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RML AD Group’s
new MG Lola EX265 completed a faultless first shakedown test at the Silverstone
circuit yesterday, Friday 8th February. The morning run left Brazilian driver
Thomas Erdos thrilled by the responsiveness of the new XP-21 engine, and looking
forward to the prospects of defending the LMP2 title in this season’s Le Mans
Series.
Thomas Erdos and
co-driver Mike Newton took the series title last year with RML’s MG Lola EX264,
having won the LMP2 class in the Le Mans 24 Hours in 2005 and 2006. Since then
the EX264, itself a derivative of the EX257 that wowed the crowds at Le Mans as
an MG works entry in 2001, has undergone significant further development.
Arising from fresh links with Shanghai Automotive, MG’s new owners in China, the
car has been re-homologated as the MG EX265. Most significant amongst those
enhancements has been the production, in association with AER, of the two-litre
turbocharged XP-21 engine.
Further
refinements, as yet unspecified, have left RML’s team manager Phil Barker upbeat
about the team’s chances this year. “Today has been an excellent start to the
season,” he said. “We’ve carried out a fundamental restructuring of the car
during the course of the winter, and today was the first chance we’ve had to
examine some of those changes. We haven’t had a single problem – not one – and
it’s all gone silky smooth.” From the smile on his face it was easy to judge the
sense of satisfaction permeating throughout the team. “The guys have done a
great job,” he added. “They’ve already set themselves a very high standard for
the year, but that’s what we like!”
Referring to the
new engine, Barker was impressed. “This has been the first time we’ve ever run
the XP-21, and it’s gone like clockwork. The whole package seems very strong and
a significant step forward.” Thomas Erdos was quick to agree. “Absolutely
great!” he said. “The new MG XP-21 is a beautiful unit. You can immediately tell
that the engine is crisp and very responsive, and despite not being able to
stretch it much today, I can already detect an improvement over the engine we
were using last year.”
 The EX265 was
running in full race trim at Silverstone, including the additional 50 kilos that
will ballast all the LMP2 entrants in the Le Mans Series this year. This extra
weight, up to 825 kilos from 775, in conjunction with reduced fuel capacity
(down to 80 litres from 90) is intended to emphasise the differences between the
P1 and P2 prototypes. The flipside to this amendment to the regulations is
likely to manifest itself in an even closer parity between LMP2 and GT1. In 2007
the GT class leaders were already as quick down the straights as the best in
LMP2, so the added weight could further complicate this issue. The importance of
developing more from the engine, and thereby hoping to reinstate some degree of
advantage in this inter-class battle, becomes even more significant. “To have
this new engine running so well demonstrates a real move in the right
direction,” said Erdos.
By midday every
box had been ticked and the test was complete. “It’s been a fantastic morning,”
grinned Erdos. “This car was down to bare bones a few days ago, so it’s a credit
to the team, and some indication of the level of preparation these guys achieve,
that everything has worked well. In fact, it’s been the perfect
shakedown.”
The team plans
to complete another run in the MG Lola EX265 ahead of the first official Le Mans
test at the Paul Ricard circuit in France at the beginning of March.
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