Andrew Thorby

Last updated

Andrew Thorby is a British racecar designer. Thorby designed many formula racing and Le Mans Prototype cars.

Contents

History

Lola Cars

After graduation lawschool Thorby joined Specialised Mouldings Ltd. in Huntingdon in 1974. Specialised Mouldings Ltd. fabricated plastic and fibreglass body panels. Thorby joined Lola Cars in 1977 to follow his passion, designing cars. [1] The Lola T500, built for the 1979 SCCA/CART Indy Car Series was one of the first cars Thorby worked on. Al Unser won the final race of the season in the Lola T500. Thorby designed Lola's first endurance sports car racer since the Lola T70. The British designer worked directly with Eric Broadley. The T600 was first introduced in 1981 and was the first Lola with a full-length monocoque. The car was designed to accommodate several different engine types such as Chevrolet, Porsche and Cosworth. The T600 won the first three races of the 1981 IMSA GT Championship season. [2] After the T600 Thorby worked on the Lola 640E Formula Ford single seater. Julian Bailey won various races driving the T640E in the British Formula Ford Championship. [3] After Thorby left Lola he joined the short lived Nimrod Racing Automobiles to work on the Aston Martin powered Nimrod NRA/C2. After leaving Nimrod Throby formed his own company, Amzel Ltd.

Formula 3

Through his own company Thorby was hired to work for a variety of racing car constructors, mainly in Formula 3. Working with Martin Brigden and Kris Dwornik Thorby designed the first TOM'S Formula 3 car, the 031F. [4] The 031F was competitive at first in the British F3 at the hands of Rickard Rydell. An uncompetitive engine prevented strong results later in the season. Paulo Carcasci won the All-Japan Formula 3 Championship in 1991 driving the 031F. For 1992 Thorby joined Ralt to design their RT36. The car was Ralt's first fully composite chassis. Marcel Albers was very successful in the Ralt winning the opening round of the 1992 British Formula Three season. [5] However the season had a turn for the worst when Albers had a deadly crash at Thruxton Circuit. Fellow Ralt RT36 driver Philippe Adams finished second in the championship. In 1992 Thorby also helped Van Diemen develop the RF92. The car did not live up to the Van Diemen expectations. The car was first raced by Jason Plato and later by Julian Westwood in the British F3 scoring a couple of podium finishes. [6]

In 1995 Thorby was again contracted by TOM'S to design a new Formula 3 car, the 035F. Thorby was partnered by F1 designer Martin Ogilvie. The car was never run in any championship. The cars successor, the 036F, had more success. Tom Coronel finished third in the Japanese F3 championship driving the car. Thorby's last involvement in Formula 3 came in 2004. Holzer Motorsport would enter Thorby designed Mygale's in the 2005 Formula 3 Euro Series season the deal however came never into fruition. [7]

Le Mans

In 1991 Thorby joined March Engineering to design the March 92S Le Mans Prototype. In collaboration with Nick Wirth's Simtek company the Judd powered car was developed. However when competition from Porsche and Jaguar emerged the project was put on hold. [8] Thorby again designed an LMP car in 1996, the TOM's Toyota LMP. Tom Kristensen tested the car, but the car was never raced. [9] A car that was raced at the 24 Hours of Le Mans was the Panoz LMP07. Technical difficulties prevented the car achieving notable results. A car designed by Thorby appeared at Le Mans in 2003, the Lister Storm LMP.

YearCarClass
1979 Lola T500 IndyCar
1981 Lola T600 Group C
1982 Lola T640E Formula Ford
1991 TOM'S 031F Formula 3
1991 March 92S Le Mans Prototype
1992 Ralt RT36 Formula 3
1993 Van Diemen RF92 Formula 3
1995 Van Diemen RF95 Formula Ford
1995 TOM'S 035F Formula 3
1996 TOM'S 036F Formula 3
1996 TOM'S Toyota LMP Le Mans Prototype
1998 Reynard 98E Barber Pro Series
2000 Panoz LMP07 Le Mans Prototype
2003 Lister Storm LMP Le Mans Prototype
2006 Mygale M-06 Formula 3
2009Riversimple Hydrogen Carexperimental car
2010 McLaren MP4-12C FIA GT3

Related Research Articles

Formula Three Race car class

Formula Three, also called Formula 3, abbreviated as F3, is a third-tier class of open-wheel formula racing. The various championships held in Europe, Australia, South America and Asia form an important step for many prospective Formula One drivers.

