Red Bull Advanced Technologies and ORECA develop special chassis for the hydrogen class

The ACO has announced that a partnership between Red Bull Advanced Technologies (RBAT) and ORECA has won the tender to develop the chassis concept that will underpin all prototypes of the future hydrogen class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2024.

The new vehicle class is to replace the current technology demonstrator from Mission24, which will celebrate its competitive debut in the Michelin Le Mans Cup in 2021, 24 Hours of Le Mans.

When the ACO published a tender for the exclusive delivery of the chassis for the hydrogen prototypes that will compete at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2024, ORECA and RBAT decided to join forces and pool their know-how in a decisive combination .

Both companies are very interested in ACO’s hydrogen program, which includes the creation of their own hydrogen class in 2024, and have therefore joined forces for the first time in their history in a joint tender.

ORECA will draw on the expertise of its design office and production capabilities, as well as its knowledge and experience in endurance racing, while RBAT will bring its expertise in race car design, which has a strong focus on aerodynamics, vehicle dynamics, simulation and energy recovery optimization. The partners’ first task is to prepare and provide a detailed feasibility study for the vehicle concept.

RBAT and ORECA join Plastic Omnium, the exclusive supplier of the prototype hydrogen fuel tanks for the cars that will make their endurance debut in 2024.

Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest: “This exciting announcement confirms the appeal of Mission H24 and offers a bright future for carbon-free motorsport and hydrogen prototypes.

“Thanks to ORECA, which has been a mainstay of the 24-hour race at Le Mans for many years, and Red Bull Advanced Technologies, a successful motorsport company, the ACO benefits from many years of experience in endurance racing combined with the latest technology to create an outstanding Performance in its hydrogen class at the Le Mans 24 Hours.

“This partnership confirms that the ACO has made the right decisions for the future of motorsport and underlines our ambition for carbon-free racing for future generations.

“We are pleased to welcome ORECA and Red Bull Advanced Technologies alongside Plastic Omnium, the manufacturer of hydrogen tanks. Having these high-profile automotive companies on board should arouse even more interest from automakers, especially those who regularly work in our hydrogen working group.

“We live in difficult times, but the ACO is consistently pursuing its path towards CO2-free racing and mobility.”

Christian Horner, CEO of Red Bull Advanced Technologies: “I am delighted that Red Bull Advanced Technologies was selected by the ACO together with our partner ORECA to develop the concept of a hydrogen-powered endurance racing car for Le Mans.

“Red Bull Advanced Technologies is well qualified to take on the ACO’s challenge as it has access to many of the tools used to design and develop the Red Bull Racing F1 car, along with extensive experience with other state-of-the-art vehicle programs.

“The Hydrogen Class in Le Mans offers an exciting outlook into the future of sustainable motorsport and promises both to advance the use of hydrogen in transport and to deliver exciting races.”

Hugues de Chaunac, President of the ORECA Groupe: “We are proud that the Automobile Club de l’Ouest has chosen us as a partner of Red Bull Advanced Technologies for this ambitious, forward-looking project. And we look forward to working with the other project partners, including Plastic Omnium and Green GT.

“The cooperation is crucial if we are to succeed in introducing a hydrogen class in the 2024 Le Mans 24-hour race.

“ORECA enjoys challenges and groundbreaking changes and we can fully develop our talents in such an exciting company. With the LMH and LMDh classes, endurance racing is entering a fascinating new era. From a technical and sporting point of view, it will bring us to the edge of our seats. “