Heigh ho, heigh ho, it’s off to Strakka we go…
Strakka Racing was set up in 2007 to provide a platform for a young rising star, Nick Leventis, to compete in GT racing. After a successful appearance in the then Le Mans Endurance Series, Strakka competed in the 2008 Le Mans 24 hour race in association with Vitaphone. In 2010 whilst competing in the 1000kms at the Hunagaroring Strakka entered the history books when they became to first team in LMS history to take the overall win in an LMP2 car.
In 2016 Strakka are competing in the FIA World Endurance Championship with their Strakka-Dome S103 LMP2 car - currently being piloted by Lewis Williamson, Jonny Kane and Nick Leventis they are lying 6th in the championship just 4 points behind their closest rivals SMP Racing.
We took a moment to speak with team PR guru Nick Bailey at the recent Nurburgring 6 hour race. He let us into some of the team’s finer points of running a car in the FIA WEC.
At a typical European round there will be 16 team personnel attending, not including the drivers, with most team members playing multiple roles such as ‘Marek the truckie/refueler’.
Accompanying the team is an onsite composite repair technician who can make minor repairs to the car bodywork should they be required. If during the race a major part of the cars bodywork needs to replaced, this would be completed in the pit garage, rather than the pitlane, to allow more team members to assist. It takes typically around 2 minutes to change the entire front end bodywork, consisting of nose and 2 wings, including disconnecting brake ducts and electrical connections. If the rear end bodywork is compromised this takes slightly less time, around 1 minute. As this is a 1 piece section requires the engine cover to be removed this also needs to be completed within the pit garage.
2016 will see the last season for the teams current car. The 2017 regulations show a change in car to a closed coupe style from a list of 4 manufacturers, all powered by the Gibson GK428 engine – fortunately for Strakka their current engine partner.
When asked if the team had any plans to run the current car in ELMS the answer was no as this would require an engine change to make it truly competitive. And sadly for the Strakka fans, as the team are committed in other areas of motorsport this rules out a possible 2 car entry for 2017, but who knows about further afield!
As the team head out to the inaugural 6 Hour of Mexico there will be some 9 tons of freight going with the 15 team personnel (not including the drivers!). This is made up of the car, spare engine, gearbox and full set of bodywork along with various consumables and wearing parts such as windscreens and floor. The car itself will now not return to the UK until the end of the season in November, where she will be put out to pasture hopefully in a nice warm comfy car loving environment.