Lola Cars International Ltd. was a British race car engineering company in operation from 1958 to 2012. The company was founded by Eric Broadley in Bromley, England, before moving to new premises in Slough, Buckinghamshire and finally Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, and endured for more than fifty years to become one of the oldest and largest manufacturers of racing cars in the world. Lola Cars started by building small front-engined sports cars, and branched out into Formula Junior cars before diversifying into a wider range of sporting vehicles. Lola was acquired by Martin Birrane in 1998 after the unsuccessful MasterCard Lola attempt at Formula One.

Roberto Moreno Brazilian racing driver

Roberto Pupo Moreno, usually known as Roberto Moreno and also as Pupo Moreno, is a Brazilian former racing driver. He participated in 75 Formula One Grands Prix, achieved 1 podium, and scored a total of 15 championship points. He raced in CART in 1986, and was Formula 3000 champion before joining Formula One full-time in 1989. He returned to CART in 1996 where he enjoyed an Indian summer in 2000 and 2001, and managed to extend his career in the series until 2008. He also raced in endurance events and GT's in Brazil, but now works as a driver coach and consultant, and although this takes up a lot of his time, he is not officially retired yet, as he appears in historic events. Away from the sport, he enjoys building light aeroplanes.

The British Formula Three Championship was an international motor racing series that took place primarily in the United Kingdom with a small number of events in mainland Europe. It was a junior-level feeder formula that used small single seater Formula Three chassis. Its final official title was the Cooper Tires British Formula 3 International Series. Notable former champions included Jim Clark, Jackie Stewart, Emerson Fittipaldi, Nelson Piquet, Ayrton Senna, Mika Häkkinen, Rubens Barrichello, Takuma Sato, and Daniel Ricciardo.

Formula Holden Former Single-Seater Racing Championship

Formula Holden was an Australian open wheel racing category introduced in 1989.

Judd (engine) British company

Judd is a name brand of engines produced by Engine Developments Ltd., a company founded in 1971 by John Judd and Jack Brabham in Rugby, Warwickshire, England. Engine Developments was intended to build engines for Brabham's racing efforts, and became one of the first firms authorised by Cosworth to maintain and rebuild its DFV engines, but has since expanded into various areas of motorsport.

The Formula 3 Euro Series was a European-based junior single seater formula for Formula Three chassis that was launched in 2003 as a merger of the French Formula Three Championship and German Formula Three Championship. The Formula Three category, including this championship, is part of the established career ladder up which European drivers progress to the Formula One world championship, the highest form of single seater racing defined by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), motorsport's world governing body.

Ralt Manufacturer of single-seater racing cars

Ralt was a manufacturer of single-seater racing cars, founded by ex-Jack Brabham associate Ron Tauranac after he sold out his interest in Brabham to Bernie Ecclestone. Ron and his brother had built some specials in Australia in the 1950s under the Ralt name. Tauranac won the 1954 NSW Hillclimb Championship in the Ralt 500.

Van Diemen International, Ltd. was a British race car manufacturer based in Snetterton, Norfolk, United Kingdom. The company had a reputation for high-volume production runs of its cars, the most well-known of which is its series of Formula Ford chassis, which have been at the forefront of that class of motorsport for over 20 years and led it to becoming the largest manufacturer of bespoke racing cars in the world.

RML Group British auto racing team and constructor

Ray Mallock Ltd., also known as RML Group, is a motorsports and high performance engineering company, based in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, United Kingdom.

Élan Motorsport Technologies

Élan Motorsport Technologies is an American enterprise that serves as an umbrella company containing the race car engineering, development and manufacturing companies owned by American racing and automotive company conglomerate Panoz Motor Sports Group. Élan engineers, designs and builds Panoz-branded race cars and components, since its founding it has also acquired several manufacturers, including famous Formula Ford builders Van Diemen and IndyCar Series constructor G-Force. Élan-built cars have successfully competed in the American Le Mans Series, Le Mans Series, IMSA Prototype Lites and various other championships, racing series and types of professional racing throughout the world. It designs, develops and manufactures full line race cars, i.e. chassis, bodies, components and engines for professional racing competition for a variety of segments and classes.

