Ilmor MotoGP Project set to debut

A completely new MotoGP machine is set to be unveiled tomorrow and although it doesn’t have the name of a well known motorcycle manufacturer behind it, there’s some quiet money being wagered that the new team will make a significant mark. MotoGP’s newest team, Ilmor, will unveil the X3 at the Estoril circuit in Portugal prior to the Portuguese MotoGP round at which the bike will compete for the first time. Though it is not expected to be competitive in its first race, the 800cc V4 with air valve springs is designed for the 2007 MotoGP rules, where it is expected to be highly competitive. The project is the brain child of the Swiss engineer Mario Illien (Ilmor) and Eskil Suter. Illien is better known for his many four-wheeled achievements in Formula One and Indy racing, his engine designs have won two F1 championship titles with McLaren-Mercedes plus the Indy 500 race 11 times.

The team tested for two days in Jerez (Spain) last week and the final shakedown prior to competition was the team’s fifth outing following their fourth test the week prior in Estoril where despite being hampered by appalling weather and debris on the track, five times GP winner Garry McCoy put the bike through its paces around the new track formation.

Back in September in Barcelona the Australian rider stunned the MotoGP fraternity with a super-fast test aboard the innovative 800cc Ilmor X3. McCoy put in an astonishing performance outpacing the new Ducati 800cc GP7 - the benchmark for next season's new MotoGP machines when the sports rules dictate a maximum engine capacity of 800cc, down from 990cc.

McCoy commented: "The bike was impressive in testing although we are still in shakedown mode. It’s such an exciting project and I'm glad Mario has asked me to race for the team, I'm keen to get amongst the MotoGP guys again. Even though we have tested well so far, I'm not placing big expectations on the first two races, the established teams have 20 per cent more engine performance because they are still running to the current rules."

McCoy will race the bike in the final two races of the Championship in Estoril and Valencia.

The Ilmor engine and Suter chassis have been designed together to achieve the optimum package. A wealth of experience from Formula One and Motorbike racing has been incorporated into this venture making the project truly unique.

Commenting on the impending launch Mario Illien said: "It’s a real bonus for us to have a rider like Garry, who has won in 500cc GPs, on the bike for the two wildcard races in Europe. Our recent tests in Estoril and Jerez have given us a fantastic opportunity to really educate ourselves about the bikes performance under a variety of different conditions. Both Ilmor and Eskil Suter’s teams have worked tremendously hard over a short space of time to get to this point and I’m very much looking forward to seeing what we can do in Estoril."

Ilmor was founded by Mario Illien, Paul Morgan and Roger Penske in 1984. It quickly became successful in Indy racing and progressed to competing in Formula One in the early nineties, winning the world championship with McLaren in ’98 and ’99.

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