults on the Sports Car Championships.
Team Manager Mark Bailey said 'The new Osprey is still basically an evolution of the MBR972, but there have been front suspension changes which fall in line with the rear suspension changes of 2000. A lighter fuel tank enables us to use the extra space to make a neater job of all the pipe work needed for all the fluids that run the car. This will enable us to do quicker engine changes if the necessity arises at the Race Circuit. Also the chassis has been improved to give better performance and hopefully better driver comfort for competing in 2½ hour races. The bodywork has also undergone some changes to add to the overall package. With all of the new developments put together we are confident that we have a good package in the Osprey for the race season, but all will be revealed for sure when we start to test the car'.
Link to the FIA Sports Car Championship here for more Sports Car news
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