P1racenews AI automatic summary:
How ORECA is becoming an engine powerhouse
Before joining ORECA in October 2021, my focus was on Formula 1. Although I was familiar with ORECA as a team, having started my career here in Le Castellet with Signature in Formula 3, I didn’t know much about the company beyond their dominant LMP2 chassis. However, over the past two years, ORECA has transformed into a significantly expanded company, with double the number of employees. While still involved in LMP2, we have also partnered with Acura and Alpine for LMDh cars and taken over the Ferrari 296 GT3 program. We have developed two hydrogen combustion engines and strengthened our software development capabilities. Our new manufacturing Technocentre in Signes is almost completed. We aim to showcase our engine division, which has often been overshadowed by our chassis construction expertise. ORECA has achieved a lot on the engine side but hasn’t received the same recognition as our race team or chassis. We are working on building our reputation as a complete racing car manufacturer and are exploring hydrogen powertrain options for Dakar 2024 and future motorsport applications. While hydrogen technology requires significant investment, we are in talks with OEMs for support. Our goal is not to be limited to mass-producing identical cars, but to offer diverse options of the highest quality. This is part of Hugues de Chaunac’s plan to further develop ORECA after 50 years.
