Dyson to run new alternative fuel

Dyson Racing Mazda- LolaB09/86

Dyson Racing will be at Sebring International Raceway early next week for two days of testing that will kick start its 2010 season. Team manager Michael White says the sessions will focus on engine updates and reliability with the test being run exclusively on bio-butanol, the same fuel the team ran in one of its Mazda-powered Lola B09/86 coupes for the final two American Le Mans Series races in 2009.

Although White hasn't received the official word from sanctioning body IMSA that bio-butanol will be an accepted fuel but "we're pretty confident that it will be one.

"It's just a better fuel (than the E10 blend)," he added. "It's less prone to detonation. There were no adverse effects on the internal components."

Upgrades also will be coming from chassis constructor Lola. The constructor hopes to make a return to Formula 1 for 2010 but did not receive an entry. The development of that project, however, also spread to the sports car side with Birrane hinting that the 2010 spec LMP1 and LMP2s are going to be very special as a result of this."

Says White, "Even though they were doing this F1 project in the background, they haven't stood still on the sports car. They have a raft of upgrades for both P1 and P2 cars. They've been working on aero developments, suspension elements, geometry developments and others. They're pretty busy. We'll probably have some of those for the February test."

The American Le Mans Series will open its 12th season with America's greatest sports car race, the 58th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida from March 17-20. The green flag will fall at 10:35 a.m. on Saturday, March 20 with live coverage on SPEED.

The annual American Le Mans Series Winter Test is scheduled for February 22- 23, also at Sebring International Raceway. (ALMS press release)