Advanced Engine Research, Ltd. is an auto racing engine manufacturer based in Basildon, Essex, England. Established in 1997, AER has developed winning engines for a number of high-profile international race series in sports car, prototype racing, rallying, touring car, and open wheel racing. They have designed engines derived from road car platforms, but their emphasis is on clean sheet designed engines with a focus on electronics and turbochargers. Their engines have raced in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the World Endurance Championship (WEC), the European Le Mans Series (ELMS), the United SportsCar Championship (TUSC), GP3, British Touring Car Championship (BTCC), Nissan/Renault World Series, Grand-Am, Paris Dakar and FIA Sportscar Championship. They have worked with a number of manufacturers including Mazda, Ford, Hyundai, MG/Rover, Nissan, and Toyota. In 2012, AER developed and built Formula One turbo test engines to current rules and in July 2012, AER was chosen as engine partner and supplier to the new GP3 racing series.

Mygale Company

Mygale Racing Car Constructor is a French racing car manufacturer that specialises in the production of single seater chassis for use in formula racing. It is most notable for its Formula Ford chassis. Mygale also produces the chassis used by in Formula Renault, Formula BMW, Formula Three and Formula Four. The company was established in 1989 by Bertrand Decoster and its factory is based in the Technopole of Magny-Cours, France.

Nick Tandy British racing driver

Nick Tandy is a professional British racing driver currently racing for Corvette Racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship in the 64 Corvette C8.R. His major victories include the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans, the 2015 Petit Le Mans, the 2018 24 Hours of Nürburgring and the 2020 24 Hours of Spa. He scored also class win at the 2014 24 Hours of Daytona and 2018, 2019, 2020 12 Hours of Sebring.

Fluid Motorsport Development

Fluid Motorsport Development constructs the Sinter Formula Ford car. The company also fielded a racing team in British Formula Ford between 2002 and 2012. Fluid Motorsport was also active in British Formula 3 as a team between 2005 and 2008.

The TOM's Toyota LMP was a Le Mans Prototype built by Toyota. A very low budget effort, the car reused the 2.1-litre turbocharged straight-four engine from Toyota's Group C cars, and was intended as an experimental car. It never raced, although it was tested on at least three occasions.

Crawford Composites is an American manufacturer of carbon fiber and composite parts company based in Denver, North Carolina. Crawford designs and manufacture structural and non-structural composite components in industries such as aerospace, aviation, motor sports, health care, defense and structural construction.

Paulo Carcasci is a former Brazilian racing driver. Carcasci won the 1985 European FF 1600 Championship , 1988 BBC FF2000 Championship, 1991 All-Japan Formula Three Championship and the Gold Cup in Formula 3000.

Bowman Automotive is a former racecar constructor and current racing kart producer. Bowman produced cars for Formula Ford, Formula 3, USF2000 and other racing series.

The Lola T850 is an open-wheel Formula 2 racing car from the British manufacturer Lola Cars, which was used in the European and Japanese Formula 2 Championships in the early 1980s. It is not Lola's own construction, but a car produced under a license that was developed by competing companies. A variant of the Lola T850 is the Docking Spitzley DS1. Lola also built a version destined for Formula Atlantic, sold as the Toleman TA860.

References

  1. ↑ "Andy Thorby on the LMP07". Mulsanne's Corner. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
  2. ↑ "Brian and the Lola T-600". Track Thoughts. Archived from the original on 6 July 2015. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
  3. ↑ "1982 British Formula Ford 1600". Team Dan. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
  4. ↑ "TOM'S 1991". F3 History. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
  5. ↑ "Ralt 1992". F3 History. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
  6. ↑ "Van Diemen 1992". F3 History. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
  7. ↑ "Holzer chooses Mygale". Autosport. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
  8. ↑ Inside IMSA's Legendary GTP Race Cars. ISBN   9781610590495 . Retrieved 7 July 2015.
  9. ↑ "1996 TOMS Toyota "Lumpy" LMP". Mulsanne's Corner. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.