Ricardo lights up US racing

Ricardo has secured a multi-year contract extension as sole source of racing transmissions for the US Indy Lights series

The Indy Lights series consists of ten rounds of highly competitive racing around famous North American circuits as the feeder series for the world-famous Verizon IndyCar Series championship.

Under the terms of the contract, Ricardo will provide an in-house designed, manufactured and assembled racing transmission from its facility in Leamington, UK, directly to Indianapolis where it will be assembled into the race car by each of the series’ competing teams.

This new contract includes upgrading the transmission to allow for semi-automatic paddle-operated gear shifting, helping to bring an attractive level of technology to the newly designed Dallara chassis.

“We have supplied racing transmissions to the Indy Lights series since 2002 with great success and we are delighted to announce our continued support of this prestigious racing series,” confirmed Ricardo performance products managing director Mark Barge. “Ricardo has a long-standing relationship with the teams and chassis manufacturers and we welcome the introduction of new technology to further enhance the racing spectacle that INDYCAR is so famous for.”

Advanced Engine Research Ltd., (AER) will be the official engine supplier to which the Ricardo transmission will be linked. AER is based at Unit 6, Repton Close, Burnt Mills Industrial Estate, Basildon, Essex. AER currently has four engines: the P57 V6 3.4-litre, the P60, a new V6 twin-turbocharged GDI engine, the P63, a new version of AER’s four-cylinder 2-litre sports car engine and the P90, an upgraded version of the P70 with GDI.

The Dallara IL-15 chassis will be powered by a 2-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 450bhp, with additional power available through a driver-controlled ‘push-to-pass’ feature.

Ricardo designs and manufactures racing transmissions for the world’s foremost racing series, including Formula 1, WRC, INDYCAR, Super Formula, World Series by Renault, World Endurance Championship, 24 Heures du Mans and many others.