Bridgnorth-based automotive specialist, Grainger & Worrall enjoyed further validation of its advanced sand-casting technique at the 24 Hours of Le Mans on June 15-16. It supplies castings to Gibson Technology, the elite motorsport powertrain specialist which provides engines to every team on the LMP2 grid, half the LMP1 teams and in total 39% of the entire Le Mans entry. In one of the world’s most arduous single motorsport events, 18 of the 24 cars fitted with Gibson Technology powertrain completed the race, with zero retirements attributed directly to actual engine problems.
“Gibson Technology engines have once again provided teams with both power and reliability at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and part of this success is down to our partner, Grainger & Worrall,” says John Manchester, Gibson Technology’s operations director. “We have a proud tradition of success, having supplied race engines to teams at the highest level of motorsport. Part of this achievement is attributed to our truly exceptional team of engineers and technicians, but trusted suppliers are just as important. We trust Grainger & Worrall to supply lightweight yet robust castings that can help offer customers a crucial competitive advantage.”
Grainger & Worrall works closely with motorsport teams and global vehicle manufacturers to enhance its advanced casting techniques, which are tailored for a wide range of vehicles and operating environments. For the Le Mans events, the company provided Gibson Technology with every cast component on their engines.
“Gibson Technology engines completed 161,191km over the course of the Le Mans event, spanning testing, practice, qualifying, warm up and of course the race, which demonstrates the key to success at endurance events: reliability,” adds James Grainger, Grainger & Worrall director. “We have close relationships with our customers to ensure a thorough understanding of their individual needs, supplying castings using our advanced techniques that are durable, lightweight and which can be developed in reduced timeframes. This offers race teams, for example, the opportunity to make last-minute design changes without facing delays or compromised casting quality.
“The 24 Hours of Le Mans is an iconic motorsport event and showcase of the latest automotive technologies,” he concludes. “From the internal combustion engine to hybrid drives, transmission and suspension components, it is the ultimate test of engineering performance and durability. We are delighted to have our advanced techniques successfully demonstrated on such a demanding world stage.”
