GreenGT preparing for Le Mans debut

The GreenGT H2 prototype, a hydrogen-electric race car, will have a reserved place on the grid for the Le Mans 24 Hours next year.

The hydrogen-electric GreenGT H2 prototype will take the place on the grid reserved for an experimental vehicle at the Le Mans 24 Hours next year.

The Franco-Swiss racer follows on from the Nissan-powered DeltaWing, which fills the so-called “Garage 56” spot in the 24 Hours later this month. The Le Mans organizer, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest confirmed that the GreenGT would race in 2013 on the official launch of the car at Le Mans ahead of official Test Day on the Circuit de la Sarthe. 

The GreenGT is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell, which produces the electricity to drive two electric motors pushing out the equivalent of 540 hp. The bespoke chassis has been developed the Welter Racing team, which was a regular at Le Mans through the 1990s and into the 2000s. 

The car will begin testing in July and is scheduled to run in public for the first time over the course of the Silverstone FIA World Endurance Championship event in August. Former Audi factory driver Christian Pescatori will undertake the initial testing in the GreenGT.

New ACO president Pierre Fillon revealed that the GreenGT was the only applicant to fill “Garage 56” for next year. He said that he hoped the publicity surrounding the DeltaWing and now the GreenGT would encourage more interest for 2014.